IN order to insure regularity in painting the life-boats of the Institution, and the use of the best description of paint, its Committee have decided on forwarding the requisite supply of paint, each year, direct from the manufacturers.

Having made trial of Messrs. PEACOCK & BUCHAN'S patent paint on some boats, and the same having been highly reported on, that description of paint has been selected, and a supply for this summer's painting has been forwarded to each station, accompanied by the following instructions:— INSTRUCTIONS FOR PAINTING.

1. In the month of May every year a supply of paint, in tin canisters mixed ready for use, will be sent direct from the manufacturers; it will be sufficient in amount to paint the exterior and interior of the boat with one coat, including the detached air-cases and the oars, leaving some surplus: every other year paint will also be sent-for the carriage.

2. The quantities of paint sent will be as follows :— Blue . . . . one 7 Ib. canister.

White . . . . one 14 Ib. and one 7 Ib. do.

Red for carriage, one 14 Ib. do.

Red for wale. . 1 Ib. Chinese red Thinnings. . . one small can.

3. The first year six' paint-brushes, a cutter to open the canisters, a piece of pumice-stone to rub down rough surfaces, two pistons to exclude air from ullages of paint, and a copy of these Instructions will also be sent.

4. The detached air-boxes must always be taken out at least four or five days before the repainting of the boat, so as to let the deck and side beneath and behind them get thoroughly dry before the paint is applied, the whole boat being washed with fresh water and cleaned of all dirt as soon as the air-boxes are removed. Any of the iron work of the boat or carriage which has become corroded, to be also scraped and cleaned, and primed with a coat of paint before the whole is painted.

The colours of the Institution's life-boats, except in a few special cases, are as follows:— Outside.—Floor white to the load water-line, and sheered upwards at bow and stern ; upper works, sky blue to gunwale ; moulding or wale, vermilion.

Inside.—Deck, thwarts, and air-cases, white.

DIRECTIONS FOE USING PEACOCK AXD BDCHAN'S No. 3 COMPOSITION.

1. Cut round the edge of the canister with the opening knife, leaving only the small round soldered part to form a hinge for the cover; beat down the ragged edge all round to form a rim; fix a laniard by piercing a couple of holes under the rim with the point of a marline-spike or a nail, and you have a ready paint-pot, 2. Stir the composition well from the bottom and sides with a bit of clean stick. Add no " thinnings " unless it should be found to work too stiff, as it covers better in a half-coagulated form, and if well rubbed in with the brush, dries quicker and harder.

3. Be careful to remove any grease, oil, pitch, tar, dirt, or salt from the old surface before painting, and if possible, rub down any roughness on the old surface with pumice-stone and wash it with fresh water, as this allows the composition to lie on much smoother, and gives the surface a more enamelled appearance when finished.

4. If any composition be left in the canister unused, push down the piston over it until it touches the surface, and then fill up the canister with water; in this way it will remain good for a twelvemonth, and it will keep in the sealed canisters for many years in any climate, and be then ready for immediate use without any admixture.

5. The brushes to be cleaned in soapy water, and placed in water after use.