WITH reference to our article under the above heading in the May issue of the Life-boat Journal, we are now able, through the courtesy of the British Consul-General at St. Petersburg, to supplement our survey by giving some details with regavd to the Russian Life- boat service.

" The Imperial Russian Society for life-Saving on all Waters " was founded in 1870 and began its work in 1871.

The last words of the title are important as showing that the operations of the Society extend to the lakes and rivers of Russia, on which alone there are 117 stations. Unfortunately, it is not clear how many of the total number of stations are Life-boat stations, as dis- tinguished from life-saving refuges, life- saving posts, and rocket stations.

It would appear, however, that there are eighty-four Life-boat stations.

The Society is a private institution supported by voluntary contributions, and also by a Government subsidy of 25,000 roubles a year, for a period of twenty-five years, expiring in 1913, but which is likely to be continued for a further ten years. All the life-saving apparatus, including the boats, rocket stations, cables and appliances for saving persons falling through the ice, are con- trolled by the Society. The total number of lives saved from 1872 to January 1911, by all the methods adopted by the Society, was 21.929.

We have also received the Quarterly Report of the Spanish Life-boat Society, which had not come to hand when we published the notes in our previousarticle. The Spanish Society was founded in 1880, and was declared to be "of public utility " under the law of 1887, under the provisions of which it receives an annual subsidy of 40,000 pesetas (£1,500). The Society has 50 stations, some of which are provided only with rocket apparatus or other life-saving machinery; but there are 38 self-righting Life-boats. The number of lives saved since the foundation of the Society by all the methods at its disposal is 1,316, and 103 boats have been assisted into safety. The Society is under the patronage of the King, while the Queen is Honorary President and the Queen Mother the Patron.

With reference to the Dutch Service, it was stated in the same article that the operations of the " Zuidhollandsche Maatschappij tot Redding van Schip- breukelingen" are mainly dirested-to assisting persons who have been rescued from shipwreck. We noted at the time that the Annual Keports of this Society had not been received. Since then the Report has been sent to us by the courtesy of the President, Mr. Charles Moons, and we are thus enabled to correct the above statement and to say that this Society carries on the active work of life-saving, and has 12 Life- boats, 2 of which are steam Life-boats, and 1 a motor-boat. There are 11 stations, of which the most important is the one at the Hook of Holland, where the two steam Life-boats are stationed, as well as a sailing Life-boat.

Most of the stations are provided with the rocket apparatus, and several of them with line-throwing howitzers.

We are informed that the Society is now building a large motor-boat, of the same dimensions as the two steam Life- boats. The new boat will have a 76 horse-power engine..