PENZANCE.—The Life-boat stationed some years since at Penzance has been replaced by a new one provided by the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION.

The new boat is 36 ft. long, 8 ft. wide, and rows 12 oars double - banked. It possesses the latest improvements, with all the other characteristics of the boats of the Institution in the way of self- righting, self-ejecting water, &c. Like all the modern self-righting Life-boats built by the Institution, this boat will promptly self-right if capsized with all the crew and gear in, masts up and sails set. The cost of the boat has been defrayed by the Misses SMITHE- MAN, of Albury, Surrey, and at their request it is named the Elizabeth and Blanche.

HILBRE ISLAND (CHESHIRE), AND FORMBY (LANCASHIRE).—These two Life- boat Stations, the management of which has been transferred to the Institution by the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board, have been furnished with new Life-boats and transporting carriages, besides which various repairs have been effected in the boat-houses. It was inadvertently stated in the last number of the Life-boat Journal (p. 7) that the Goard William Squarey Life-boat is to be found at the Hilbre Island Station, whereas it is really at the adjoining station, Hoylake. TheHilbre Island new Life-boat, in accord- ance with the wishes of the crew, is of a non-self-righting type, 35 ft. long, 10 ft. wide, and rowing 12 oars double-banked.

She is also provided with two masts, fitted with jib, fore and mizen standing lug sails; she is furnished with two sliding keels, and when tested was found to possess considerable lateral stability, requiring weights equal to twenty-six men on the gunwale to bring it awash, with the crew and gear in. The expense of the new boat, with its special Trolley Carriage on Bails designed and built by the Engineer and Architect of the Institution, and equip- ment of stores, was defrayed from a legacy left by the late Major-General WILLOUGHBY BRIGGS, C.B., and in accordance with his from a legacy bequeathed to the Insti- tution by the late Mr. JOHN AVINS, of Moseley, near Birmingham, after whom the boat is named. The boat is one of the self-righting type, 34 ft. long, 8 J ft. wide, rowing 10 oars double-banked, and is provided with a water-ballast tank. On the 10th December, an interesting public ceremony took place in the Rifle Drill Hall, Pulteneytown, when the new boat was formally handed over to the town on behalf of the Institution by Mr. EUSTACE STBAOEY, late Lieut. E.N., the Inspector for Scotland. There was a very good attendance of the general public, includ- ing most of the public men of both towns, nearly all the ministers, life-boat crew in their life-belts and red caps, and a large number of the E.N.K. men in their desire the boat is named after his father the Admiral Briggs. The Fonnby new Life-boat is the gift of H. B., a lady who is a native of Lancashire, and is named the John and Henrietta. This boat is of the same type as the one at Hilbre Island, she is of the same length (35 ft.), but the breadth (9 ft.) is not so great.

She is a 12-oared boat, and is fitted with masts and sails, and furnished with a new Transporting Carriage and set of " Tipping's " Plates.

WICK,—This Life-boat establishment, which has always hitherto been managed by the Harbour Trustees, has been trans- ferred to the care of the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, and a new Life- boat and Carriage have been supplied to the station, the cost having been defrayed uniform. The members of the Life-boat Committee, including Mr. HRCTOR SUTHER- LAND, Town Clerk, Honorary Secretary, and Mr. GEO. J. JAMIESON, Honorary Treasurer, accompanied Mr. STRACEY to the platform, and Mr. ALEX. GEDDES, Chairman of the Committee, presided.

The Chairman in opening the pro- ceedings, first briefly informed the audi- ence how it had come about that the Institution had presented to Wick a Life-boat to be stationed at the harbour.

Hitherto the British Fisheries Society, and latterly their successors the Harbour Trust, had kept and maintained a Life- boat here for a number of years. That boat was now too old, and of a type that was obsolete. Last year the Harbour Trustees, ever anxious for the safety of the lives of the fishermen and others at sea, resolved to have a new Life-boat, and desiring that it should be one of the most modern type approached the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, with the view of ascertaining on what terms they could obtain one, and the Trustees were very agreeably surprised when the Institution informed them that they would have pleasure in sending down a new boat free.— (Applause.) — The boat and carriage had now arrived, and he had pleasure in introducing Lieutenant STRACEY as representing the Institution.—(Applause.) Mr. STRACEY said he felt it a great honour to be there that day as the repre- sentative of the Institution to hand over the new Life-boat for the harbour of Wick.

After fully describing the valuable quali- ties possessed by the Life-boat, he said that he was glad to say that the Institu- tion found the local authorities always took a great interest in their Life-boats, and he felt sure they would find the same so far as Wick was concerned.— (Applause.)—He had no doubt the boat would be most thoroughly taken care of.

He had pleasure in handing her over, and he expressed the hope that God might bless her and the exertions of her crew and all connected with her. — (Loud applause.) At this point the Life-boat crew entered, and were warmly applauded.

The Chairman said he felt sure he only expressed the wishes of the inhabitants and fishermen of Wick when he asked Mr. STRACEY to convey to the Institution their gratitude for having given them such a magnificent Life-boat.—(Applause.) —Proceeding, the Chairman referred to the noble work of life-saving that was being done by the Institution through the 303 Life-boats which it now had planted around our coasts. There was no Institution, he said, that better deserved the sympathy and support of all classes.

—(Applause.) The Provost of Wick and other gentle- men having addressed the meeting, the Chairman received a cordial vote of thanks for presiding, after which an adjournment was made to the outer harbour, where the launch of the boat took place, and was witnessed by great crowds of people, after which she was taken out into the bay and tried under sails and oars, behaving to the entire satisfaction of the crew.

WELLS, NORFOLK, PENMON (ANGLESEY) AND AYR (SCOTLAND).— The boats on these three stations have recently been replaced by new self-righting Life-boats provided by the Institution. They are respectively 35 ft., 37 ft. and 34 ft. long, and are all provided with water-ballast tanks; the Penmon boat, in addition, having two drop keels. They bear the same names as their predecessors, the Wells boat being known as the Baltic, the Penmon boat as the Christopher Brown, and the Ayr Life-boat as the Janet Hoyle, WHITBY.—The No. 2 boat stationed at this well-known port and watering-place on the coast of Yorkshire, having been brought to London to be repaired, it was found necessary after examination to replace her by a new 34 ft. 10-oared boat, which has accordingly been done, the cost being generously defrayed by JOHN A. FIELDEN, Esq., of London, who has also permanently endowed the boat, so that a Life-boat named the John Fielden will be maintained in perpetuity on the coast.

FENIT, TRALEE BAY.—It will be remem- bered that in January, 1894, a terrible shipwreck, that of the ship Port Tarrock, of Glasgow, took place in Brandon Bay, with the loss of the whole of the crew of twenty persons. Gallant and repeated attempts were made by the Life-boat on this station to go to the help of the ill-fated men, but in vain, on account of her small size, the severity of the wind, and the rough sea.

Such is the tremendous force with which the sea breaks on the beach in Brandon Bay that it would be impossible to launch a small Life-boat there, and there are no men there to work a Life-boat. After fall inquiry and consideration, it was resolved to replace the Life-boat at Fenit by a large first-class sailing Life-boat, the Post Office having readily undertaken to furnish telegraphic communication be- tween Brandon Bay and Tralee. Accord- ingly such a boat has been specially built for the Station and placed there. It measures 42 ft. in length by 11 ft. in breadth, and is fitted with three water- ballast tanks and two drop keels. This boat passed in the most perfect manner the severe tests to which she was sub- jected before she left the builder's Hands. It took the joint weight of45 men on the gunwale to bring it awash with the crew and gear in the boat, and she also self-righted after being capsized with masts and sails set, 15 " deadmen " on the thwarts and 19 men in addition on the lee gunwale. Her cost has been defrayed from a legacy bequeathed to the Institution by the late Miss J. E. KING, of Hammersmith, to provide a Life-boat to be named the John Wilmot, this boat accordingly bearing that name.