THE Hundred and Third Annual Genera) Meeting of the Governors of the Institution was held at Caxton Hall, Westminster, on Friday, the 27th May, at 4 o'clock p.m., Sir Godfrey Baring, Bt., Chairman of the Committee of Management, presiding, supported by members of the Committee.

The speakers were, the Right Hon.

Sir John Simon, K.C.V.O., O.B.E., K.C., M.P., Mr. Ehys John Davies, M.P., Captain the Viscount Curzon, C.B.E., V.D., A.D.C., R.N.V.R., M.P., Rear-Admiral T. P. H. Beamish, C.B., M.P., Captain Guy Fanshawe, R.N., M.P., Mr. Harry Haigood, O.B.E., Major Sir Maurice Cameron, K.C.M.G., and the Hon. George Colville, Deputy Chairman of the Committee of Management.

Among those who accepted the invitation of the Committee of Management to the meeting were the Consuls-General of France, Germany, Italy, the United States, Sweden, Lithuania, Japan, the Netherlands, Finland, Chile, the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, and Uruguay; the Mayors and Mayoresses of Chelsea, Paddington, Finsbury, Fulham, St. Pancras, Shoieditch, and Worthing, and the Town Clerk of Southwark; the Deputy Master of the Trinity House, the Deputy Master of the Mint, and representatives of the British Eed Cross Society and St. Andrews Ambulance Association.

Sir Godfrey Baring.

The CHAIRMAN : It has been the custom for the Governors of the Institution in every year to have some eminent visitor in the Chair at these Annual Meetings. Princes of the Royal blood, Peers, Members of Parliament and Ecclesiastics, have occupied the Chair in the past. But the Committee of Management have felt that it was rather an unfair burden to add to the duty of the principal speaker of the afternoon the duties of Chairman as well; and they thought that it would be advisable to have in the Chair some one who should be conversant with the detailed work of the Institution. They therefore passed a resolution that the Chairman of the Committee of Management for the time bfting should occupy the Chair at the Annual Meetings of the Institution, and as I have the honour to hold that position, you find me in the Chair to-day.

I shall be very willing to answer any questions which may be addressed to me with regard to the Annual Report and the Balance Sheet, which I now propose to present to the Meeting.

Does any lady or gentleman wish to ask any questions, or make any remarks upon them ? (As no Governor wished to speak, the Chairman continued:) As there are no remarks and DO questions, we will take the Annual Report as being approved, and the Balance Sheet as being passed.

Now the duty falls upon me to nominate for election the President, Vice-Presidents, Treasurer and other members of the Committee of Management, and Auditors for the ensuing year.

President.

H.R.H. The Prince of Wales, K.G.

Vice-Presidents.

The Archbishop of Canterbury.

The Duke of Atholl.

The Duke of Montrose.

The Duke of Portland.

The Duke of Northumberland.

The Marquis of Ailsa.

The Marquis of Aberdeen and Teznair.

The Earl of Derby.

The Earl of Albemarle.

The Earl of Rosebery.

The Earl of Waldegrave, The Earl of Lonsdale, Admiral of the Fleet the Earl Jellicoe of Scapa.

The Viscount Burnham.

Commodore Sir Richard Henry Williams- Bulkeley, St., K.N.R.

Sir Godfrey Baring, Bt.

Sir William MiUigan.

Sir W. E. B. Priestley.

Mr. Harry Hargood.

Mr. Noel E. Peck.

Treasurer.

The Earl of Harrowby.

Other Members of the Committee of Management.

Mr. Charles G. Ammon, M.P.

Mr. H. Arthur Baker.

Rear-Admiral T. P. H. Beamisi, U.P.

Mr. Frederick Cavendish Bentinck.

Major Sir Maurice Cameron.

Captain Charles J. P. Cave.

Colonel Lord William Cecil.

Mr. Kenneth M. Clark.

Mr. Harold D. Clayton.

The Hon. George Colville.

Sir John Q. Gumming.

Captain the Viscount Curaon, R.N.V.R., M.P.

Commander Herbert G. Evans, R.N.R.

Captain Guy Fanshawe, R.N., M.P.

Mr. J. B. Fortescue.

Mr. T. B. Gabriel.

Vice-Admiral Sir Lionel Halsey.

The Hon. Esmond C. Harmsworth, M.P.

Commodore Sir Bertram F. Hayes, R.N.R.

(retired).

Captain G. C. Holloway, R.N.B.

Admiral Sir Thos. H. M. Jerram.

Sir Woodbum Kirby.

Mr. J. F. Lamb.

Mr. Herbert F. Lancashire, The Rt. Hon. Ian Maepherson, M.P.

Colonel Sir A. Henry McMahon.

Commander Sir Harry Mainwaring, Bt., R.N.V.R.

General Sir Charles Monro, Bt.

Mr. Gervaise S. C. Rentoul, M.P.

The Rt. Hon. P. 0. Roberts, M.P.

Engineer Rear-Admiral Charles Rudd.

The Rt. Hon. Walter Runciman, M.P.

Major-General The Kt. Hoa. John E. B. Seely.

The Lord Southborough.

Commander F. F. Tower, late R.N.V.R.

The Lord Tredegar.

Lieut.-Commander the Rt. Hon. William Dudley Ward, R.N.V.R.

And ex-officio.

The Lord Mayor of London.

The Admiral Commanding Reserves.

The Deputy Master of the Trinity House.

The Hydrographer of the Navy.

The Chairman of Llojd's.

All those gentlemen are duly nominated and elected.

I will now call upon the Secretary to read an account of the services for which Medals and other Awards have been given, and after these have been read I will ask Sir John Simon to present the medals and the awards.

Newbiggin, Northumberland.

The SECRETARY : The outstanding service of last year was performed by the Life-boat at Newbiggin, in Northumberland, on the afternoon of the 28th. April, in a dense fog and & very heavy sea. The Life-boat went out under oars in answer to a steamer's whistle, and found the steam trawler Qeorge R. Pturdy, of North Shields, on the rocks, which extend out for half a mile from the shore. A very heavy sari was breaking over the trawler.

The Life-boat first tried to reach the vessel by anchoring to seaward and veering down on her, but twice she was struck by heavy seas,. which completely filled her and threatened to wash the crew out of her.

The Coxswain then weighed anchor, went half a mile to the northward, and, with the help of the drogue, took the Life-boat through a narrow passage in the rocks so as to get between the wreck and the shore. Heavy seas were constantly breaking over her, but she succeeded without mishap in getting through the rocks and then along a very narrow channel until she was on the lee side of the trawler. The trawler then floated a life-buoy and line down to her, and by means of them the Life-boat was hauled alongside and took off the crew. With great difficulty she was got clear of the rocks again.

Not only was the surf very heavy, but the tide was falling, which added considerably to the danger of the service. It was only the excellent seamanship of the Coxswain, and his perfect knowledge of the rocks and currents, which made possible the rescue of the nine men and saved the Life-boat herself from being wrecked.

In recognition of the skill and gallantry shown, the Institution awarded the Bronze Medal to the Coxswain, William Robinson, and made additional monetary awards to the Crew and Helpers. (Cheers.) The Women Launchers of Newbiggin.

The Committee of Management have also made a special award, in the form of the Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum, to the women launchers of Newbiggin for their courage and endurance on the morning of the 26th January last. On that morning the whole of the Newbiggin fishing fleet had gone out in fine weather, but while they were at sea a fierce gale sprang up, and the Coxswain decided to launch the Life-boat in order to stand by the boats, which would he in great danger as they returned. The weather was very cold, it was raining hard» and a heavy sea was breaking on the shore.

Nearly all the regular members of the Liteboat's Crew were out with the fishing boats, but the Coxswain got together a scratch crevr, consisting chiefly of miners who had just come off their shift in the mine, and with the help of twenty-five fisher-women, wives and daughters of the men who were at sea, the Life-boat was, with great difficulty, launched.

But for the help of the women it would have been impossible to get her afloat through the heavy surf. As it was, she was thrown back on the beach, and to straighten her up many of the women waded out waist-deep. Ths Life-boat remained at sea for three houra* until all the fishing boats were safely in, and during the whole of that time many of the women waited, although they were w«t through, and then helped to rehouse the Lifeboat.

This is the third occasion in recent years on which representatives of the Northumbrian fisher-women have come to London to be specially thanked by the Institution for their gallantry. Last year two women came from Boulmer, and in 1922 two women from Holy Island.

Mrs. Hannah Clark and Mrs. Wilhelmina Dent have teen chosen to receive to-day the Vellum of Thanks awarded to the twenty-five women of Newbiggin, (Cheers.) (Sir John Simon then presented the Medal to Coxswain Robinson and the Vellum to Mrs.

Clark and Mrs. Dent.) Medals Awarded for Shore-Boat Services.

THE WKEOK OF TWO WELSH TRAWiEKS IN CUFDEN BAY, CONHEMABA.

From its foundation in 1824 the Institution has given rewards for the rescue of life from shipwreck round our coasts, by whomsoever performed, and during the year one Silver Medal and five Bronze Medals were awarded for gallantry in rescuing or attempting to rescue life through other means than by Life-boats.

On 14th February, 1926, two Welsh trawlers ran on the rocks in Clifden Bay, Connemara, on the west coast of Ireland, and sank. The crew of one of them was saved by the gallantry of one of the firemen, T. L. Cloudsdale, -who dived into the sea after the ship's boat, which had been swept away as soon as she was launched. He clung to the boat until a line was Sang to him, and, still clinging to her, was dragged back with the line round iis neck, IQ intense pain and in danger of being strangled. For this service he was awarded the Institution's Silver Medal. He is, unfortunately, not able to be present this afternoon.

As it was believed that the crew of the i other trawler had got safely to one of the many islands in the bay, a search—unfortunately without result—was carried out, aeroplanes as well as boats and vessels taking part.

Several awards were made in connexion with this search, which lasted several days, the principal being the Bronze Medal to the Institutioa's District Inspector, Lieut-Commander P. E. Vauir, D.S.C., E.N., for his initiative, leadership and courage in personally searching four of the islands, on one of which he landed at considerable risk.

(Cheers.) (Sir John Simon then presented the Medal to Lieut.-Commander Vaut.) MIWHAVEN, SUSSEX.

On the afternoon of 21st July, a small yacht, Fidelity, was caught in a strong 8.W.

gale off Newhaven, when on her way to Newhaven from Cowes. Three persons were on board, her owner (Mr. F. E. Clevertoc), his wife, and a deck-hand (Mr. Williams). The yacht was dismasted, and was driven towards the shore.

The Newhaven Motor Life-boat was launched, and found that the yacht was already in the broken water close to the shore.

There was no time to anchor and veer down, or for any manoeuvring, and the Coxswain took the direct but dangerous course of going straight through the heavy sea, which was practically abeam. He got the Life-boat alongside, calling to those on board the yacht to be ready to jump, but they were so exhausted or unnerved that they made no attempt to do so, A succession of heavy seas then struck the yacht, and she was carried still further towards the shore, where it was too shallow for the Life-boat to get near enough to help her.

Meanwhile, Mr. C. J. Skinner, of Newhaven, •who was passing on a motor-cycle, saw the yacht's danger, and ran into a neighbouring inn to get a rope. With this round his waist he plunged into the breakers, and both Mrs.

Cleverton, who was half-unconscious, and Mr. Williams were got ashore alive. Mr.

Cleverton, who had made a gallant effort to save his wife, then jumped overboard, but in spite of the efforts of the people on shore, he was drowned.

Mr, Skinner, who ran a great risk from the heavy seas, a risk which was only slightly diminished by the rope round his waist, has been awarded the Bronze Meolal. The Institution has also made additional monetary awards to the Coxswain and Crew in recognition of the boldness and decision shown in their attempt at rescue. (Cheers.) (Sir John Simon (ften presented the Medal to Mr. Skinner.) TWO SERVICES AT SOUTH SHIELDS, DURHAM.

Two gallant services were performed at South Shields. The first was on the 25th July, 1926. Two men had gone out in a small boat to fish. They were caught in a squall, their boat became unmanageable, and they were driven towards the shore, being continually swept by the breakers. Two young men, Mr. Geoflery Jagger and Mr. Arnold Miller, launched a surf-boat to them, although they were told it could not live in such a sea.

They succeeded in putting out, but their boat capsized; and at the same time the other boat was swamped. One of the two men in the other boat clung to her and was washed ashore. The other man, who could not swim, was going under to every wave.

Mr. Miller and Mr. Jagger succeeded in getting to him and brought him, now unconscious, into shallow water where two other men waded out to their help. The Institution has awarded the Bronze Medal to each of them for their gallantry in very hazardous circumstances.

(Cheers.) The second service at South Shields took place on the evening of the 9th August, 1926.

A small boat had gone out to take passengers off a pleasure steamer. Seven people attempted to get into the boat, although there was room for only two or three, and she capsized. Ail on board were thrown into the water, but succeeded in getting hold of the boat or of oars, except one man who was carried away by the tide.

Mr. Michael Campbell, an Ordinary Seaman of tie Tyne Division, R.N.V.R., saw what had happened from the shore, and dived in, stopping only to throw off his coat. He swam out thirty yards, seized Ihe drowning man, and in spite oi his struggles, which threatened to drag him under too, kept him afloat until a boat arrived and rescued them.

The Institution has awarded the Bronze Medal to Mr. Campbell, and has also rewarded the crew of the boat which picked him up, and rescued five of the other passengers who had been tbro-wn into the water. (Cheers.) {Sir John Simon then presented the Medal to Mr. Campbell.) I Awards to Honorary Workers.

The SECRETARY : The Gold Pendant or Gold Brooch is presented only to those who, as honorary workers, have given the Lifeboat Cause valuable and distinguished service.

During the past year 13 pendants and brooches were awarded to the following honorary -workers:— Mr. R. V. Kushworth, Bradford.

Miss H. DESSAM, London.

Mrs. AJXEN TUCKEB, Bath.

Councillor JOHN DICKINSON, J.P., Rotherham.

Mrs. Keldsend, Rotherham.

Mrs. H. BB.AHBBETH GIBBS, Leigh-on-Sea.

Mr. R. J. BAH.EY, Stockport.

Mrs. FALBBIE, Liverpool, Miss COWE, St. Abbs.

Commander HUBBET B. BOOTHBY, D.S.O., R.N.R., Grimsby.

Sir ITBEDEBICX W. MONEYPENNY, C.V.O., C.B.E., Belfast.

Mr. DANIEL MCBKIDE, B.L., Dumbarton.

Mrs. T. W. GOMM, Margate.

01 these laoies and gentlemen, unfortunately, only Mrs. T. W. Gomm is able to be present this afternoon in order to receive her award.

(Cheers.) (Sir John Simon ibx.ii presented the Gold Brooch to Mrs. Gomm.) Sir John Simon.

The Rt. Hon. SIR JOHN SIMON : I am asked to move a resolution, which is in the following terms :— " That this Meeting, fully recognising the important services of the Royal National Life-boat Institution in its national work of liie-saving, desires to record its hearty appreciation of the gallantry of the Coxswains and Crews of the Institution's Lifeboats, and gratefully to acknowledge the valuable help rendered to the cause by the Local Committees, Honorary Secretaries and Honorary Treasurers." This is one of the occasions when the really important speech has already been made; for deeds sound louder than words. For me it is a very special privilege, and one I shall always prize, to have been given the opportunity of presenting these Medals to these gallant men and women, and thus being identified with the work which this Society exists to do.

It is a very striking reflection that the Institution was founded over 100 years ago; that tie founder made his proposals and constituted the beginnings of this body in 1824.

Immense changes have taken place during that interval, and all through that long period the work of this Institution has been carried steadily on. The admiration wtich British people feel for the work it endeavours to organise and to encourage never flags; and the need for the Institution is as great to-day as ever it was. One hundred years ago, I think, the first steamship had only quite recently been launched, the Comet, the first steamship that ever operated on the seas of the Old World, characteristically enough, built in Scotland, and I think a vessel of some 44 feet long—smaller, Sir Godfrey, than some of the Life-boats which I see referred to in your Annual Report. In those days travel was so slow and so uncertain that going across the Atlantic was still a very formidable exercise, whereas to-day we have an American regarding it as a mere hop, skip and jump, almost between night and morning.

It is very characteristic of this Institution, because it is characteristic of so many British Institutions, that it has throughout preserved its strictly voluntary character. (Cheers.) It was organised as a voluntary Association ; it is conducted by a voluntary and very distinguished body of Governors. The brave men and women who justify and exemplify the Institution and all it stands for, are, every one of them, volunteers ; and, as is only right and proper, it depends upon voluntary subscriptions. I hope it may always be so.

(Cheers.) Whatever may be the proper line to draw between things that are organised by the State and things that are aceomplistiei by the voluntary action of independent and devoted men and women, I feel quite sure that a great deal of the spirit and a great deal of the value of the work which this Institution does would go if it became a were mechanical limb of an over-organised State.

(Cheers.) Everybody who examines the Report, » very full and very interesting document, and studies the extremely complete and lucid statement of finance which is included in its pages, can see with how much care and thoroughness the work of the Institution is conducted. Those who lend it their practical support are given the fullest reasons for knowing that their contributions are carefully used, and that the money is well spent. It is a matter of great satisfaction to see that this Institution has been able, in good times aa t in bad, in times of struggle as well as in times of plenty, to meet its obligations, and to prepare for the uncertainties of the future.

(Cheers.) It may perhaps be thought by some that as time goes on, as the process of invention becomes more and more marked, the need for the service provided under the auspices of the Royal National Life-boat Institution lessens. If by that you mean that fewer people lose their lives, or are in danger of losing their lives by shipwreck round the coasts of our Island, that may be true, but, after all, who is going to measure the value of the lives tbat are saved ? How can anybody hesitate to appraise at its full worth the work of this Institution so long as there are men and women in peri], who owe their safety to the organisation of this Society and to the gallantry of those whom it prepares to give help ? I notice in the Report of the present year, as no doubt you have noticed, that the number of lives which have actually been saved is 456. I take pride in the thought that while this is a National Institution, and one of which Britons may well be proud, it is an Institution which has given its aid without the smallest distinction to mariners in danger, from whatever country they come, and that of those 456, something like a hundred were foreigners in peril off our coasts. We are deeply grateful, the British people are deeply grateful, to this Institution and to those who have acted under its auspices, that we should have been able to show men of other nationality and origin tbat if they be in sudden peril off the coasts of Britain, they are quite certain to find here the ready hand and the brave heart to help them. (Cheers.) One matter is mentioned in the Report, which is 'worth, repeating by word of mouth from the platform. It is that this Institution, I think two or three years ago, summoned an International Life-boat Conference, and this has led the League of Nations to take official cognisance of the movement; and one of the special Committees of the League of Nations is, I am informed, in touch with the Life-boat service in the effort to render help and improve organisation and comradeship throughout the world in this movement.

This is a very satisfactory feature, and the reflection with which I would conclude, and which I think must be very present to all your minds, is this: Invention, mechanical skill, and the wonders of science may greatly change the external circumstances and conditions under which life goes on, but as long as there is on this planet land surrounded by sea, and as long as adventurous humanity pursues its ways upon the deep, there will always be a need for a voluntary Institution which takes advantage of the gallantry and devotion of men and women of our race for the purpose of rendering aid to mariners at times of deadly peril round our coasts. As long as that happens, the need of this Institution is evident; its cause is overwhelmingly justified; and, Sir Godfrey Baring, I am well assured that the support which it deserves will never be denied by the proud, generous and brave hearts which beat in our native land.

(Loud Applause.) Mr. Rhys John Davies.

Mr. RHYS JOHN DAVTES, M.P.: I must confess that this is the first occasion upon which I have come into intimate contact with the Royal National Life-boat Institution. I have no hesitation at all in supporting the good work that is being done by the Institution, although I feel very nervous in having to follow Sir John Simon. Whatever differences of opinion Sir John and myself may have—and I can assure you we have a few in the House of Commons—there can be no difference of opinion whatsoever on this issue.

I am not so sure whether we would not agree to carry this matter a step further. I wish we could establish a " National Political Life-boat Institution," so that we could all be saved on occasions, and I am not sure then whether it would not be better if that " Lifeboat Institution " were run by the State— because nobody would voluntarily contribute to it! (Laughter.) This is a splendid service that you good people are performing. As you are aware, I belong to the Labour movement, and what I feel proud about is that the good folk who have won these decorations this afternoon are ordinary working men. and women. I pay tribute to their courage and their determination.

I pay tribute to them ior the splendid work they are performing under circumstances probably that are unknown in any other sphere of life. (Cheers.) I have been a coalmmer and in a colliery explosion, and I must confess that if I had to choose between difficulties in the coal-mine and in connexion with a storm at sea, I would prefer the coal-mine and all its dangers. But I have been across the Atlantic too, and I feel sure that the whole of the people of this country would be much more ready to contribute to this Institution if they were all caught in a storm on the Atlantic, as I was; and, although the State may not take over the task of running this Institution, I think it would be well if the State prepared a good storm for everybody, in order to induce them to put in the collecting- box when the collection takes place! (Laughter and Cheers.) I had no doubt at all, as I said, in coming here to support the Institution, but when I read the Report I felt a little doubtful in parts, because every nationality almost in Europe appeared to be mentioned except my own, and I thought to myself: If the Institution has not saved a Welshman, why should a.

Welshman speak on its behalf at all ? So I was pleased to learn that, in fact, lives had been saved from a Welsh trawler on the coast of Ireland.

I wish you well in the good work you are doing. I do not know that there is anything more touching to me than to hear the reports that have been read here this afternoon, because, after »H when you imagine the task of saving men and "women in & storm on our coasts, it is a terrible thing to contemplate, and I trust that you who have supported the Institution in the past will continue to do so.

I trust that there mU never be a lack of funds to enable this noble work to be performed.

(Cheers.) This is not the place to argue whether the State should take on this task or not. Sir John and I will argue that probably elsewhere.

But I wish once again to say that I hope this Institution will flourish; that men and women of all sections of the community will support it to the best of their ability, and that those who have found its benefits will rally round it very closely. I conclude by paying once more my meed of tribute to these gallant men and women, because without them no Life-boat Institution could prevail. (Loud Applause.) Captain the Viscount Curzon.

Captain The VlscouifT CURZON : My purpose this afternoon in supporting this resolution is to try, if I can, to give you a few details, about the technical side of the Institution's work, but before I do so, I would ask you to exercise with me your imagination in connexion with the Life-boat Service. It is quite impossible, as I see it, to appreciate the work of the Service unless you do that, for this reason : That work is going on from one year's end to the other ; it does not begin in the morning and end with the evening, but it goes on for the whole 24 hours. If confirmation of that is needed, I have one or two figures here.

For the year ending 31st October, 1926, there were 274 launches of Life-boats ; no less than 7,030 individuals, men and women, such as you have seen this afternoon, were engaged; 185 of those launches took place, between 6 o'clock in the morning and 6 o'clock in the evening, but 89 of them took place during the night. There may be many in this hall this afternoon who know the sea-coast pretty well, and there are many more who visit the sea occasionally. I invite you all to imagine what it means, say, at 1 or 2 o'clock in the morning, when you are in bed, to hear the alarm gun go. You fall out of bed; the moment you put your nose outside, you see that it is blowing and raining; it is as cold as it can be. Very often there is anow, hail, sleet; you can hardly see your hand in front of your face, and under those conditions you have to go out, stone cold. There is no crowd of people to see you go, to see what you do; there is no knowing whether you are ever coming back when you do go ; whether your nearest and dearest will ever see you again. Under those conditions you have to go to the rescue of somebody you do not know. He may even be, as you have heard from Sir John Simon, somebody belonging to another country, and you have to go and do your best for the sake of this great cause, the saving of life. If that is not pure heroism, I do not know what is.

(Cheers.) Few people know the work of the Institution.

It is very largely taken for granted; but as I have tried to show you, it goes on all the year round.

Lord Curzon then gave an account of the recent developments made by the Institution in the construction of Life-boats, engines and tractors for launching,* and went on : I alluded to the fact that one boat had gone to Ireland. I do not think that we should altogether forget that this Institution is, I think, the only Institution in this country which is still maintaining a service for the benefit of Southern Ireland, and I should like to say that Southern Ireland also plays its part. I believe that the services of the Institution are very much appreciated by the Free State Government. (Cheers.) OOJT Motor Life-boats now have an enormous range of action; they go extraordinary distances. Only last year we had one very notable case indeed. It was in June. The Stromness boat was informed that a steamer had gone ashore at a place known as Auskerry; the Life-boat was launched at 11 a.t night; there was a thick fog, with a southeasterly to north-easterly wind and a heavy sea. The wreck was reached at 5 o'clock the next morning. The Life-boat took ofi thirty-one men, and managed to return to Stromness at half-past four that afternoon.

She had been at sea in fact seventeen hours, and covered eighty-five miles in that time.

We had another service last year where a boat covered 114 miles; she was not able to render any service, but she was available to do so if required. That will show you what has to be done by our motor-boats. I have said nothing of our pulling and sailing craft; it would take too long to tell you about them this afternoon, but in our Fleet altogether we have now 214 Life-boats, and of those, 62 are motor-boats. You will realise what funds we require in order to keep that Service going when I tell you that the ordinary motorboat costs from £750 to £1,000 for annual maintenance, and the initial cost of our Motor Life-boats is from £4,500 to £14,000, according to the type. That will give you an idea of why we have to call for money on the scale we do in order to run this Institution.

I am afraid I have had to give you an awful lot of figures, but you have been very patient.

At any rate, I am proud indeed to support the Resolution so ably moved by two of my political opponents, and I support it with, the greatest possible pleasure. (Loud Applause.) (The Resolution was pui to the Meetinj and carried unanimously.) Captain Guy Fanshawe.

Captain GUY FANSHAWE, R.N., M.P.: I have the honour to move the following Resolution:— " That this Meeting desires to record its sense of the deep obligation of the Institu- * Accounts of these developments appear elsewhere in this issue.

tion to the Ladies' Life-boat Guild and its many hundreds of voluntary workers for the Life-boat Cause, and its conviction of the increasing importance of the part which the Guild is destined to play in educating public opinion with regard to the value of the Life-boat Service, and in raising funds therefor," I come forward to move this Resolution because Dame Margaret Lloyd George, who was to have moved it, has been unavoidably prevented from doing so.

For many years past the women of this country have been taking a more prominent part in every form of public life and charity, and their efforts increased more during the four years and three months of the Great War than ever before. At that time, when we were fighting for our nation's existence, the women were nursing our fighting men, and were supporting our fighting men in all branches of their struggle, and I think that the women of this Guild supporting the Lifeboat Service are doing the same thing, because this Service is always fighting against the elements at sea, (Cheers.) Women's influence in causing people to know about the functions and duties of this Institution will always be far greater than the influence of men. In all public causes women work much harder than men. When they take a cause to their hearts it is almost always bound to be a success. For many years past women have taken an interest in the Institution, but in 1921 it was deemed advisable to draw together all who were interesting themselves in this great national movement into one body, and so this Guild was formed.

In 1925 it was thought that to draw them still closer together a General Council of the Guild should be formed, each Guild sending two members to it, and that General Council in the autumn of last year numbered 510.

In the autumn of last year the first meeting of the General Council was held in the house of the President, the Duchess of Sutherland, and 160 members of the General Council attended. Those figures show the vitality of the women's movement on behalf of the Institution. (Cheers.) I think that it is a very fine thing when not only women living on the sea-coast take an interest in the Institution, but women all over the country in inland towns as well.

We have the two different forms of service.

We have the service given by those gallant women on the coast, and we have the service given by women inland, •who help to raise the Institution's funds ; but they are all united in the common cause of saving life at sea.

(Cheers.) Lord Curzon drew your attention to the fact that it is a different thing to get out of your home at night when it is dark and blowing a full gale of wind and snowing, and bad weather, from going forward with plenty of people looking on to see what you are going to do. But what about the feelings of the wives and families of those men as they go out for that service ? I think that it is far worse for those women to stop at home than it even is for those gallant men who go to sea to save life ; for the women stay behind in uncertainty, while the men, although they are facing the gravest dangers, are active at the time.

Whether the women are on the coast, launching a Life-boat, or waiting for the men to return, or whether they are working inland, we should give our honour and thanks to them for what they do for the Institution. Though their individual work cannot increase in volume, we can leave it to them to see that their numbers increase, that the greater funds necessary are raised, and we can certainly leave it to these gallant women who live on our coasts to continue to support their men in their dangerous task. (Loud Applause.) Rear-Admiral Beamish.

Kear-Admiral T. P. H. BEAMISH : It is a great pleasure to me to second this Resolution, which has been so ably moved by Captain Fanshawe. I think it speaks very well for the handiness of the British sailor that he has been able to take the place of so great a lady at so short a notice and with such admirable eloquence ; but he would be, as I should also, even a prouder man if he were able to take the place at short notice of some of the women about whom we have been hearing this afternoon, the ladies who launched the Life-boat.

(Cheers.) I want to say only a few sentences with regard to the ladies of this Life-boat Guild, who do such admirable and vitally necessary work for this great Institution. It is sometimes thought that the Institution, with all its beautifully painted Life-boats, its large numbers of boat-houses, slips and so on, is immensely wealthy because it is so efficient and always up to time. But it is a mistake to jump to that conclusion. On the other hand, the mere fact that it is so efficient, that it is so uniformly successful and so uniformly appreciated right through the country, is the best possible reason for continuing and increasing the support which it should have all over the country. A large sum of money is required every year to make the Life-boat Service the great success that it is, a.nd I do most heartily thank, as I am sure everybody here will, the ladies who take such an immense amount of trouble and interest up and down the country. I have seen, met and know a few of them, and their enthusiasm has not one whit been exaggerated by Captain Fanshawe.

They take up the work with tremendous enthusiasm, and they are deserving of the most heartfelt and grateful thanks from us all.

(Cheers.) {The, Resolution was p'ut to the Meeting and carried unanimously.) The CHAIRMAN : Then there is a purely formal Resolution which has to be moved by the terms of our Charter. I will ask Mr. Harry Hargood to move it.

Mr. HABRY HABGOOD : I am very glad to say that this is merely a formal Besolution, and therefore it does not entail any speech.

With the introduction of motor life-boats a great many of the ordinary boat-houses have become useless, and therefore it is necessary for this Meeting to-day to pass a Resolution to enable the Committee to dispose of three of these boat-houses. 1 therefore beg to more:— " That this Meeting do approve and ratify the sale of the Life-boat Houses at Gorleston, Tramore and Totland Bay, which are no longer required for the purposes of the Institution." Major SIR MAITRICI; CAMERON, K..C.M.G.: This Resolution being purely formal, it is only necessary for me to say that I have great pleasure in seconding it.

(The Resolution wag put to the Meeting and (The Chairman then proposed, and Mr.

Colville seconded, a vote of thanks to ike speakers, and after Lord Curzon had replied the meeting terminated.].