HYTHE, KENT.—The NATIONAL LIFE- BOAT INSTITUTION has formed a Life-boat establishment in the neighbourhood of this place, the station being styled the Hythe, Sandgate, and Folkestone Life-boat Station. The boat is manned by a joint crew of Coastguard-men and fishermen from Sandgate; but if at any time short- handed, others would be available from Hythe. Wrecks are not very frequent in the immediate neighbourhood; but, on the other hand, Folkestone is one of the chief ports for passenger transport between England and the Continent, and it was thought desirable to station this Life- boat in the vicinity, in readiness to assist distressed or wrecked vessels in Dungeness Bay, in easterly or south-easterly gales, when the Dungeness and New Romney Life- boats could not do so. The Life-boat sent is a large one, suitable to command the whole bay under sail; it is a 10-oared boat, 35 feet long and 9 feet wide, and is furnished with a transporting carriage.

A substantial and commodious house has been erected for their reception, from the plans and specifications of C. H. COOKE, Esq., Honorary Architect to the Society, on a convenient site, about midway be- tween Hythe and Sandgate, the ground being readily granted to the Institution by the War Department. The cost of this Life-boat establishment, together with a handsome sum towards its future main- tenance, has been presented to the Society by Miss HANNAH DE ROTHSCHILD, in me- mory of her late father, Baron MAYER DE ROTHSCHILD, formerly M.P. for Hythe the boat being named the Mayer de Roths- child. The public inauguration of the new Life-boat Station took place on the 20th April, under the superintendence of Rear-Admiral WARD, Chief Inspector of Life-boats to the Institution. In the ab- sence of the Countess GRANVILLE, her eldest daughter, Lady VICTORIA LEVESON- GOWER, named the boat in the customary manner. A luncheon was afterwards given in the boat-house, under the pre- sidency of Captain SABQEAUNT, R.N. The Chairman proposed the health of the donor of the Life-boat, calling upon Earl GRAN- VILLE to respond. His Lordship said he was very proud to be present on the occa- sion, and to have to speak on behalf of the lady who had so generously presented the Life-boat in memory of her deceased father. The late Baron MAYER DE ROTHS- CHILD represented the borough for many years, and he might add that the lady belonged to that portion of the Rothschild family which had identified themselves with the history of Great Britain. His Lordship said that as he looked on the Life-boat he thought of the lines of Sir Walter Scott: " Upon the gale she stooped her side, And bounded o'er the swelling tide, As she were dancing home: The merry seamen laughed to see, Their gallant ship so lustily Furrow the green sea foam." In conclusion, he wished the great work of the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, whose services in the cause of humanity were well known and appreciated, every possible success. Sir EDWARD W. WATKIN, M.P. for Hythe, also delivered an address on the occasion. The South-Eastern Rail- way Company readily granted a free con- veyance to the Life-boat and its equip- ment over their line.

COURTOWN, Co. WEXFORD,—The Life- boat on this station was found to be unfit for further service, and it has been (super- seded by another—a very fine boat, 36 feet long, 8 feet 4 inches wide, and rowing 12 oars double-banked. That boat was sent to its station last January, via Holyhead and Kingstown, it being towed from the latter place to Courtown by the Coastguard steam-cruiser. This boat, like the one it replaced, is named the Alfred and Ernest, after the sons of the Rev. E. HEWLETT, M.A., the zealous Hon.

Secretary of the Manchester Branch, by which Branch the boats were presented to the Institution.

TORQUAY.—On the application of the local residents, confirmed by a resolution passed at a public meeting held in the town in September last, the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION has formed a Life- boat establishment at this place. It was considered that a Life-boat stationed there was likely to be as useful at Torquay as at Brixham, where one is already to be found; and that Torbay, which was some- times a rendezvous for a large amount of shipping, and the shores of which were in several parts inaccessible to a Life-boat on the land side, should be provided with such a boat on each side of its entrance.

There was only one practicable spot where a boat-house could be built, and the boat readily launched, and that was on the part of the beach called the " Ladies Bathing Cove." The site was readily granted to the Institution by Sir LAW- RENCE PALK, Bart., M.P., and, accord-ingly, a handsome and commodious house has been erected there. The boat pro- vided for this station is a 33-feet 10- oared one, and it has been famished with a transporting carriage, so as to make it available for Babbicombe Bay on the east fide of Torquay as well as for Paignton on the west side. The cost of this new Life-boat establishment was defrayed by Mrs BRUNDRET, of Manchester, through the Manchester Branch of the Institution, making the sixteenth boat that Branch has been the means of providing. The inauguration of the Life-boat Station took place on the 24th May last, under the superintendence of the Chief Inspector of Life-boats, in the presence of many thou- sands of spectators. The boat was drawn from the railway station to the harbour, a long procession comprising members of the Odd Fellows, Good Templars, and otter societies, Coastguard-men, trades' representatives, and others, with several ! bands of music, accompanying jt. On ar- riving at the harbour, Mrs. BRUNDEET, the donor, formally handed over the Life-boat to the Institution and the Local Committee, the gift being suitably ac- knowledged by Admiral WARD, and L. B. BOWRING, Esq., C.B., Chairman of the Local Board of Health. Archdeacon EBLE then conducted a short religious service, in which those immediately present joined, and delivered a brief address to the boat's crew, after which the donor named the Life-boat, in the customary manner, the Mary Brundret, and it was launched into the harbour, where it was joined by the Life-boats- from Brixham and Teignmouth, and afterwards capsized by means of a crane to demonstrate the self-righting property. The crew remained in the boat, and some of them were thrown into the water, whilst 3 men clung to the thwarts, and came up in their seats as it righted, the others also speedily regaining their places in the boat. In the evening a concert was given in aid of the Life- boat Fund.