ON the 30th November last a double event of a most interesting nature took place at the Lake, near Kirkcudbright, when the new Life-boat house, recently built by the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT ' INSTITUTION, was opened and formally handed over to the Local Committee, and the boat launched, the naming ceremony being performed by Lady ISABELLA HOPE, of St. Mary's Isle.

For some years it had been felt that the Life-boat, as formerly housed, was in a most inconvenient situation. Away from the river, the boat could not be taken there without the aid of horses. [ Valuable time was lost and the crew put • to a good deal of needless exertion and trouble before the boat reached the beach; when there, especially at low water, the soft nature of the ground rendered the , work of launching one of extreme diffi- I culty. Even when fairly afloat, a loDg stretch of river lay between the boat and any situation of danger where a vessel was likely to be distressed. If a south- westerly gale was blowing (the gale which is most dangerous on this coast), the crew often found it well nigh impossible to make headway against it. Indeed, during the last heavy gale when the Life-boat's services were required experienced men considered it futile to try to work seaward in the teeth of it, and the boat had to be taken on her carriage to Boss Bay, and with great difficulty launched there.

These difficulties entailed so much trouble and expense that attention was drawn to the matter and measures taken to put the boat in a more serviceable and convenient situation. The first step in the right direction was the establishment of a system of signalling between the Boss and the town. The keepers on the light- house are always on the alert, and are the first to see when any vessel is in a position of danger and likely to require assistance; a system of signalling by rockets was therefore instituted, by which warning is given to those in authority in the town when the boat's services are required.

This was a great advance on the old haphazard arrangement, when the first notification of danger was generally given by some of the people at the Lake. But with information received through such a channel, a long time necessarily elapsed before the boat could possibly reach the scene of action and render assistance; it was felt therefore that a more convenient station must be formed, and the boat located nearer her work. The river was accord- ingly surveyed on both sides; and even- tually it was found that the best situation was at the Cutler's Pool, just inside the Torr Point, a situation which commands all parts of the estuary, where there is deep water at all states of the tide, and where a boat has comparative shelter from almost any gale. On the matter being laid before Lady ISABELLA HOPE, she at once generously granted a site, and in the spring active operations were commenced;

as a result, the boat is now in such a position that, on assistance being sig- nalled for from the Boss, a crew can be conveyed to the Lake, and within at most an hour from the receipt of intelligence the Life-boat can be outside the Torr Point on her mission of mercy. As will be seen from our illustration, the boat- honse is a very substantial and com- modious erection, with a slip extending down to low water. The work has been carried out in a skilful and workman- like manner, and in stability rivals the rock on which it stands. The slip is carried right into the house, and the boat sits on it with all her gear aboard, and ready to take the water at a moment's notice. Inside, the arrangements are reduced by system to a nicety of sim- plicity. All extra stores are ready to hand—sea anchors, spare sails, spars, &c., slung from the roof on pulleys; life-belts hung along the walls on racks. At the back of the house is a strong winch, with steel cable, by which the boat is hauled up. The slip is so constructed that the boat's keel sits in an iron trough, while she is supported under either bilge by oak ways. The launching is accomplished by knocking away the brake and starting the boat with a handspike, when she at once glides into the water. At the back of the house above the winch is a gallery in which the crew can take rest and shelter while waiting the development of events.

A large concourse of people assembled to take part in the opening ceremony, among those present being the Hon.

CHARLES and LADY ISABELLA HOPE, and Miss HOPE, St. Mary's Isle; Capt. HOPE, E.N., Mrs. and the Misses HOPE, Park House; Mr. and Miss MAITLAND, Comp- stone; Provost COWAN, Ex-Provost CAVAN, chairman of the Committee; Bailie M'EwEN, Bailie M'MULDEOW, hon sec.; Mr. GIBSON, Town Clerk; Mr. DUDGEON, Mr. M'KiE, E.N., Rev. Mr. SHEEHY, &c.

Capt. HOPE, E.N., president of the Kirkcudbright Branch, expressed the acknowledgments of the locality to the Parent Institution for building such an excellent house and slipway. He trusted the boat might not often be needed; but should the occasion arise, she would be put to the best use.

Ex-Provost CAVAN said that whether the value of this house was reckoned by pounds, shillings and pence, or by the substantial character and scientific and mechanical skill displayed in its construc- tion, or still more by the increased ad- vantages and facilities to the carrying on of their life-saving work—in one and all these respects, they had in the new boat- house a splendid gift handed over to them that day. Wrecks were not of so frequent occurrence since the establish- ment of the lighthouse on the Eoss. Still, disasters would happen; but he was sure the crew, when called upon to at- tempt to save life, would, aided by a higher Hand, put forth every effort to rescue ship-wrecked men from a watery grave.

Bailie M'MTTLDBOW, local hon. sec., said he would like to see a wider interest taken in the Institution locally, and par- ticularly by the farmers and clergy. In looking over the Annual Report, he noticed that in all that wide district only two of the clergy were supporters. He further pointed out that their Life-boat had been presented to the Institution by a legacy under the will of the late Miss SABAH FEBGTJSSON, of Bath; and, by her wish, the boat was named the Hugh and Ann, after her father and mother; and he invited Lady ISABELLA HOPE to per- form the naming ceremony.

The boat was then run out of the house. The crew, having donned their life-belts and caps, took their places, the Misses HOPE and Miss MAITLAND coura- geously accompanying them. As the boat started, Lady ISABELLA HOPE broke a bottle of wine over the bows, and the boat, gathering way, glided down the slip, presenting a beautiful picture as she breasted the water, throwing the glancing spray clear over her bows.

After exercising, she returned, the steel hawser was run down, the gear placed ship-shape as she was hauled up, and the boat was housed ready for the first emergency.