THE management and the practical working of a great national service like that of the Life-boat demand the constant attention of the technical officers of the Institution ; and these, under the direction of the Chief Inspector of Life-boats, are daily engaged in visiting all the Life-boat Stations in their respective areas, inspecting the boats, boathouses, slipways, etc., exercising the crews and conferring withthose public-spirited persons who are good enough to look after the interests of the Institution in an honorary capacity.

Notwithstanding this permanent provision, however, it occurs from time to time that some difficult and knotty question arises which requires the direct intervention of the Committee of Management. In such cases the Committee depute some of their number to make an investigation on the spot.

A case of this kind recently arose at the newly - established Station atSt. Abbs, to which Station a motor Life-boat was sent in April, 1911.

The difficulty is a peculiar one, and though in one respect due to purely natural causes, viz., to the terrible rush of the sea in north-easterly gales at the narrow entrance of the harbour, in another it may be said to be due to the bravery, promptness and efficiency of the crew. This may appear paradoxical, but it will be readily understood by readerswho realise, first, that in the conditions which would involve the maximum of danger to a boat attempting to make to sea a wreck would be very likely to occur, and, second, that a Coxswain and crew full of that pluck and spirit of humanity which are so characteristic of the typical Life-boatman could not easily be restrained from going out by any consideration of danger.

Such are the conditions at St. Abbs, and it was with a view to seeing what measures, if any, could be taken to guard against undue risk of disaster(risk there must always be) that the Deputy-Chairman of the Institution and Admiral of the Fleet Sir Gerard Noel visited St. Abbs in February last.

The Deputy-Chairman devotes most of his time to the Life-boat Institution, and is the author of "The Life-boat and Its Work." Sir Gerard Noel's title is sufficient to indicate the ex- perience and knowledge of the sea -with which he would approach the problem we have indicated. These two members of the Committee were accompanied by j Commander Thomas Holmes, R.N., the Chief Inspector of Life-boats, and were joined by Lieutenant Forbes, B.N., the District Inspector; and in their en- quiries they had the advantage of the cordial co-operation and hospitality of Miss Hay, the Honorary Secretary of the St, Abbs Station, as well as the constant and valuable assistance of Mr.

Bertram, the Honorary Secretary of the Dunbar and Skateraw Stations and the Joint Honorary Secretary for St. Abbs.

They made a careful examination of the coast to the south of the harbour at St. Abbs and confirmed the view of the technical officers that an alternative launching place in that direction from either the Jiarbour or Coldingham Bay could not be recommended. They then visited Petticoe Wick, which had been suggested as a possible position for the Life-boat, as there is fairly good pro- tection from north-easterly gales. The crew would, however, have to be con- veyed from St. Abbs either along a footpath or by a road which is little better than a cart-track. The footpath would be dangerous if not impossible on a dark stormy night, being a series of steep and slippery ascents and descents. The cart-road is also very rough, and it would be difficult to drive a crew and helpers along it in the dark. Moreover, if the motor boat were stationed at Petticoe Wick, it could not be properly attended to unless a mechanic were stationed there to look after it, in which case a cottage would have to be built for him, and he would be quite isolated and very lonely. The conclusion they arrived at, therefore, was adverse to the Life - boat being stationed at Petticoe Wick.

They ascertained that on the occasion of the loss with all hands of the s.s. Alfred Hrlandsen, which led the Committee of Management to establish a Station at St. Abbs, a motor boat could have got out of the harbour with safety and might have saved the un- fortunate crew; also, that within the memory of the oldest fishermen there had never been an accident to the fishing boats at the entrance to the harbour.

In their report, which was approved by the Committee of Management at the monthly meeting in March, the Deputy-Chairman and Sir Gerard Noel recommended that the motor boat be allowed to remain at St. Abbs on certain stringent conditions, to the effect that, in galea from any quarter between north by #ast and easfc by north-east), the fisher members of the Committee must be consulted, and that the boat is not to go out except with their concurrence and the express ap- proval of the Honorary Secretary and (or) the Chairman.

They also recommended that a per- manent motor mechanic should be stationed at St. Abbs in order to secure that the motor may be constantly exercised and her machinery kept in perfect condition.

The Deputy-Chairman and Sir Gerard Noel took the opportunity to inspect the Stations at Dunbar and Skateraw, and found both in excellent condition, with efficient and well-organized arrange- ments for launching the boats. There are conditions when it is difficult for the Dunbar boat to go out to sea, but in that case the Skateraw boat can always launch, and the arrangements for conveying the crew to Skateraw work very well. The position of Skate- raw is undoubtedly better than. any other in the neighbourhood.

This account may be of interest to our readers as showing how the Com- mittee of Management keep in touch with the practical working of the Life- boat service and endeavour to meet any difficulty which may arise..