SEAHAM, DURHAM.—The seafaring popu-ation of this place having expressed a de- sire to have a life-boat, not only for the sake of assisting the crows of distressed vessels, but also that they might bo on- ! abled to help pilot and fishing-cobles which often encounter great risk in coming into harbour when caught outside by a heavy sea; the Institution has founded a Life-boat Establishment here. It has also received hearty local co-operation; the Earl VANE readily helping in every way, by providing a site of ground for the life-boat house, and causing the house to be erected thereon at his own ex- pense. The life-boat supplied for use on this very wild and rocky coast is a 33-feet boat, 8J,- feet wide, rowing 10 oars double- banked, and furnished with a transporting carriage; the expense of the boat and equipment having been contributed by the Misses CARTER of Harrogate, who had raised the amount within thirteen months by the sale pf their needle and other kinds of work at their residence.

The boat was, out of compliment to the donors, taken to Harrogate, and exhibited there on the 26th August, 1870, en route to its station. It was much admired by the large number of persons who availed themselves of this opportunity of inspecting it; and on the following day a very imposing procession was formed, and the boat was escorted through tho prin- cipal streets of the town, accompanied by largo crowds of people who loudly applauded tho benevolent donors. Tho boat also received a hearty reception on arriving at its destination, the inha- bitants of Seaham being anxious to testify their thorough appreciation of the hand- some gift to their locality. On the 1st September the life-boat, on its transporting- carriage, and having the crew on board, was drawn from the railway station to the beach in a procession which comprised the Earl and Countess VANE, the Misses CARTER, members of the local Life-boat Committee, and others in carriages; also the Volunteers and their band, Foresters, Odd Fellows, Coastguard, Naval Reserve men, &c. W. E. CARTER, Esq., one of tho brothers of the donors, then expressed the gratification his sisters experienced in pre- senting this life-boat to the Institution and tho locality, and their hope that they might do good service when called out to the aid of shipwrecked crews. The Earl VANE, in response, said that the gift was accepted with no small feelings of j gratitude by the locality, and that he could answer that the boat would always find a brave crew in the hour of need.

Capt. WARD, E.N., Inspector of Life-boats to the NATIONAL LITE-BOAT INSTITUTION, who represented it on the occasion, added that the Institution had been peculiarly gratified with the benevolence of the | Misses CARTER in making this life-boat gift. The Society had fortunately received a large number of boats from various donors, but none had afforded it more gratification than this one from the Misses CARTER. The Countess VANE then broke a bottle of wine over the boat and named it the Sisters Carter of Harrogate ; and after a prayer had l con offered by the Itcv. A.

liETHUNE for its future success, it was launched, pulled out to sea, and after- wards capsized in the harbour basin to show its self-righting and other qualities, the crew being well satisfied with their noble boat.

PORTLOE, CORNWALL.—A Life-boat Station has been formed by the Institution at Portloe, in Yeryan Bay, application having been made to it to that effect.

Local co-operation was promised to the undertaking, a reliable crew was obtain- able, and the Inspector of Life-boats joined in the recommendation that a Life-boat might be placed there, it being thought a good intermediate position between the Falmouth and Mcvagissey Life-boat Stations, which are some twenty miles apart. A boat 33 feet long, 8 feet wide, and rowing 10 oars double-banked, was forwarded here in September, 1870. It is furnished with a transporting-carriage; and a convenient boat-house has been erected near the water's edge, by the side of the road pass- ing through the village. The Bristol and Exeter, and South Devon and Cornwall Railway Companies very kindly gave this boat and carriage a free conveyance over their lines to the Grampound Road Rail- way station. The expense of tho Life- boat and its equipment were met by a legacy bequeathed to the Life-boat Society by the late JACOB GORFENKLE, Esq., of Liverpool. The legacy, amounting to 5007., was, in accordance with tho testator's wishes, paid to the ex-Mayor of Falmouth, Mr. JACOB OLVER, who handed the amount to the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, which had already provided a Life-boat for Falmouth. The Portloe Life-boat, which is named the Jacob Oorftnkle, was publicly inaugurated at its station, on the iih Oct., under the superintendence of NOVEMBER 1, 1871.] THE LIFE-BOAT.

183 Capt. D. ROBERTSON, E.N., the Assistant- Inspector of Life-boats to the Institution.

The local farmers kindly gave tho free use of their horses to bring the Life-boat, on its carriage, from the railway-station to Portloe ; and tho boat was most enthusi- astically received by the inhabitants of the different villages and hamlets through which it passed; and after traversing some very difficult roads, it was housed at its station. Tho next day, in the presence of large numbers of people, who had assembled from different parts, the boat was named by Miss AGATHA JOLIFFE, launched, and put through various evolutions, the Mevagissey Life-boat having come over to welcome the new boat. A deputation from Falmouth attended on the occasion, as well as some of the Mevagissey Local Committee ; and in the evening the crews of tho two boats were entertained at tea.

Portloe Cove being well sheltered from all winds except those from S. to S.E., the Life-boat will almost always have an opportunity of being launched under shelter, and will thus have a good oppor- tunity of getting out to sea when wanted.

ALDBOROUGH, SUFFOLK.—A very fine now Life-boat has been stationed here in the place of the previous boat, which had become unfit for further service. The new boat is one of tho largest self-righting Life-boats in the kingdom; it is 40 feet long, 10 feet wide, and rows 12 oars, double-banked. This Life-boat Establishment had recently been adopted by Mrs.

HOUNSFIELD, of Sheffield, that lady having munificently presented the whole value of the establishment to tho Institution.

At her request the boat is named the George Hounsfield, in memory of her husband. In October, 1870, the new boat was launched for the first time at its station, in the presence of several hundred persons, after it had been named in the usual way by Mrs. DOUGLASS RAMSAY, and a prayer had boon offered up by the vicar.

The coxswain of tho Life-boat has since expressed his opinion that a better boat than this could not be built; it gave the greatest satisfaction last winter in getting off the shore under canvas. It may be mentioned, as a proof of the great stability of this boat, that on the occasion of its harbour trial, it required no less than 57 men to stand along one side to bring the gunwale to the surface of the water.

KESSINGLAND, SUFFOLK.—The beachmen of this place formerly had a large Life- boat of their own in which they had saved several crews, but that boat becoming unseaworthy had to be condemned, and, inasmuch as this station is in a very advantageous position for affording succour to the crews of vessels getting on the south part of the Newcome Sands, during south-westerly gales of wind, the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION has provided for it, in addition to its surf Life-boat al- ready stationed there, a large sailing Life- boat on the Norfolk plan, 42 feet long by 12 feet wide, and pulling 14 oars, for which boat a new house has been erected contiguous to the other Life-boat house.

The expense of this new Life-boat Establishment was contributed to the Institution by the people of Bolton-le-Moors and its neighbourhood, the amount having been raised through the benevolent exertions of a Local Committee, of whom THOMAS H. WINDER, Esq., acted as the Hon. Secretary, the Bolton Branch having been organised under the auspices of ROBERT WHITWORTH, Esq., V.P., and the Rev. E. HEWLETT, M.A., the zealous Treasurer and Hon. Secretary of the Manchester Branch of the Institution. Tho inauguration of tho new Life-boat Station took place on the 17th November last, in the presence of a number of spectators; a deputation from Bolton, consisting of the ex-mayor, JAMES BARLOW, Esq., JAMES KNOWLES, Esq., J.P., the donor of the Southport Life-boat, and THOS. H. WIN- DEE, Esq., attending on the occasion. Mr. BARLOW, in making the presentation of the boat, referred in suitable terms to tho fact that the Life-boats were never with- out crews of men ever ready to risk their own lives to save those of their fellow sailors in peril through shipwrecks. The gift was acknowledged by the rector of Kessingland, the Eev. A. B. CROSSE, and by the Inspector of Life-boats to the Institution. The Rector afterwards offered up prayers for the success of the boat, which was then named tho Bolton by Mrs. BAGOT CHESTER. It was afterwards launched and put through various evolu- tions, a numerous party, including many ladies, going off in tho Life-boat, which is a very handsome one, and much liked by the crew.