lete. ' ARETHUSA ' AND CHIUSESTER.'
[To THE EDITOR OF TES " srEerAToR.") Sre,—May we in the Committee's name plead for a short space in your next issue to sound a necessitous note in behalf of the Arethusa and ' Chichester ' Training Ships ? The Society to which these well- known ships belong is being heavily hit by the war. It is difficult to get in the nosesaary funds, there is a deficit of £6,000 in the maintenance accounts, commodities and materials have largely increased in price, and the Committee have been obliged to sell about £3,000 of investments. Surely the British public will not allow such an old-established Society to suffer loss and to have its work impeded. In addition to it training ships the Society—The National Refuges for Homeless and Destitute Children, of 164 Shaftesbury Avenue, W.C.—has various Homes in several counties for the reseption of poor boys and girls from all parts of the United Kingdom, and at the present moment has twelve hundred under its charge. In all arms of the two Services its old boys are bravely doing their part in the great conflict now raging. Two thousand two hundred are in the Royal Navy, others are in over one hundred British regiments, many have been wounded, and some have already given their lives for their country. Nine of them were in the East Surreys, the now famous regiment which dribbled the football to the German trenches. From Flag Days and Rose Days no help has reached the Society. The Committee therefore hopefully appeal for special help in the Society's hour of need. For seventy-three years the work has been vigorously carried on, with the result that it has caved and trained twenty-three thousand boys and girls, and made them into good citizens of the British Empire. Gifts may be sent to the Treasurer, W. E. Hubbard, Esq., 17 St. Helen's-Place, E.G., or to the Secretaries at the Society's headquarters as mentioned above, and will be promptly and thankfully acknowledged.—We are, Sir, he., H. BR LSTOW WALLER, HENRY G. copEuitrp.
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