THE portrait on the cover is of Cox- swain Thomas William Read, of Rams- gate, who retired last year. He was appointed second coxswain about 1915, when the station was administered by the Board of Trade, and in 1924, two years after the Institution took over the 'station, he became coxswain. He served as second coxswain for nine years, and coxswain for nearly twelve years, and during his twenty-one years as an officer of the life-boat over 250 lives were rescued.

Coxswain Read won the Institution's silver medal for gallantry, as second- coxswain, in 1916, when the Ramsgate life-boat made persistent, but unsuc- cessful attempts in a fierce gale to rescue the crew of 52 of the American steamer Sibiria, wrecked on the Good- wins. The crew were rescued later, when the gale was moderating, by the Kingsdown life-boat. He was also awarded binoculars by the President of the United States of America for his part, as second coxswain, in the service to the American steamer Piave, with a crew of 96, which went ashore on the Goodwins in January, 1919. On re- tiring Coxswain Read was awarded a certificate of service and a gratuity, which he chose instead of a pension.

The photograph on the cover is by Mr. Treweeks, of Ramsgate, and has been reproduced by his kind permission..