A LETTER written to the firm of Messrs.

Ransomes and Sims, of Orwell Works, Ipswich, and signed by seven members of the staff " on behalf of the Clerks, Foremen and Workmen of this estab- lishment " was published in the Life- boat of July, 1860. The following are extracts from the letter : " We respectfully request you to hand over to the Royal National Life-boat Institution the sum of Twenty Guineas, collected from the clerks, foremen and men of these works, and their friends. We desire to express our sympathy with those who have exerted themselves on be- half of this noble Institution.

" We do not place any emphasis on the amount we contribute, there being several urgent cases of local charity which claim our support, and prevent us from doing more ; but we wish our example may be placed before our fellow-workmen of the United Kingdom by their principals ; feeling assured that the appeal of the Institution might thereby awaken a response so general and so hearty as to relieve it from present liabilities, and enable it to extend its humane operations.

" Without a mercantile navy there could be neither import nor export trade, on which depends so much of the employment of labour : and if not left destitute of the bare neces- sities of life, we should be without many of the comforts and articles of every-day consumption. Neither tea, sugar, nor coffee can be had till some have perilled their lives on the mighty deep to procure them. We believe, therefore, that if the claims of this truly excellent Institution were taken up by the principals of similar establishments throughout the king- dom, in the same spirit which we are happy to recognize in you, the result would be such as we should all truly rejoice at.".