I. By JOAN PATUICIA ROSE JEFFERIS (13), The Circus Church School, Portsmouth, Hants Why I should like to be a Life-boatman.

THERE are many noble callings in life in which workers have lit lamps of self-sacrifice, courage and heroism which can never be extinguished. At the head of them all I place the life-boatman, and were I a man I should want to join this army of the world's great heroes.

All are not fitted for the work, but by the exertion of will-power, many could equip themselves for it. A life-boatman must have the qualities I admire most and long to have in a high degree. Self-control, courage, sympathy, loyalty, gentleness, resolution and resourcefulness, rank high among those virtues which go towards the making of a chivalrous man, one who truly loves his fellows.

A life-boatman is a member of a vast brotherhood which extends goodwill to all nations. Thus he carries out in his daily life the aims of the League of Nations, which, as a schoolgirl, I long to see fulfilled.

Splendid physique must be possessed by the ideal life-boatman, who, leading a healthy, self-controlled and busy life, maybe in a quietretreat sometimes racked by violent storms, or in a fashionable watering-place, exemplifies the noble, heroic type so admired by all.

Skill and quick judgements are necessary for the coxswain of a life-boat, qualities essential in every branch of life. " The waves of the sea are mighty and rage hor- ribly," yet the coxswain, cool and unafraid, steers his precious charge into the heart of the hurricane. Could I choose, I should like his post in the boat best of all.

The unassuming manner in which the life- boatman cloaks his deeds, the willing spirit, which, without hope of gain, moves him to risk his life for another, inspire me with a longing to emulate the fine example he has set. Wonder fills me at the unselfishness displayed. Truly there must be a noble heart hidden beneath that oft-times rough exterior, to make him stedfast and patient under such irksome circumstances. His endurance in face of apparently overwhelming odds amazes me. Amazement gives way to intense admiration and a longing to follow in the sturdy life-boatman's footsteps.

Life-saving is his hobby. His every-day occupation may be fishing, yet after strenuous work he is willing, nay, eager, to battle with the elements. Everyone should have a hobby.

What nobler one than this could be chosen? Every life-boatman seems to have the " Mark Tapley " spirit of " looking on the brighter side " ; each one having a cheerful, sympathetic, understanding outlook.

Add to the power of his example the call of the seas so well expressed by Masefield in " I must go down to the seas again—•—" and it is easy to understand the appeal the life- boatman makes to me. I cannot accompany him on the raging seas, but I can emulate his character by striving to be sympathetic, courageous, resolute, loyal and resourceful, ever upholding the traditions of the English race and extending goodwill to all.

II. By EKIC CHANNEIX (13), Wood Memorial Boys' School, Saltney, Flintshire.

Why I should like to be a Life-boatman.

OF all those noble characters which we so proudly associate with the name of the Briton, none is more inspiring and stimulat- ing to the youthful British mind than the character of the life-boatman.

I am patriotic enough to have great pride in stating that I am of British nationality.

Most British boys or girls have, for an ideal career, something with a strong sense of danger in it, and I, being a British boy, have for my ideal career something which certainly possesses both danger and adventure.

Definitely, if the choice were mine, and cir- cumstances would allow it, I would be, if at all possible, a life-boatman. That gallant person is the one whom a great number of people, including myself, consider to be the model character in humanity.

Why should I like to be a life-boatman ? Multitudes of answers instantly present themselves to my mind. These reasons are too numerous to be stated fully, but are not the meritorious qualities of the life-boatman sufficient to gain my admiration ? They are, or should be sufficient to gain the high esteem and admiration of the entire British populace.

Perhaps the foremost of these qualities which every life-boatman possesses is the amazing courage and fortitude with which he faces the terrific force of the gale, and sets out in those characteristic blue and white boats in a gallant endeavour to deliver some unfortunate persons from a terrible death in the hungry, engulfing waves. Not the least sign of hesitation or fear shows on his sturdy, weather-beaten countenance, when the heraldic rocket, with its fateful message, spurts into the black, abyss-like skies. What an indomitable nature he must have to be able to go forth, quite willingly from the cosy warmth of his home, and walk boldly into the black night on his merciful errand of succour.

These qualities form a prominent reason why I should like to be a life-boatman, for I should be proud to serve for such a bene- ficient cause, and to face danger with such noble companions. The mere thought that I should be serving the cause of my race and humanity would be sufficient reward for my small services.

Another two qualities which gain my admiration of the life-boatman are his virility and modesty. His fine, stalwart figure is itself a living illustration of strength, endurance, and manliness, alone sufficient to account for my desire to be a life-boatman.

His very countenance and stature suggests manliness, while action shows that he is modest and humble. No foolish avidity for fame and reward induces him to place his own life in jeopardy to save his fellowmen.

No expectancy of reward urges him on, his services are entirely voluntarily. True, the gold medal of the life-boat service is an object which every life-boatman wishes to possess, that serves to them as the famous Victoria Cross does to the British soldier. There is only one difference between the two, while the " V.C." is won in the full pomp and circumstance of battle, the gold medal of the " R.N.L.I." is gained quietly. When a life- boatman is awarded a medal for his courage and bravery it is nearly always unexpected.

Numerous other qualities, such as veracity, integrity, efficiency, and self-sacrifice all go to form that fine specimen of manhood, the gallant life-boatman. He, in his practical idealism, combines and incarnates that which should be the aim of all who fight the good fight—the chivalry and glamour of knightly combat, and the gentle charity and benevo- lence of the Biblical Good Samaritan. What can one possibly wish to attain above that ? The gallant life-boatman certainly fights the good fight, even unto death, and it is impos- sible for anyone to exceed that.

The life-boatman has a much worse adver- sary than an armoured knight—the mighty ocean. Despite the enormous progress in modern civilization, despite all the wonderful inventions and contrivances of the modern age, nobody human can control the sea, the sea is supreme. It is this mighty, and formidable foe which the life-boatman has to fight against, and one may imagine the perils and adversities which he must go through, all for the safety of his fellow humans.

With all these meritorious qualities to his credit, can it be at all wondered at that I should choose the life-boatman as my ideal, and wish to be one myself, for all his actions seem to be centred round that famous pas- sage, uttered by Him Who, with one com- mand, made the mighty tempest cease : " Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.".