SKATERAW, HADDINGTONSHIRE.—The ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION has formed a new Life-boat Station at Skateraw, in order to strengthen the Life-boat Service on the coast of Haddingtonshire.

This was found to be necessary by the Committee of Management owing to the difficulty of removing the Dunbar Life-boat overland when called out to the assistance of vessels stranded on the reefs which abound on this dangerous coast. The new Life-boat is of the Liverpool type, 35 ft. long by 10 ft.

wide, rows 12 oars double-banked, is provided with masts and sails, and is fitted with two water - ballast tanks and two drop keels; she is named the-Sarah Kay, as desired by the late Mr. EDWIN KAY, of Southsea, who bequeathed a legacy to the Institution for the purpose. A new and commodious boat-house, designed by the Engineer and Architect of the Institution, has been constructed for the boat 011 the most suitable site, and the building is provided with a watch-room for the use ! of the Life-boat crew. | On Saturday, the 13th April, several hundred people congregated in the vicinity of the boat-house as the hour of the naming ceremony approached. The company was representative of the district, and included Provost Smith, the Magistrates and Town Councillors of Dunbar; Lady "Wingate, wife of the Sivdav of Egypt; the coxswains of the Eyemouth, Berwick and North Berwick Life-boats, and Miss Lawson, a generous friend of the Dunbar Life-boat men, who had kindly consented to perform the ceremony. The proceedings began with a religious service held in the open air, conducted by the Rev. T. W. G.

Sutherland, Innerwick. The hymn, " Lead us, Heavenly Father," was sung, after which Mr. Sutherland read passages from Psalms cvii. and xciii., and from the 6th chapter of St. Mark and the 21st chapter of Revelations. The Rev.

W. Borland, Dunbar, then led in prayer, and the service was brought to a close with the hymn, " Eternal Father, strong to save," and the pronouncing of the benediction by Mr. Sutherland.

The door of the Life-boat house was then formally opened by Miss LAWSON.

For this purpose she was presented with a silver key, the ring of which was in the form of a miniature lifebuoy. The boat was run out on her carriage, and boarded by Dr. Anderson, Vice-Chairman of the Local Committee,accompanied by Lieutenant Basil Hal],R.N.,District Inspector of the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFEBOAT INSTITUTION.

Lieutenant HALL said he had the honour of representing the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION on that occasion, and briefly alluded to the circumstances which led to the boat being placed at Skateraw. It was the universal custom of the Institution to allow the men who manned the boat to choose their own type of boat, and in accordance with that practice a deputation from Dunbar, along with Mr. Bertram, visited other places, and the present boat was chosen.

To the care of Dr. Anderson and the members of the Local Committee he handed over the boat on behalf of the Institution.

He knew full well he could not place her in better hands, and he had nothing further to do but to wish Godspeed to her and her gallant crew. (Applause.) Dr. ANDERSON said that in the absence of their honoured President, the Earl of Haddington, owing to business [in London, and of their worthy Chairman of Committee, ex-Provost Brand, who to the general regret was unable to be present owing to a severe chill, the duty devolved upon him of receiving the Life-boat in the name of the Local Committee. He did so with gratitude and the hope that the boat might long fulfil its noble mission.

Preparations having been made for the launch, Miss LAWSON then named the Life-boat the Sarah Kay. Skilfully handled, the boat in a few minutes was beating out of the bay seaward, making a very pretty picture as she sped before the wind.

The invited company then entered the Life-boat house, where a cake and wine banquet was held. Apologies for absence were intimated from the Earl of  Haddiiigton, the Dowager Duchess of Roxburghe, Sir Basil and Lady Hall, Lady Evelyn limes Ker, ex-Provost Brand, etc.

The CHAIRMAN gave the loyal toasts.

Mr. HARRY HOPE proposed " Success to the New Life-boat." There had been a Life-boat at Dunbar since the year 1860, and that, he understood, was the fourth Life-boat which they had had in the district during that time. la those 47 years their Life-boats had been the means of saving something like one hundred lives. He thought they could not consider that great record without being very thankful to the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION for having sent such a boat to that part of the coast, and to those who had helped to keep up and prosper the great object of the Institution.

The CHAIRMAN, on behalf of the D'unbar Branch of the Institution and the crew, thanked all for their good wishes for the success of the boat.

The Rev. W. BORLAND, chaplain of the Branch, proposed the health of Miss Lawson. If he were to mention the number of her kind benefactions he should detain them a good deal longer than he intended to do, because she had been for a long time interested in all fresh developments in the district, and no one had been more interested in that development which had come to a successful issue that day. They could not forget there, under that beautiful roof, the kindness of Lady Hall last autumn in connection with the sale of work she had held on behalf of that place.

(Cheers.) Mr. Borland then further referred to the many kind acts of Miss Lawson towards the Life-boat crew, and the toast was very heartily pledged.

Miss LAWSON said it had been a great pleasure to her to come there and perform that interesting ceremony.

She sincerely thanked them for their kind wishes. The Life-boat crew, they all knew, were brave men. They had saved many lives, and she knew they had always been very willing. She again thanked them for their kind wishes.

Lieutenant BASIL HALL, in proposing the health of the local officials, paid a high compliment to the services of Mr.

Bertram, Hon. Secretary of the Branch.

For many years Mr. Bertram had worked hard on behalf of the Dunbar branch. (Applause.) He believed the Local Committee would agree with him, and not think he was disparaging their labours on behalf of the branch, when he said it was mainly due to Mr.

Bertram that the Dunbar Branch had been brought to its present state of efficiency—if not the first, almost the first in point of efficiency of the Lifeboat stations in Scotland. (Applause.) Mr. W. BERTRAM suitably responded, and said he would continue to do his best to carry on the work. (Applause.) After other toasts had been proposed, the exceedingly interesting and successful proceedings terminated.

CULLERCOATS, NORTHUMBERLAND.

The Life-boat on this Station has been replaced by one of modern self-righting type, measuring 37 ft. by 8 ft.

6 in., rowing 12 oars double-banked and fitted with masts and sails, also with two water - ballast tanks. The new Life-boat has been, like her predecessor, presented to the Institution by the Co-operative Union and perpetuates the name Go-operator No. 1. There was an enormous gathering of spectators to witness the presentation and launch of the new Life-boat at Cullercoats Haven on Saturday the 27th April. Cullercoats was en fete for the occasion, and the weather was exceedingly favourable, except that a cold breeze was blowing from the sea. Members of the local branch of the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFEBOAT INSTITUTION, the Life-boat crew in their picturesque uniforms, and representative members of the co-operative movement, were formed into processional order in front of the Cullercoats branch of the North Shields Co-operative Society, and marched to the Haven, preceded by the Percy Main N.E.R.

Workmen's Silver Band, under the leadership of Mr. J. B. Mustard.

Arrived at the Haven, an open-air meeting was held outside the Life-boat house. Around the temporary platform, and clustering on the sea banks, was a vast assembly of ladies and gentlemen, all more or less interested in the proceedings.

Mr. JOHN DAVISON, Chairman of the Northern Sectional Board of the Cooperative Union, officiated as Chairman, and, in the course of his opening remarks, said they were there to perform a noble work and were desirous that everyone should partake of the spirit that was requisite in order to make it a success, not only that day but in the days that were to come. He was glad to tell them that when it was intimated to the Northern Board that the Life-boat Go-operator No. 1, given twenty-three years ago, was becoming unfit for duty, they determined at once that she should be replaced by a new one, and so determined were they that they decided to approach Congress on the subject, and when there was a dread that Congress might refuse their appeal, they said : " Then, if Congress refuses our appeal, we, the Northern Sectional Board, have no fear but that our people will respond to an appeal of that kind, and the Section will replace the old Life-boat." (Applause.) He was glad to say that in less than two years the great movement to which so many of them belonged had responded so heartily that they were in a position not only to place one Life-boat, but two Life-boats upon our shores. They were about to witness the launch of the first one, and in a short while they expected to witness the launch of the other.

After some further remarks, Mr. Davison called upon Mrs. H. R. Bailey, of Whitley Bay,to open the boat-house door.

This having been done, the new boat was brought out upon its carriage amid great cheering, and the Rev. H. J. Blount Fry, vicar of St. George, Cullercoats, conducted a service for the blessing of the boat. The choir of St. George's, in surplices, sang the well known hymn, " Eternal Father, strong to save." ? Mr. J. C. GRAY, J.P., General Secretary of the Co-operative Union, Manchester, then formally presented the boat to the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION. He was pleased and thankful that Mrs. Bailey, who performed the ceremony twenty-three years ago, was yet with them, and able to perform it on that occasion. They ought not to forget that the idea of a cooperative life-boat first began with the Northern Section, and was first conceived by Mr. H. R. Bailey. Proceeding, he said that last year co-operators granted £49,000 out of their funds to charitable objects, and it was only right, he thought, that some portion should be given to the noble Life-boat Institution.

In conclusion, he expressed the pleasure it afforded him to be the medium of the Co-operative Union in presenting the boat to the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION. (Cheers.) Lieutenant BASIL HALL, R.N., District Inspector of Life-boats, on behalf of the Institution, acknowledged the handsome and generous gift. Their Union had been very generous to the Institution, as was shown by the Lifeboats that had been built, and were now being built, for various parts of the coast.. When the old Go-operator No. 1 was condemned, the question arose as to what kind of boat should take her place, and the Institution consulted with the crew of the old Life-boat as to what type of boat they preferred to have. It offered to allow a deputation to visit other parts of the coast, and inspect the various kinds in use ; but the Cullercoats crew were so well pleased with their old boat that they did not want to see any other, and asked the Institution to build a boat as like as possible to their old friend. The Institution had acceded to that request.

With regard to size, type and shape, the new boat was very similar to the old one. The difference was more in the way of making her easier to launch than anything else. On a flat beach like that it was very necessary to have a boat of light draft, and considering that a great deal of the service was rendered to the fishing cobles, it was important that prompt action and quick launching should be provided for. Like her predecessor, she was built with a double skin of mahogany, which was the strongest way a, boat could be built.

She was unsinkable, self-baling, selfrighting, and possessed all the modern attributes that science could place in a Life-boat. Most important of all, she had the same crew of stout hearts and gallant men who manned the old Life-boat, and had proved their worth and mettle on many an occasion.

(Cheers.) Lieutenant Hall then begged Mr. Leeson to accept the boat as representing the Cullercoats Branch of the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION.

Mr. R. J. LEESON, Hon. Secretary of the Cullercoats Life-boat Committee, in accepting the custody of the boat, said they would look upon it a.s a sacred trust which would never be betrayed.

They would never forget the noble services rendered through a long course of years by the magnificent old boat, Co-operator No. 1. (Applause.) Mrs. BAILEY then named the boat Co-operator No. I , and the boat was then launched amid ringing cheers, and was rowed out and manoeuvred off the harbour.

ATHERFIELD, ISLE OF WIGHT.—The Life-boat stationed by the Institution some years since at Atherfield has been replaced by a new one named the Gem, the cost of which has been generously presented to the Institution by Mrs.

Gilbert W. Moss, of Aigburth, Liverpool.

The new boat is of the self-righting type, 35 ft. long by 8 ft. 6 in. wide, and possesses all the improvements of this class of Life-boat. She is fitted with Masts and sails, two water-ballast tanks and a drop keel, and pulls 10 oars double-banked. Fortunately Mrs. Moss, who happened to be at Ventnor, was able to perform the naming ceremony herself on the afternoon of the 30th April.

The Life-boat station was gaily dressed with flags, and ready for launching at the top of the slipway was the smartlooking new Life-boat, the cynosure of all eyes, manned by her brave crew dressed with life-belts as if ready for wreck service. Near the Life-boat was erected a temporary platform, from which the speeches preliminary to the naming ceremony were made. In the regretted unavoidable absence of Sir Charles Seely, Bart., the devoted President of the Isle of Wight Life-boat Board, Major Seely, D.S.O., M.P., made a special journey from London to preside at the ceremony, and apart from the gallant Major's active association with actual Life-boat service in. the Island, and from his association with the Committee of Management of the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION in London, there was a special appropriateness in the presence of the Member of Parliament for one of the divisions of the city in which Mrs. Gilbert W. Moss, the donor of the new boat, resides. Mrs. Moss was accompanied by her daughter, Miss Moss, and by her grandson, Mr. Geoffrey Moss (Grenadier Guards), and they occupied seats on the platform with Major Seely and others, including the Lady Adela Cochrane, Lady Sophia Heaviside, Mrs.

Aubrey H. Wykeham, the Rev. G. E. Jeans (vicar of Shorwell and Chairman of the Local Life-boat Committee), the Rev. C. W. Heald (rector of Chale), and other members of the Local Committee, with Mr. H. C. Mills, the excellent Hon. Secretary. Others present included the Revs. E. W. Silver (Hon.

Secretary of the Brighstone Committee) and R. Leslie Morris (Hon. Secretary of the Brook Committee), Colonel Bonham, Dr. Jolliffe, Messrs. Charles Dabell, C.C., H. Garle, H. Way, J. Lake, R.N.

(chief officer of the Coastguard), and.

A. Draper (members of the Local Committee), Mr. Aubrey H. Wykeham, Mr. Keppel H. Foote (District Inspector of Life-boats), Captain and Mrs. W. B. Judd, Mr. J. G. Pinnock (hon. treasurer of the I.W. Life-boat Board), Mr. Frank King (hon. auditor of the Board), Mr. E. L. Holland, Mr. and Mrs. W. Dabell, Mrs. C. Dabell, Miss Garle, Mr. M. Russell, Miss Wells, and a large general attendance of inhabitants of the district and neighbouring stations.

Major SEELY said it was his privilege to come there on behalf of his father, the President of the Isle of Wight Lifeboat Board, to preside at the ceremony of naming and launching the new Atherfield Life-boat. Might he first say that his father requested him to express his deep regret that he was unable, owing to absence in the North of England, to be there in person. His father asked him to convey his warmest good wishes for the success of that ceremony and for the brave Atherfield Life-boatmen, and his earnest hope that they might always be successful in their noble mission of saving life. (Cheers.) That new boat, upon which they looked with so much pleasure, was the gift of Mrs. Gilbert W. Moss, who with her daughter and grandson had kindly graced those proceedings with her presence, and all of those interested in Island Life-boat work, especially at Atherfield and neighbourhood, felt very grateful to the generous lady who had (Cheers.) On behalf of the Institution given them such a fine new boat as the ! he gratefully accepted that splendid new -» "~" " •"-. iii. • . ..-i_i. i T:J_ i 1. __J v- l J j- c ™_11_ Gem. (Cheers.) It would be impossible for the LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION to continue its work were it not for the generosity of persons such as Mrs. Moss, who so kindly gave Life - boats and contributions for the maintenance of their work ; but the most welcome gift of all and mosb expensive was a Lifeboat.

(Cheers.) Mrs. GILBERT W. Moss, who was very enthusiastically received, said: " Major Seely, ladies and gentlemen, I thank you very much for your very kind words. It is a great happiness to me to be here to-day and to present this Life-boat to the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFEBOAT INSTITUTION, and thus see the accomplishment of a long-cherished wish.

I trust that this Life-boat, with her gallant crew—who, I am very pleased are so satisfied with her, and of whose courage and heroism I have heard much —will, with the blessing of God, be the means of saving many, many lives.

You may be sure I shall ever take the deepest interest in her and in her brave crew, and, let me add, I am so pleased she is stationed at Atherfield. I again thank you most warmly." (Cheers.) Mr. KEPPEL FOOTE (Inspector of the District), on behalf of the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, said he had the honour to tender the most grateful and cordial thanks of ' the Institution to Mrs. Gilbert W. Moss for that most magnificent boat I which she had presented to the Institution.

Mrs. Moss would be glad to know that there was no place in the United Kingdom where more interest was taken in Life-boat work than was taken in the Isle of Wight. Her Royal Highness Princess Henry of Battenberg, the Governor of the Island, was patron of the Isle of Wight Life-boat Board, and as evidencing how much interest Her Royal Highness graciously took in the Life-boat cause he might mention that the last time he had the honour of presiding at a ceremony such as that in the Island—at Bembridge—the Royal Governor performed the ceremony of naming the new Life-boat, calling her after the name of their late revered and beloved Sovereign, Queen Victoria.

Life-boat, and he begged to formally hand it over to the keeping of the Chairman and the Hon. Secretary of the Atherfield Life-boat Committee — he felt he could not hand it over to any more capable, devoted, and enthusiastic in Life-boat work. (Cheers.) The Rev. G. E. JEANS, as Chairman of the Local Committee, said he had the honour and pleasure to accept that boat from the Institution as the generous gift of Mrs. Moss, and they felt sure that the new boat would prove as valued, a possession as the former boat had done in life-saving work. (Cheers.) A short form of service followed for the benediction of the new Life-boat, the Rev. C. W. Heald reading the opening sentences, and the Rev. G. E. Jeans the prayers. The surpliced choirs of Chale and Shorwell led the responses and the impressive singing of the hymn," Eternal Father, strong to save." Mrs. Moss, conducted by Major Seely, then proceeded to a table draped with the Union Jack near the bow of the Life-boat, and said : " I have great pleasure in naming this Life-boat the Gem. My best wishes go with her, with the crew who man her, and with all whom she may save." As the generous donor of the boat concluded her speech, she deftly released the suspended bottle of wine, which was immediately broken against the bow of the vessel, and the naming ceremony was thus successfully performed.

Lusty cheers, led by Major Seely, followed for Mrs. Moss, the new Lifeboat, and her crew, and when these had subsided Miss Moss stepped to the front and made the following felicitous acknowledgment on behalf of her mother : " Major Seely, ladies and gentlemen,— My mother has asked me to thank you most warmly on her behalf for the very kind way in which you have proposed the vote of thanks to her and also for the great courtesy and consideration • which she has met with from all. I, too, give my best wishes, and those of my sister—who to our deep disappointment is prevented by illness from being hero —to the gallant crew of the Gem.

There are many heroic professions in life, but that of the crew of a Life-boat stands second to none in valour, and it is delightful to think that the Gem is manned by men of dauntless courage and self-sacrifice. May the Gem be indeed a 'gem of purest ray serene,' shining through storm and darkness and bringing many to the haven where they would be." (Cheers.) Coxswain WHITE then stood up among the brave members of his crew, and amid more cheers thanked Mrs. Moss, on behalf of his comrades and himself, for her splendid gift.

After a very successful launch of the boat the proceedings terminated.

Through the generosity of Mrs. Moss the members of the crew and the helpers were entertained at a substantial dinner in the evening at the Crown Hotel, Shorwell, the Rev. G. E. Jeans presiding.

FILEY, YORKSHIRE. — This Life-boat Station has been provided by the Institution with a new boat of the selfrighting type, 35 ft. long by 8 ft. 3 in., wide and rowing ten oars double-banked.

She is supplied with masts and sails, and is fitted with two water-ballast tanks and one drop keel. The new boat is named Hollon the Third, her cost having been defrayed from the bequest of the late Mr. R. W. Hollon, of York, who also presented the two Life-boats previously stationed at Filey to the Institution. On the 4th May the new Life-boat was inaugurated in the presence of some thousands of spectators.

The crew, fully equipped, took their seats in the boat, making room for Mr. C. G. Wheelhouse, the Chairman of the Filey Life-boat Committee, Miss Wheelhouse, both hard workers for the Life-boat cause, and Commander Holmes, R.N., representing the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION.

All being ready for the launch, Ifr.

Wheelhouse introduced to the assemblage Commander Holmes, who, in a happy little speech, said how glad they all were to .see hundreds of Yorkshire fire brigade men in their midst, and expressed the hope that they would all develop interest in the Life-boat movement.

The care of the Filey Life-boat Station was taken over by the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION in 1852. There was then at Filey an old Life-boat provided by a local association.

For the great work done since then by I Mr. Hollon, Filey and the Institution were very grateful. The most experienced boatmen of Filey had been consulted before the boat they were launching was built, and the craft might fairly be said to be the boat of their choice.

He trusted that she would answer all expectations, and that she would help to save many lives. He had great pleasure in handing over the new boat to the good people who composed the Filey Life-boat Committee and in wishing the vessel and her crew long and most useful service. Mr. Wheelhouse, on behalf of the Local Committee and the people of Filey, accepted the boat, and promised that crews of carefully selected men should always be ready to man her at a minute's notice.

The Rev.A. W. DIBB, having invoked the Divine blessing upon the boat and her crew, the hymn, " Eternal Father, strong to save," was sung by the assembly, led by the band and the Parish Church Choir. Miss Wheelhouse, smashing a bottle of wine over the prow of the boat, named her " Hollon the Third." The boat was then launched, a rocket was fired, the vast concourse cheered itself hoarse, and the band playing " God Save the King," the proceedings terminated.

HAYLE, CORNWALL ; NEWBIGGIN, NORTHUMBERLAND ; STAITHES, YORKSHIRE ; and YOUGHAL, Co. CORK.—The Life - boats placed by the Institution, on these stations have recently been replaced by new boats, which are all of the most modern self-righting type.

The Hayle, Staithes and Youghal Lifeboats were provided from the legacies bequeathed to the Institution by the late Mrs. Rodd, of Tunbridge Wells; Mr.

James Gowland of Harston, Cambridge ; and Mr. John Alexander Hay, of Cheltenham.

These boats are named respectively, in accordance with the wishes of the donors, Admiral Rodd, James Gowland, and Marianne L. Hay. The Newbiggin Life-boat is the gift of the late Mrs.

Lewis-Hill, of Grosvenor Square, and is named, as desired by her, the Ada Leieis..