OF the many hundreds of honorary workers for the Life-boat Cause, those on whom the chief burden and respon- sibility fall are the Honorary Secretaries of the Life-boat Stations. It is a responsibility resting on them the whole time, from year's end to year's end.

They are largely responsible for the efficiency of the Life-boats and Crews, and for their readi- ness to meet every call. There are over two hundred Honorary Secre- taries of Stations, and among them one woman—Miss Letitia French, of Palling in Norfolk.

Miss French is not only the only woman who ad- ministers a Life- boat Station, but she is one of the 24 Honorary Secre- taries who have more than one Life-boat to look after.

The Institution has maintained a Life-boat at Pal- ling since 1852, and placed a second Boat there in 1870.

During those 75 years, the Palling Life-boats have been launched 390 times and have rescued 788 lives.

There are few Stations anywhere round our coasts with a finer record, and of the Stations on the Norfolk coast, only Caister, with its record of 1709 lives, has done greater service.

During 61 of these 72 years, the Station has been administered by Miss French and her father, whom she succeeded as Honorary Secretary on his death, at the age of 80, in 1904.

It is at her request that this article is devoted rather to his work than to hers.

Mr. Edward French lived at Palling for 38 years, and during the whole of that time he was Honorary Secretary of the Station. He had served in the Navy and fought in the Crimean War with the Black Sea Fleet. He was present at the battles of Alma and Balaclava, and was in the first boat which landed at the siege of Sebastopol. He took part in the storming of the fort of S. Jean d'Acre, and was decorated for his services in that action. After the Crimean War he took part in the work of suppress- ing the Slave Trade.

He left the Navy in 1866, and was in the same year appointed Chief Officer of the Coast Guard at Palling.

At the same time he became Honorary Secretary of the Life-boat Station, and though he retired from the Coast Guard in 1878 he continued as Life-boat Secre- tary until his death. In other ways, as Vicars' Churchwarden and as a member of the School Board, he took an active part in the life of Palling. For some time before his death in 1904 illness had put an end to all his activities, and Miss French had already in fact, though not in name, become the Honorary Secretary of the Station.On his death she succeeded him, and for twenty-three years has continued the work. During that time the Palling Life-boats have been out on service 169 times and have rescued 209 lives.

The Institution showed its apprecia- tion of Mr. Edward French's services by presenting him with an inscribed Binocular Glass, in 1878, and in 1901 with a Gold Medallion, the equivalent of the present Gold Pendant which is given only to honorary workers who have done long and distinguished service for the Institution. Later on, Miss French was given special per- mission to wear this decoration, and in 1915, was presented with a Baro- meter, bearing an inscription recording her services and the Institution's grati- tude..