No one can calculate the full value of a life saved, but in The Lifeboat for March, 1929, we published a calculation made by an Assurance Company which showed the minimum value, that is to say, the cost of providing the dependents of a man whose life had been lost. On this calculation the value, solely from this point of view, varied, according to the man's age, from £923 to £1,648.

Some time ago we were presented with quite another problem in the value of lives, namely the difference in the value of a life while in danger and a life when it has been saved. The case happened in the South Coast.

Shortly after ten o'clock one night it was reported that a small boat, with two boys on board was missing. They had been out for over seven hours. The news was brought by a friend of the boys, who said that the mother of one of them would pay all expenses. The Life-boat was launched, as it would have been in any case, but the boys succeeded in getting ashore in their boat. The launch cost the Institution £25 in awards to the Coxswain and Crew.

A few days later the Honorary Secretary of the Station saw the father —a member of the local Sailing Club— who intimated that he would become an annual subscriber to the Institution for a substantial sum, as a lump sum pay- ment would be inconvenient. He gave nothing to the Honorary Secretary, but said he would call at the Head Office of the Institution. He was neither seen nor heard from, and after six weeks had passed, he was reminded of his promise by letter. No reply was received, and nothing more has been heard of or from one who, when his boy was in danger, was ready to pay all the expenses ! The Institution, of course, never makes any claim for lives rescued, whether the rescued be millionaires or fishermen. But, when offers of this kind are made voluntarily, it is, shall we say, disappointing, to find that, once the danger is past . . . !.