ON 8th February, 1940, the Institution received the following letter from Sir Archibald Carter, K.C.B., K.C.I.E., Permanent Secretary to the Admiralty: " I am commanded by My Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to inform you that they are deeply impressed by the fine services of the crews of the National Life-boats, especially those on the East Coast, which already in the first few months of warfare have achieved the saving of so many valuable lives.

"They are aware that these services have been given in foul weather, high seas and bitter cold, with an exemplary spirit of courage and endurance, in which, without fear or thought of self, the Life-boatmen have never spared their strength and skill in helping their brother sailors in distress from the dangers of the sea and the violence of the enemy; and that in a long and great tradition the calls on their seamanship and hardihood have never been so heavy, or more gladly answered.

" On behalf of the Royal Navy, My Lords beg the Royal Life-boat Service to accept, as from seairen to seamen, this brief tribute to the spirit and exploits of the Life-boatmen in time of War." To this letter the Secretary of the Institution, Lieut.-Col. C. R. Satterthwaite, O.B.E., replied: " I beg leave to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 8th February, conveying the approval of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty of the work, of the life-boats during the past months of war. Copies of your letter will be sent to all life-boat stations in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland; and Their Lordships' commendatiop, with the good wishes of the Royal Navy, will give the greatest encouragement to the life-boat crews in the service which they are proud to render to the common cause.

"Their Lordships may be confident that, no matter what additional perils and difficulties war may bring, the life-boats of this Institution will continue to render such service as may be possible to vessels in distress from any cause, be they British or Allied, neutral or enemy. In this work the life-boat crews have already received, on very many occasions, most valuable assistance from ships, Officers and ratings of the Royal Navy, and they would wish that their appreciation of this help might be made generally known.".