FOR the first time in thirty-three years The Life-boat is appearing under a new editor. Mr. Charles Vince, the former editor, retired from the service of the Institution on the 1st of July, 1953.

His appointment as editor of The Life-boat dates only from 1931, but since 1920, when he first joined the Institution, the Journal has, in fact, been in his care.

Mr. Charles Vince is a distinguished member of a distinguished family.

His father, C. A. Vince, was a fellow of Christ's College, Cambridge, head- master of Mill Hill, at one time secre- tary of the Liberal Unionist Associa- tion in Birmingham, and the author of a number of historical, political, and literary studies.

Mr. Charles Vince, who was born on the 9th of May, 1887, was educated at King Edward's School, Birmingham.

After leaving school he went into journalism, beginning on the staff of the Birmingham Gazette, on which he was a political leader-writer. He was then assistant editor and leader-writer for the weekly review The World, and later on "the " By the Way " column of The Globe. During the war of 1914-1918 he served with the Royal Sussex Regiment and when inval- ided was attached to the Intelligence Directorate at the War Office.

His official title when he joined the Institution in 1920 was that of Assis- tant Secretary (Publicity), then a new post. Though the title was changed to that of Publicity Secretary in 1931, the duties remained the same. In addition to editing all the Institution's publications, Mr. Vince published in 1946 Storm on the Waters, the story of the Life-boat Service in the war of 1939-1945. This was published by Messrs. Hodder and Stoughton.

Other books on the subject of life- boats which he published were The Life-boat in Verse (with Sir John Gumming) and The Crew Were Saved (for the British Council).

During his service with the Institu- tion Mr. Vince continued his outside literary activities, and in addition to his books on life-boats he published England in France, The Street of Faces, Wayfarers in Arcady and Barrie Marvell.

He has contributed to many of the leading periodicals in the country, and he has, for instance, been a regular reviewer for The Times Literary Supple- ment since 1919.

Mr. Vince's wife, Millicent Vince, who died in 1941, was a well known interior decorator and also published a number of books on this subject.

The bare facts of his career cannot describe to those who do not know him the true nature of this most lov- able and big-hearted of men. From the moment he left its service the Institution has received a flood of letters from people, not only at home, but in other continents, expressing their regret at his departure. One correspondent, Mr. Frederick Clark, who wrote nearly 6,000 letters to Mr.

Vince in all, declared: "Just to have known you has been a source of strength and encouragement to me over the years." The honorary secre- tary of the Tynemouth branch, Mr. E.

Selby Davidson, wrote: "You lay down your armour with the personal satisfaction of great achievement." And at a farewell meeting, when a presentation was made to Mr. Vinee, the general feeling amongst those who had worked with him was happily expressed by the Chief Inspector of Life-boats, Commander T. G. Michel- more, when he said: "I have never in my life known a more collectively popular man." The new Publicity Secretary and editor of The Life-boat is Mr. Patrick Howarth. Mr. Howarth, who was born in 1916, was educated at Rugby and St. John's College, Oxford. Before the last war he edited a quarterly publication Baltic and Scandinavian Countries for the Baltic Institute in Gdynia. During the war he served in the Special Forces, mainly in Egypt and Italy. In 1945 he was released from the armed forces to take up an appointment as Press Attache in the British Embassy in Warsaw. After returning to England he became Press Officer in the Ministry of Housing and Local Government. He left this postin February, 1953, to take up his appointment as Assistant Publicity Secretary of the Institution.

Like Mr. Vince, Mr. Howarth is a regular contributor to a number of periodicals. He has published two books, The Year is 1851 in 1951, and The Dying Ukrainian in 1953. His third book, A Matter of Minutes, is due to appear later this year..