CRESSWELL, NORTHUMBERLAND.—The Life-boat which has done duty at Cress- well since 1889 has been replaced by a new boat of the self-righting Ruble type, 34 ft. long by 8 ft. wide, fitted with one water-ballast tank and rowing 10 oars double banked. The cost of the new Life-boat has been met from the legacy bequeathed to the Institution by the late Mrs. M. A. Vaughan, of Highbury New Park, London, and in accordance with her wishes she is named Martha.

The ceremony of publicly naming and launching the new Life-boat took place on the 7th October last.

Captain FCJLLARTON JAMES (Chief Constable of Northumberland) presided over a large company at the Life-boat station, and amongst those present were the Baroness Ravensworth, the Rev.

and Hon. W. C. Ellis, the Rev. T.

Horsfall (Vicar of Cresswell), the Rev.

W. Sykes, Lieut. C. H. Forbes, R.N.

(District Inspector of Life-boats, repre- senting the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION), Mrs. Mangin, Mrs. Fullar- ton James, Miss Simpson (of Cresswell Lodge), and a number of visitors from a distance. Amongst the letters of regret read was one from Mrs. Cresswell.

Captain FULLARTON JAMES said that he took the chair at the request of the Committee of the Local Branch of the Institution. The ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE- BOAT INSTITUTION was established in 1824, and since that time nearly 50,000 lives had been saved by its agency. Previous to its establishment, the treatment of shipwrecked persons in this and other countries was certainly not humane ; in fact, as a rule, when the shipwrecked person reached land he was either imme- diately killed or sold into slavery. Those days were happily long past, and the Roman nation were the first, he thought, to establish most stringent laws with regard to persons who interfered with the comfort and the lives of those who were unfortunate enough to be ship- wrecked.

The Cresswell crew was one which was well known in the North of England, and it was interesting to remember that one of the earliest Life-boats was the invention of a native of this coast, who was born at South Shields in the year 1790. The first Life-boat was alleged to have been invented by Mr.

Greathead, and established at South Shields. Shortly afterwards the fifth Duke of Northumberland established and maintained a Life-boat designed by the same gentleman at South Shields, and the Institution, which was formed in 1824, established boats all round the coasts of Great Britain and Ireland, until now something like 300 boats were in the service. The Dukes of Northum- berland had always been very closely connected with the Institution.

Lieut. C. H. FORBES, R.N. (District Inspector), handed the boat over to the care of the Local Committee. He said the boat had been built out of moneys bequeathed by Mrs. M. A. Vaughan, of Highbury, London, to whom they made grateful acknowledgment. The build- ing and equipment of the boat had cost about 1,OOOZ., and she was of the class known as the self-righting Rubie type.

Mr. Rubie was Surveyor of Life-boats to the Institution, and he had specially designed this type of boat to meet the difficulties which were experienced in a place like Cresswell, where they had to launch on an open beach and frequently in heavy gales. Therefore they required a light boat and facilities for quick despatch over heavy sands.

Cress well Station was quite unique in Life-boat service. It was a very small village, and while there were enough men to form a Life-boat crew, there were not enough men to act as launchers, and the women—all honour to them for doing so—acted as launchers of the boat.

To those uninitiated he might say that the work of launching a Life-boat en- tailed, in .heavy weather at all events, great fatigue, exposure to cold, and even danger, and he thought that the women of Cresswell showed that the spirit of Grace Darling still lived on the Northumbrian coast.

" In your hands is the honour of the Life-boat service in general, and of the Cresswell branch in particular," said Lieut. FORBES, addressing the coxswain and crew. "You have had a glorious record of service in the past, and may the name of the new Life-boat be long engraved on the scroll of fame, as was the previous boat." The VICAR OP CRESSWELL, as local Honorary Secretary of the Institution, then received the new craft. He said that they accepted the gift from the Committee of Management with a full sense of the responsibility attached thereto, and with an expression of gratitude.

The reverend gentleman amid deep silence invoked a blessing upon the new boat, and the assembled company joined in singing the hymn, "Eternal Father, strong to save." The Baroness RAVENSWORTH, who accepted a charming silver rose bowl filled with freshly cut roses from the Local Committee as a memento of the occasion, then delivered a graceful little speech, at the conclusion of which she performed the naming ceremony.

Her Lady ship said it was about twenty years since she had the honour of launching the old Life-boat, the Ellen and Eliza, and it gave her great pleasure to be asked to come there and launch the Martha. She was very glad to see so many of her old friends. She wished prosperity to the gallant crew, who had rescued so many lives on this desperate coast, and she wished them good luck.

A bottle of champagne hung sus- pended by gaily coloured ribbons from the bow of the Life-boat. This her Ladyship broke against the side of the craft in performing the naming cere- mony. Then with a lusty heave of the ropes the Life-boatmen pulled the Martha from her shed and raced her down to the water's edge. Her crew scrambled aboard and manned oars, and at the final heave she left her carriage and took the water with a graceful dip amid the cheers of an admiring crowd.

Afterwards the women launchers of the Life-boat were entertained to tea at the Cresswell School by Lady Ravensworth, while in the evening the Vicar entertained the Life-boat crew and friends to supper at the Vicarage.

FISHGUARD, PEMBROKESHIRE.—This station has been provided with a new Life-boat of the large sailing self-righting type, being fitted with a motor engine as auxiliary power. She is 40 ft. long by 10 ft. 6 in. wide, has one drop keel, and rows 12 oars double banked. The Life-boat is named the Charterhouse, her cost having been partly met by generous contributions from old and present Carthusians. The naming ceremony took place on the 22nd December last, there being present a large and repre- sentative gathering.

The Rev. Gerald Henry Rendall, M.A., headmaster of Charterhouse School, accompanied by Mrs. Rendall, the Rev. Mr. Davies and Mrs. Davies, together with six of the scholars, represented the school.

Mr. J. C. YORKB, who presided, com- mented on the prominence to which the Port of Fishguard had lately attained.

Having referred appreciatively to the noble gift of the Carthusians, he read a list of the achievements of the various Fishguard Life-boats, and explained that since the first one had been placed upon the Station in 1855 the total number of lives saved had been 438, irrespective of numerous instances when the boat had stood by and otherwise rendered assistance to vessels ia distress.

He felt sure that all would agree that that was a splendid record, and he had not the slightest doubt that the new boat would be the means of adding thereto should necessity arise.

Mr. W. T. S. TOMBS, of Fishguard, as an Old Carthusian, said he was glad to be present upon such an occasion, re- marking that he was very proud that his old School should make so magnificent a gift to the Institution and to the locality in which he resided. He added that it was the intention of the Local Committee to attend a dinner that evening and he would arrange that the crew of the Life-boat should be similarly entertained on New Year's Eve.

The Rev. Dr. RENDALL, in the course of a brilliant address, stated that he esteemed it a great privilege and plea- sure to represent the Charterhouse on an occasion so important to the school. He believed that this was the first occasion in the history of the public schools of this country on which one of them had presented a motor Life-boat or a Life- boat to the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION and to the service of the sailors toiling on the seas. They were pleased to think that the Charterhouse had had in this county and diocese some names which were reverenced and held in the highest esteem and admiration, chief among which was the name of that great scholar of European fame, the late Bishop Thirlwall, who ruled the diocese •with swch consummate skill and pru- dence ; and one who had been an enthusiastic lover of his old school, the late Dean of St. David's, who spent so much of his private wealth in restoring and maintaining the magnificent cathe- dral which contained the shrine of Wales' patron saint—St. David. In handing that new motor Life-boat over to the care of the Local Committee of the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT IN- STITUTION, he thought it only right and just to say that, through the generosity, kindness and unselfishness of the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, it had been possible for the Charterhouse to hand that gift over to their trusteeship, for although it has been the desire of the Charterhouse to make this gift for the last thirty years, yet it was only now that they had been able to realise their hopes. They had been able to collect the sum of £1,500 and the deficit had been kindly made up by the Institution. The result of their efforts was seen in the splendidly- equipped boat which was about to be launched and named. They, members of the Charterhouse past and present, considered that day to be a red-letter one in the history of their school and of the public schools of England, and hoped that the initiative taken by the Charter- house would be speedily followed by the other great public schools of the country.

The deep interest taken in the matter was shown by the fact that that day they had there present the Rev. Mr.

Davies, the Master of the Charterhouse, Mr. Girdlestone the senior Assistant Master and eight members of the school. They felt that the Life-boat would fulfil her duty and be the means of succouring many and many a sailor who might be in danger on that rock- bound coast, and were convinced that she would be manned by a band of brave men whenever she was called upon to fulfil and discharge her duty of mercy and kindness. (Applause.) Lieut. E. D. DKURY, R.N.R. (Dis- trict Inspector of Life-boats to the Institution), in accepting the boat, de- scribed the gift as a magnificent one and remarked that such a presentation from a public school was unique in the annals of the Institution, a fact which enhanced the pride felt in its receipt. In handing the vessel over to the Local Committee, he said that he had spent a fortnight with her during her motor trials at Harwich, during which period she behaved splendidly in all weathers.

Subsequently, he brought her round from Harwich to Fishguard, the voyage being extended from nine to twenty days in consequence of the severity of the weather encountered. The behaviour of the crew during the voyage had been excellent, and considering the hardships which they had been called upon to endure, he thought that but little need be said regarding their efficiency. As regards the future of the station it might be said that there had never yet been men lacking to man the boat, whilst the number of lives saved con- stituted a record of which Fishguard might well be proud.

Mr. J. C. BOWEN (Chairman of the Local Committee), in accepting the custody of the boat, remarked upon her splendid equipment and said he had not the slightest doubt that her crew would do their duty in the future as well as they had done in the past. He assured the Donors that the Life-boat would be well taken care of.

A beautiful dedication service ensued, opening with the well-known Collect, " Prevent us, O Lord," followed by the Lord's Prayer and the chanting of the psalm, " O come let us sing." The Vicar of Fishguard (Rev. W. EVANS, M.A., R.D ) read the collect, and the Vicar of Manorowen and Llanwnda (Rev. E.

LINCOLN LEWIS, B.A.) the exquisitely- phrased form of prayer used by the Institution upon such occasions. The hymn " Eternal Father, strong to save " having been rendered by the united choirs of St. Mary's, Fishguard, and St. Peter's, Goodwick, under the baton of Mr. W. DRAKE, the Benediction was impressively pronounced by the Rev.

Dr. RENDALL.

After the service Mrs. RENDALL named the boat whilst breaking a bottle of champagne across, her bows and the craft was then launched and thoroughly tried, being propelled by her powerful auxiliary motor, sailed, anc rowed, the crew expressing themselves as highly delighted with her behaviour.

The visitors returned to London by the four o'clock Irish express, having spent a very enjoyable couple of hours in the new port.

HOLY ISLAND No. 1, NORTHUMBER LAND.—This station has also recently been provided with a new self-righting Life-boat 35 ft. long by 8 ft. 6 in. wide She is fitted with two drop keels anc rows 10 oars. The Life-boat is namec jhe Lizzie Porter, her cost having been met from a generous bequest to the 'nstitution from the late Miss ELIZABETH PORTER, of Halifax. The naming cere- mony took place on Saturday, the 23rd October last. The church choir having ,ung Psalm cvii., verses 21 to 31, specially chosen for the occasion, and )he hymn " Eternal Father, strong to save," the new boat, on its carriage, was ready for the launch, when the District Inspector of Life-boats (Lieut.

H. Forbes, R.N.), on behalf of the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITU- TION, handed the boat over to the Local •ommittee of the Branch.

Lieut. FORBES said it was fortunate indeed that he should pay his first visit ;o this important Station on the occa- sion of a launch of a new Life-boat.

The Committee of Management of the Institution regarded this as one of the most important Life-boat Stations in the Kingdom. In handing this splendid boat over to the Local Committee he felt confident that the crew would bestow that devotion to duty and bravery and pluck which had charac- terised their efforts in the past. The last boat, the Grace Darling, had a magnificent record. With her no fewer than 123 lives had been saved, and on no less than 47 occasions other vessels had been assisted. The hardy dwellers on this northern coast had ever been noted for their endurance and bravery in life-saving, and it was no less true now than it was sixty years ago, that the spirit of the Fame heroine, Grace Darling, pervaded the men and women on this wind-swept island. From the annals of the Institution he gathered these words—Seven of the fishing-boats belonging to Holy Island were at sea following their avocations when the S.E. wind increased to a gale and the sea became very heavy. At 8.30 A.M.

the Life-boat was launched, manned by a scratch crew, most of the regular crew being in the fishing-boats. The women of the village gave valuable assistance to launch the boat.

The Honorary Secretary, the Rev.

IRVINE CRAWSHAW, accepted the boat on behalf of the Local Committee.

MRS. GROSSMAN then duly named the boat the Lizzie Porter, according to custom, by breaking a bottle of wine and the signal was given for the launch which was carried out expeditious] y.

LLANDDULAS, DENBIGHSHIRE. — The Life-boat placed on this Station in 1885 has also been replaced by a new one of the Liverpool type, 36 ft. long by 9 ft.

wide, rowing 12 oars and fitted with two water-ballast tanks and two drop keels. She is named the Brother and Sister, her cost having been partly met from the legacy of the late Miss L. B.

Courtenay, of Brompton Square, London.

The pretty village of Llanddulas was en fete on Saturday afternoon, the 9th October, 1909, the occasion being the launch of the new Life-boat. Some hours before the ceremony was due to take place, many hundreds of people from the surrounding district had already assembled. Free access was allowed to the boat-house, and the Llanddulas Silver Band, under the conductorship of Mr. David Jones, rendered a selection of music much appreciated by the gathering. The naming ceremony was performed by the Countess of Dundonald. Lieut.

E. D. Drury, R.N.R. (Inspector of the Western District), represented the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTI- TUTION.

Lady Dundonald, accompanied by Lady Marjory Cochrane and the Hon.

Robin Cochrane, arrived by motor-car.

She was received by Canon Roberts, who introduced Lieut. Drury, the Rev.

Dr. Hall, and the members of the Local Committee to her Ladyship, who was then shown over the Life-boat by Lieut. Drury.

Unfortunately, rain fell as the tune for the naming ceremony drew near, at which function the Rev. Dr. HALL presided. In the course of his remarks,, the reverend gentleman said that the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION carried on by means of voluntary con- tributions a work which otherwise would have to be accomplished by the State.

The Institution spent annually many thousands of pounds in support of nearly 300 stations, and since its inception in 1824 had been instrumental in saving more than 48,000 lives. (Applause.) In. spite cf all that was done, however, 500 lives were lost each year in ship- wrecks on or near our coasts. This melancholy fact went to • prove the necessity for supporting the Institution still more liberally in order that it might further extend its splendid work.

(Hear, hear.) The money to defray the cost of the Life-boat they were going to launch that day had been bequeathed to the Institution by Miss Louisa B.

Courtenay, who, in her Will, expressed the wish that she might be named the Brother and Sister. The Life-boat was the third to serve on that station, and it was interesting to note that Llanddulas was the only Life-boat station on the Denbighshire coast. The speaker would like to say a word in praise of the brave fellows who manned the Life-boat —(hear, hear)—which was assuredly in good hands, for the men of Llanddulas had proved themselves to be as capable and as efficient as could be desired.

(Applause.) Lieut. E. D. DRURY, R.N.R. (District Inspector), in handing the boat over to the charge of the Local Committee, gave some interesting particulars con- cerning her. He said that she was fitted with two drop keels and two water- ballast tanks. The total weight of the boat, when ready to be put to sea, was 3 tons 17 cwt., and of the iron keel 11 cwt. She rowed 12 oars, and with her tanks full, and crew of fifteen on board, drew 1 ft. 10 in. of water. She was the very latest type of Liverpool boat, so a very fine sea boat, and excellent in every way. She was unequalled along the coast.

He complimented the Local Committee on the way they carried out their duties, and specially mentioned the services of the Hon. Secretary, Mr. B. H. Jones.

Canon ROBERTS, speaking on behalf of the Local Committee, mentioned that it was Lady Dundonald's Father who, more than forty years ago, named the first Llanddulas Life-boat.

He felt sure that the Life-boatmen would live up to their reputation. (Hear, hear.) The world would not soon for- get the heroism shown by the four local men who went out to the wreck of the Ocean Queen—(applause)—an event immortalised by Canon Rowndeley in " Ballads of Brave Deeds." In the poem it spoke of the men as being of Colwyn Bay, but needless to say they were of Llanddulas.

The Chairman then called for three cheers for her Ladyship, which were given with much heartiness.

After Canon ROBERTS had read a prayer suitable to the occasion, the Countess named the boat, exclaiming as she broke a flask of wine against her bows, " God speed and good luck to the Brother and Sister." (Applause.) Rockets were then fired. Willing hands assisted in launching the boat for the first time and she gracefully entered the water to the strains of " The Gunner's March" and " Rule, Britannia." A short cruise was made; sail being hoisted, and upon their return, the crew expressed themselves as delighted with the boat. She was found to pull ex- tremely well, and it was decided that in the near future there should be an extra practice, for which a rough day would be chosen, in order that the boat might be tested under severe conditions..