FOE many years the Life-boat Day has been one of the Institution's most successful forms of appeal. It still remains so, in spite of the criticisms made in the Press of this form of appeal on account of the very large number of charities which hold flag days. These criticisms are directed almost entirely against the number of such appeals, and it is almost universally recognised that whatever restrictions may be put on them—and many local authorities are now limiting the number—great national charities, like the Life-boat Service, should continue to hold flag days. Last year permission to hold Life-boat Days was refused in only twenty-six places.

The Institution continues to hold them for three reasons. They are the most economical form of appeal. They reach thousands of people who would have no other opportunity of contri- buting. So far from the public showing that they would like Life-boat Days to be discontinued, the amount raised by this form of appeal is steadily increasing.

In 1928 the amount so raised was £42,748. In 1929 it was £43,520, an increase of £772. In 1930 it was £45,590, a further increase of £2,070.

In 1928 the number of Branches which held Days was 580; in 1929 it was 616 : in 1930 it was 672.In 1929 the number of emblems dis- posed of was 5,111,500. In 1930 the number was 5,358,700. That is to say, last year nearly a quarter of a million more people contributed on Life-boat Days than in the previous year.

That is a remarkable proof of the increasing popularity of the Life-boat Service. On the other hand, unemploy- ment and trade depression are reflected in a slight decline in the average receipts for each Day, and a very slight decline in the average individual contributions.

The average receipts for each Day were £73 in 1928, £71 in 1929, and £68 in 1930.

In 1928, on an average, 115 people contributed to make up each pound.

In 1929, it took 117 people to contribute a pound, and, in 1930, it took 118 people.

The figures of the cost bear out remarkably the Institution's contention that there is no more economical way of collecting money.

In collecting £45,590 in 1930 the amount spent on emblems was £1,243, and the amount spent on posters and other stationery and stores was approxi- mately £650, a total of £1,893. This gives a profit of about 2,400 per cent.

If all possible charges for personnel and travelling are included, the rate of profit would scarcely be less than 1,000 per cent. These few figures, it is hoped, will not only be of interest to all Life-boat Dayworkers, but a real encouragement to them to continue so valuable and economical a form of appeal.

We should like also to remind them ofwhat the Prince of Wales said to the Secretary of the Institution when he wasvisiting a number of the depots on Life- boat Day in London in 1928: "Every town ought to have a flag day for the Life-boat Service.".