ABERDOVEY, MERIONETHSHIRE ; ABER- SOCH, CARNARVONSHIRE ; ANSTRUTHER, FIFESHIRE ; GHIMSBY, LINCOLNSHIRE ; LITTLEHAMPTON, SUSSEX ; RLIOSNEIGIR, ANGLESEY ; SIIOREHAM, SUSSEX ; ST.

AGNES, SCILLY ISLANDS ; SOUTHEND, CAXTYRE ; and SOUTHPORT (No. 2), LANCASHIRE.—The Life-boats placed by the Institution on these stations have recently been replaced by new boats of the most modern types; four (Abersoch, Anstruther, Southend (Cautyre), and Southport) having been supplied with "Watson" boats, two (Grimsby and St.

Agnes) with boats of the " Liverpool" class, and the remaining four (Aber- dovey, Littlehampton, Rhosneigir, and Shoreham) with new self-righting boats, furnished with all the latest improve- ments. In each case the Institution was enabled to provide these boats from generous gifts specially presented to it.

The boat sent to Aberdovey, named the William Broclcsopp, was provided from a legacy left to the Institution by the late Mr. BROCKSOPP, of Holloway.

The new Life-boat at Abersoch, like her predecessor, is named Oldham, in acknowledgment of the liberal contri- butions from that town for the original boat bearing that name, annually supple- mented by a large subscription. The new Life-boat for Anstruther was supplied from a contribution given by Mrs. JAMES WALKER, of West Calder, in memory of her husband and only child, and is named, in accordance with her wishes, the James and Mary Walker. The Grimsby new Life-boat, Charles Burton, is so named in. compliance with the direction of the Trustees of the late Mr. C. T. M. BURTON, who handed to the Institution a donation from his estate to defray the cost of a new Life- boat to bear his name. The Brothers Freeman is the name of the boat sent to Littlehampton, the expenditure for the building and equipping of which was met by a bequest received from the estate of the late Mr. FRANCIS J. FREE- MAN, of Abbey Road, St. John's Wood.

The Rhosueigir boat, like the one she superseded, is named the Thomas Lin,j- ham, in acknowledgment of a handsome 1 legacy from the late Mrs. LINGHAM, of Norwood. The new Life-boat sent to the Scilly Islands was presented to the Institution " In Memoriam " by S. C. G., a benevolent donor (since dead) who did •• not wish her name divulged ; she stipu- ! iated that the boat provided from her gift should be known as the Charles Deere James, and stationed on the west coast of England. The Life-boats at Shoreham and Southend are endowed boats, the gifts respectively of the late Mr. ROBERT KER, of Auchinraith, Scotland, and Mr.

W. RESTELL, of London, and are accord- ingly, like their predecessors, named the John S. Ker and the William Bestell.

Southport is indebted to the Trustees of the late Mr. JOHN HARLING, of that town, for two-thirds of the cost of the new boat sent to that station, she being named after him, the John Marling.

The inaugural launch of the Aber- dovey new Life-boat took place at her station 011 29th September last in the presence of a large concourse of people.

The proceedings commenced and ended with the singing of hymns, and prayer was also offered by the Vicar, the Rev.

JOHN ROWLANDS, M.A. The District Inspector of Life-boats, Lieut. ROWLEY, R.N , handed the boat over to the care of the local committee and the gift was accepted with gratitude by the Vicar, as Chairman. He afterwards called upon Mrs. WYNNE, of Peniarth, to perform the ceremony of naming, after which the boat was launched and was taken for a cruise in the estuary.

On their return to shore, an entertain- ment was given to the Life-boatmen at the Dovey Hotel.

A most interesting ceremony took place at Abersoch on the 15th September last, when the new Life-boat Oldham was publicly named and launched for the first time. Miss GREAVES, the daughter of Mr. J. E. GREAVES, the Lord Lieu- tenant of Carnarvonshire and chairman of the local Life-boat committee, had kindly consented to name the boat, but in her unavoidable absence, the ceremony was performed by Mr. GREAVES himself.

The programme had been excellently arranged, and the proceedings, whichwere throughout most successful, were watched by those assembled together with great interest. First of all came the presentation of the Life-boat from the donors to the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION. The gift was accepted, on behalf of the Institution, by the District Inspector of Life-boats, Lieut.

ROWLEY, R.N., who handed over the boat to the charge of the local committee.

Mr. GKEAVES accepted the gift, and the Rector of Llanengan then conducted an impressive service, at the conclusion of which the audience sang the hymn, " For those at Sea." Mr. GREAVES next named the boat, which was successfully launched, during which the Portmadoc Volunteer Band played selections of music. The Oldham then took a short cruise, and afterwards returned to the boat-house, where the crew assembled, and marched, headed by the Portmadoc Volunteer Band, and followed by the Lord Lieutenant, the Rector of Llaii- engan, officers and officials, to The Cottage, the residence of Mr. and Mrs.

HARRY MORGAN, where the crew of the Life-boat were entertained at an excellent dinner, and were addressed by the Rev.

W. RHEIDIOL ROBERTS. During dinner the band played several pieces of suitable music, and at the conclusion the whole of the company assembled sang, " God save the King." Mr. and Mrs. HARRY MORGAN took the greatest interest in the event, and the success of the pro- ceedings was undoubtedly mainly due to their untiring efforts. In the evening Dr.

and Mrs. GRIFFITH gave a very success- ful concert in the schoolroom, Sarn Bach, under the efficient conductorship of the Rev. W. RHEIDIOL ROBERTS, the proceeds being handed to the local Life- boat fund.

The Anstruther new Life-boat was inaugurated with much ceremony on the 9th September, in the presence of the generous donor, Mrs. WALKER, of West Calder, and as the weather was most propitious for an outdoor ceremony, large crowds of people gathered on the piers and every point of vantage until about 4,000 were congregated. The harbour was gay with bunting, nearly all the numerous fishing-boats there exhibiting flags. A platform was erected at the west side of .the new Life-boat house for the use of the principal guests, and the proceedings were presided over • by Provost DALZELI., who said : " It is very gratifying to observe this large and representative gathering now assembled to witness these interesting proceedings.

It may be accepted as a proof that public interest in the ROYAL NATIONAL ' LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION remains un- j abated, and that our local efforts are so heartily seconded by this community, all of whom are more or less associated ! and identified with seafaring and fishing j interests. (Applause.) It would occupy too much time to enter into statistics to illustrate the widespread benefits which ' this admirable Institution bestows. In every possible way it endeavours to ; ameliorate the conditions of seamen by : exercising an almost paternal care over ! them. (Applause.) It plants Life-boats at every dangerous point on our exposed and rockbound shores, erects stations j for their protection and care, and main- tains them in a state of the highest • efficiency at a very large yearly expense, with the humane object of rescuing from ! the jaws of death seamen of all nation- alities, whose lives may unhappily be placed in jeopardy. (Applause.) The Institution does not ask, nor does it enjoy, any subsidy or aid from Govern- ment for carrying on its philanthropic work, but relies solely on the support of an appreciative and sympathetic public —appeals which have never yet been ! made in vain." (Applause.) After referring in warm terms to the generosity of the donor, and to the efforts of their hardy iishennen, whose brave hearts and willing hands were ever ready when the Life-boat was called for, he invited Lady ANSTRUTHER, of Balcaskie, to perform the ceremony of ] declaring the new Life-boat house open for the specific purpose for which it was dedicated, which she proceeded to do amid loud cheers, the door being opened and the Life-boat brought out on the slip ready for launching.

The District Inspector of Life-boats, Lieut. BASIL HALL, R.N., then addressed the assemblage, and he also spoke in high terms of the excellent service rendered by the crews of the Aristruther Life-boat, after which ho culled on tho local committee to accept from theInstitution the charge of the boat, to which he wished God-speed and good luck. (Cheers.) Sir RALPH ANSTKUTHER, as President of the branch, expressed their warm gratitude to the Institution and the donor, and said the whole community would do their best to deserve the good opinion held of them, and use the Life- boat in the very best possible way.

(Applause.) After a short religious service, the donor, Mrs. WALKER, was conducted from the platform to the carriage of the boat, and performed the naming cere- mony by breaking a bottle of wine over the stern. The boat was then launched into the harbour, and exercised under oars, after which the sails were hoisted and a short cruise was made outside the harbour with Mrs. WALKER, Sir RALPH and Lady ANSTRUTHER, and others on board. The Life-boat was much admired, and was declared to be most suitable for this coast.

Littlehampton was en fete on the llth August last, when the Duchess of NORFOLK paid her first visit to the town for the purpose of naming the new Life-boat. Her Grace was accom- panied by the Duke of NORFOLK, Lady MARY HOWARD and the Duchess's sister, the Honorable Mrs. ERIC DKUMMOND.

A crowd of several thousands assembled to witness the ceremony. Mr. KEPPEL H. FOOTE, District Inspector of Life- boats, formally handed over the new | Boat to the care of the Branch, and | the chairman of the local committee, Captain E. H. HILLS, R.N., thank- fully accepted the trust and asked the Duchess to name and launch the boat.

Her Grace then took the bottle of wine, which had been suspended by a ribbon ready for the christening ceremony, and saying : " I name this boat ' The Brothers Freeman,' and wish it God- speed," smashed it against the stern of the vessel. At the same moment the boat was released, and glided down the slips into the river amidst hearty cheering. The crew were ready at the oars, and the new boat was soon out at sea, advantage being taken of the ! occasion to hold the quarterly practice.

The Duke of NORFOLK, in returning thanks for the welcome which had been given to the Duchess, said it had given them very great pleasure to assist at : the function which had just taken place.

] No more suitable occasion could have been chosen for giving him an opportu- nity of introducing his wife to Little- hampton, and he hoped many other opportunities would be found to enable them to see his old friends in the future.

Three cheers for the Duke and Duchess brought the proceedings to a close.

The new boat presented to the St.

Agnes (Scilly) Life-boat station was successfully launched on the 25th August last, and the new slipway recently constructed was also officially opened at the same time. The station was first formed in the year 1891, and the boat then placed there had been instrumental at various times in saving life and property. There had, however, always been a difficulty in launching the boat at low water, the shore, for the most part, bristling with rocks, running out for a considerable distance almost on a dead level, and the fear existed that the time would surely come when | the boat's services would be required and it might be found impossible to get her into the water without considerable delay. Some two years ago it was, therefore, decided by the Institution to make a slipway, 1,068 feet long, from the boat-house to a point where the boat could be launched into four feet of water at the lowest spring tide.

A considerable number of persons visited St. Agnes to witness the cere- mony. The proceedings were opened by Mr. T. A. DORRIEN-SMITH, J.P., President of the Scilly Islands Branch, after which the District Inspector of Life-boats, Lieut. ROWLEY, R.N., for- mally called upon the local committee to take charge of the renovated station, and bore high testimony to the ready and efficient services rendered by the local boatmen in manning the Life- boats ; he also referred to the excellent manner in which Mr. E. J. BLUETT had carried out his duties as local honorary secretary during the past 23 years.

His services to the Institution had been faithfully performed and deserved the highest commendation.

Mr. DORRIEN-SMITH, in accepting the boat and slipway on behalf of the localcommittee, said he was pleased that a larger boat had been placed at the St. Agnes station. There was, in his opinion, a great necessity for the change, and he was confident that the brave Life-boatmen would do their duty in the future as they had always done in the past. He felt that they had an efficient slip, an efficient boat, and an efficient crew. (Cheers.) The boat was named the Charles Deere James, by Mrs. BOSCAWEN, the eldest daughter of Mr. DoKRiEN-SiiiTH, who had been requested to perform the ceremony by the local committee. A short religious service was then held, the Rev. A. E.

BANAN, chaplain of the isles, reading prayers and a Psalm. The hymn " Eternal Father, strong to save " was sung, the St. Mary's brass band leading the singing. The Rev. A. E. BANAN pronounced the Benediction, and Mrs.

BOSCAWEN then launched the boat by releasing a patent slip hook, when the Life-boat was run on her carriage down the slipway into the water with the aid of half a dozen men.

The Southport new Life-boat was publicly launched at her station on the 27th August last. In opening the pro- ceedings, Sir GEORGE PILKINGTON said that in the unfortunate absence of the Mayor and Mayoress and Mr. JOHN UNWIN, J.P., chairman of the local committee, it was a great pleasure to all resident in their locality to know that in their new boat they possessed one of the finest Life-boats in the kingdom, and as the Lancashire Life-boatmen were amongst the bravest of the brave, they had every hope that, should the boat be required at any time, she would bring back the brave men who manned her, and with them the crew that they i were ready to lay down their lives to rescue. (Applause.) Dr. THOMAS, one ; of the zealous honorary secretaries of : the Southport branch, then invited Lady I PILKINGTON to perform the naming ceremony. Her ladyship, who was received with great applause, accordingly named the boat in the usual way—by breaking a bottle of champagne at the bow. The hymn, " Eternal Father, strong to save," was then heartily sung to the accompaniment of the " Inde- fatigable " band. Lieut. MACLEAN, R.N.R., District Inspector of Life- boats, then gave those present a full description of the new boat, and, on behalf of the Institution, said he had great pleasure in handing the handsome boat over to the Southport branch.

(Applause.) A short prayer was then offered by the Rev. Canon HONEYBURNE, after which the " Indefatigable " band played " God bless the Prince of Wales" and the " National Anthem." The ceremony was brought to a close by Mr. G. H. BLAIR firing a salute, and by three cheers being given for the King, the Prince of Wales, and Sir George and Lady Pilkington.

Subsequently the Life-boat, in charge of Coxswain Robinson, was sailed a short distance, Lieut. MACLEAN and members of the local committee being aboard.