LAST December the Institution received from Mr. F. 0. Brown, of Bedford Park, London, a cheque for £28 10s., the amount which he had collected during the year in his Life-boat box. At the same time, he said that owing to ill- health " this last year had been a great effort to him," and he would not be able to collect any more, but that he had handed on his box to an old school friend.

The Committee of Management, there- upon, awarded Mr. Brown the Gold Badge, which is given for long and , distinguished service to the Institution, for he had had his collecting box for twenty-five years; had contributed through it to the Institution £40316s. 6d., and each year, for a number of years, : had raised the record sum for a single box, his own record collection being £62 in 1924. The award of the Badge was voted by the Committee at their meeting on 17th December, but the following day the Institution learnt, to its great regret, that Mr. Brown had died a few days before..