FALMOUTH. — The NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION has recently formed a life-boat establishment at this port. Although the harbour of Falmouth is of a land-locked character, yet there are occasions when disasters occur in its immediate vicinity, amongst the large and increasing number of shipping frequenting the port, when no other means of saving life than by a lifeboat could be made available. Several wrecks had occurred at Falmouth during the heavy gale of March last, accompanied by sad loss of life, and the residents had since then been very anxious to have a life-boat in readiness for any future emergency.

There is no other life-boat station between Polkerris, near Fowey, and Cadgwith, a line of coast upwards of thirty miles in extent of a most formidable and dangerous description. This boat will always have the advantage of the services of steam-tugs to tow it out, and it will thus probably be available for different parts of the adjacent coast. It is 33 feet long and pulls 10 oars double banked. It is provided with a transporting-carriage and the usual full equipment of stores, and a substantial and commodious boat-house has been provided in a suitable position on land belonging to the Dock trustees. The cost of the boat and carriage has been defrayed by the city and county of Gloucester, the fund having been mainly raised through the exertions of E.

L. KENDALL, Esq., J.P., S. R. T. MAYER, Esq., Mr. V. S. MORWOOD, and other gentlemen.

The life-boat was sent to Gloucester for exhibition en route to its station, when a most enthusiastic demonstration took place. It was drawn through the principal streets of the city to the docks in a long procession, headed by the Mayor and the local authorities, with a considerable body of volunteers and yeomanry corps, and several bands of music. The boat was then presented by Mr. KENDALL to the Institution, which was represented by Capt. J.

E. WARD, E.N., its inspector of life-boats; and, after being named the Gloucester in the usual manner by the Mayoress, it was launched in the presence of a large crowd of persons, and capsized to show its selfrighting and other qualities. The boat was subsequently sent to Falmouth, but, on account of the boat-house at that place being in an incomplete state, the formal inauguration of the life-boat did not take place for some time afterwards. The boat-house was opened on the 28th Aug., and the occasion was celebrated by a demonstration on a grand scale, when it was calculated that about 15,000 persons assembled in the town from different parts of the county. The ceremonial was somewhat similar in character to the Gloucester one, and the enthusiasm was intense. RICHARD LEWIS, Esq., the Secretary, and Capt. WARD, R.N., represented the Parent Institution on the occasion. In the evening a public dinner, under the presidency of the Mayor, took place to celebrate the event. It should be mentioned that the Bristol and Exeter, and South Devon and Cornwall Rail- way Companies readily, as usual, granted this boat and carriage a free conveyance over their respective lines.

BLYTH, NORTHUMBERLAND.— The NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION has taken into connection with it the two life-boats at this port, which were formerly managed by a local life-boat association, unconnected with the Society, this being one of the earliest life-boat stations in the kingdom.

One boat is kept in the town on the south side of the harbour, and the other about a mile to the north of it. The Life-boat at the first-named place was on the old Greathead model, and was very unwieldy

It has been exchanged for one of the self- i righting boats of the Institution, which is 33 feet long, by 8 feet wide, rowing 10 oars double banked. It is provided with a transporting- carriage, and the house in which the boat and carriage are kept has been altered, lengthened, and thoroughly renovated. The cost of the new boat has been defrayed from the funds of the Manchester Branch of the Society, being the tenth boat provided for th? coast by means of that Branch—this one being named the Salford. The Blyth and Tyne Railway Company readily granted a free conveyance to the boat over their line. The other life-boat at Blyth is on the plan of the Institution, and merely required to have some necessary gear supplied to it to render it efficient. On the 4th May, -the first launch of the Salford took place at Blyth, with the customary ceremonies, in the presence of a large number of persons, who first escorted the boat through the town.

After the launch, the boat was tried under oars and sails and then capsized to show its self-righting powers. The trial gave great satisfaction, the crew being much pleased with their life-boat.

NEWHAVEN AND EASTBOURNE, SUSSEX.

—These two life-boat establishments, which are adjacent to each other, have recently been completely renovated. A new 10-oared life-boat, 33 feet long, has been forwarded to Newhaven in the place of the former inferior boat on that station. This boat is named the Thomas Chapman, after the Deputy-Chairman of the Institution, in consideration of his long and most able services to the Society. The London Brighton and South Coast Railway Company, with their accustomed liberality, readily conveyed the two boats free over their line to and from Newhaven. The old house being too small for the new boat, and being also in a peculiar position, on the edge of a steep bank, this boat could not be got out of it expeditiously without risk of serious damage.

A new and commodious boat-house is therefore now being erected on another and better site. The Eastbourne life-boat, which was a very good one, presented to the Institution by J. S. D., has been supplied with a new; transporting-carriage in the place of a carriage on an old plan, and a handsome and substantial boat-house has also been built for them on an improved site.

A lady, who has withheld her name from the Institution, has, through Mr. BENJAMIN KERRIDGE, of Eastbourne, given it the munificent contribution of 1,0002. to defray the entire cost of carrying oat these improvements, and readily allowed the Newhaven life-boat to retain the honoured name which, as we have before stated, it had previously borne.

BROOKE, ISM OF WIGHT.—A more powerful life-boat has been sent to this station instead of the former one. Like the boat at the adjoining station of Brightstone Grange, Isle of Wight, it is 32 feet long, and pulls 10 oars, doable banked. It is provided with a transporting-carriage, and is named the George and Anne. The cost of the new boat and carriage' was defrayed by the relatives of a lady; lately deceased, who resided at Upper Clapton, and who had, for many years previous to her decease, been savihg money to pay for a life-boat.

Her savings were found to have reached 450?., which amount was handed to the Institution.

BUDDON NESS and BROUGHTY FERRY, N.B.—The Institution has reorganized the life-boat establishment at Buddon Ness, near Dundee. It had been temporarily discontinued, that it might be seen whether two life-boat stations were needed in that neighbourhood, viz., .at that place and at Broughty Ferry. 'When, therefore, the Buddon Ness boat became leaky and worn out in 1864, it was withdrawn, and not replaced. However, after this trial it was considered that a life-boat should be stationed at Buddon Ness; for, although there are no men there to form a crew, yet, in the event of wrecks on the extreme end of the Gaa or Abertay Sandbanks, a boat there would be in a very favourable position to go to them. The crew could get to the place by land from Broaghty Ferry or elsewhere, quicker than by pulling their boat down the river, especially in an easterly gale, when wrecks mostly occur at the mouth of the Tay. As the boat will be subject to constant exposure to the sun and weather, consequent on the necessity for its being always kept moored afloat, it was thought a very appropriate station for an iron self-righting life-boat, and a boat of that class has accordingly been forwarded there. It is a 33-feet 10-oared boat. Two small boats are kept on shore in a boat-house in the vicinity to act as tenders and serve as a means of communication with 'the life-boat. The lifebelts and gear of the boat are also kept in that house. The cost of the boat and equipment was presented to the Institution by W. BANTING, Esq., on behalf of a lady, on the day of the Annual Meeting of the Institution, when H.R.H. the PRINCE OF WALES occupied the Chair. At the request of the donor the boat is named the Eleanora.

The coxswain and crew have tried the boat in a considerable sea since it has been on its station, and they were much pleased with its behaviour. The Broughty Ferry lifeboat has also been replaced lately by another boat, as it was found to be partly hi a decayed state, and unfit for further service.

The present boat is 33 feet long and 8J feet wide, and rows 10 oars. It bears the same name as the former boat, viz., the Mary Hartley, after the benevolent lady who collected its cost amongst her friends and others. The Dundee, Perth, and London Steam Shipping Company kindly conveyed the two boats free from London on board then: steamers.

WEST WITTERING, SUSSEX.—The NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION has recently formed a life-boat establishment near West Wittering at the entrance of Chichester harbour, circumstances having occurred which showed the necessity of placing an additional life-boat on this dangerous part of the coast, for service to vessels which might be wrecked on the shoals off the entrance to the harbour. A good crew can always be depended on for the boat, there being plenty of Coastguardmen on thewatch- vessel at the mouth of the harbour, and at the adjacent coastguard station on shore. The boat sent is a small, handy one, 30 feet long and 6i feet wide, pulling 6 oars only. It is provided with a transporting- carriage, and a commodious boathouse, built of wood, has been erected for them. The whole cost of the life-boat station is the gift to the Institution of RICHARD THORNTON WEST, Esq., and Mrs. WEST of London; and the boat at their request is named the Undaunted. The Brighton and South Coast Railway Company kindly granted it a free conveyance to Chichester; and oh the 20th June last, fully manned by the crew, and mounted on its transporting-carriage, it was drawn in procession from that railway station to Bosham, where a great number of people had assembled to receive it. After a special service in the church, at which the Bishop of Chichester assisted, the boat was taken to the quay, named by Miss GILBERT—the daughter of the bishop—launched, and tested in the usual manner, Capt. D. ROBERTSON, E.N., the Assistant-Inspector to the Institution, superintending the same.

The Hayling Island life-boat had been rowed over to Bosham, and took part in the demonstration.

STROMNESS, N.B.—The Institution has recently organized a life-boat establishment at Stromness, in the Orkney Islands, it having been pointed out as a desirable place for a life-boat. Wrecks are rather frequent in that locality, and last year 10 persons were drowned from a wrecked vessel whp . might all have been saved had a life-boat been available. A Local Committee of Management was readily formed there, and a good crew can always be depended on for the boat. The Society accordingly sent a 33-feet 10-oared life-boat there in August last, the cost of the same having been munificently presented to it by Titus SALT, Esq., ex-M.P. for Bradford, the boat beingnamed the Saltaire. A new boat-house is now in course of erection for the boat in a suitable position, the boat in the meantime being kept under cover in a secure place. The boat was conveyed free of charge to its station by the Aberdeen Steam Navigation, and Edinburgh, Leith, and Clyde Shipping Companies.