Fos the third year the Staff at the Institution's Storeyard at Poplar, with the help of the Staff at Headquarters, gave a Christmas Tea and Entertain- ment to children living in the neigh- bourhood of the Storeyard. The party was given on December llth at the Emeny Hall, and the guests numbered 210, about 50 mote than last year. It was announced to begin at 3 o'clock, but more than half the guests had arrived by 1 o'clock! Among them was a boy rather imperfectly washed.

When. tMs, was pointed out to him as a matter of interest he readily accepted the soft impeachment, but explained that he had not stopped to wash properly as he wanted to be in good time. Although two hours beforehand appeared to be a somewhat liberal interpretation of being " in good time" and the idea suggested itself that some part of the two hours might have been devoted to achieving a " shining morning face," it was felt that our visitor probably knew how many hours would have been required for that purpose, and'—he was admitted.

The party began with popular songs, in which the children joined, accom- panied by the Storeyard Orchestra, and led by a member of the Staff dressed as a policeman, who became at once, and lemained throughout the party, the master of the revels. The children sang for about an hour, and then sat down to tea. When all had been eaten that could be eaten, pockets and pina- fores were filled with cakes. Then came a conjuror, a ventriloquist, violin solos by Mrs. George F. Shee (accompanied Toy Mr. George F. Shee, Secretary of the Institution), a magic lantern and danc- ing. Crackers were pulled and paper caps put on. One small boy said to a leading official of the Institution, " You look a fright in your hat," and when he changed it and asked if the new one looked better, his uncompromising critic" said, " No, you look worse. You'd better give it to me." After the dancing came refreshments, and then Father Christmas and a Fairy Godmother gave each guest a present. The party ended at 8 o'clock, and the staff, still un- exhausted by five hours of entertaining, had a dance of their own to the rausie of the Storeyard Orchestra.

Besides this party a tea was given afc the Piggott Street School, Limehouse, for physically and mentally defective children. There were 120 guests, and 40 of them afterwards visited the Storeyard with their teachers and saw the reserve Lifeboats and the dock and workshops. A number of the children afterwards did coloured drawings of a Lifeboat and Lighthouse, and wrote an account of their visit. It is not possible to reproduce one of the drawings, but here is one of the essays, written by Francis Harris. No child at this school is more than eleven years old.

A VISIT TO THE ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION.

Oa Tuesday we went to see how life-boats are made.

They are very useful boats and helps to save wrecks.

The boat that we went in had just come from Aberdeen Scotland; the tractor helps the boats to go in the sea.

We saw a model of a little boat getting wrecked and as it was sinking, the life-boat came out and saved the people from going down into the sea.

Rigger Johnson was making paddings to go in the front of the boat to protect them from striking on any rocks.

I saw an electric crane, that will hold twenty, tons some of us held on to the crane, and had a ride, across the room.

Miss Philips gave out cards of the " Red Cross of the sea." Mr. Green was there to explain all to us and I think it was very kind of him..