ALTHOUGH the work of the Institution is to succour those in peril from shipwreck round our coasts, it is well that we should never forget the perils of those on the high seas, the gallant rescues performed there, and the long suffering which may come to those shipwrecked or adrift in mid-ocean even in these days of wireless. There have been several cases during the past summer to remind us that in spite of modern inventions those perils remain.

On June 27th two men from a Newfoundland fishing schooner, the Donald H. Creaser, were lost in a fog. They were then 150 miles from land. For eleven days they were adrift in midocean, losing three of their four oars.

During that time they had only a few dozen biscuits, and for drink, pieces of ice which they had broken off an iceberg.

When they were picked up they had drifted between 4CO and 500 miles.

The steamer which found them brought them to this country, and from here they were sent home to Newfoundland.

Two French fishermen nearly lost their lives in the same way. They got adrift in a dory from the Theresa, of Granville, France, in a thick fog on the Newfoundland fishing banks, and were adrift for eight days. For three days the weather was rough and they were constantly baling. They, too, had only a few biscuits on board and a little water, both of which were finished several days before they were picked up by a steamer.

Several awards have also been made during the summer by foreign governments to British seamen for gallantry on the high seas in rescuing lives from sinking vessels.

Compulsory Insurance of Passengers.

A matter of great importance to seafarers has been under discussion— the compulsory insurance of passengers by the shipping companies. It has twice before been discussed by the Comite International Maritime and it again came before the Comite at its meeting at Amsterdam at the beginning of August, after having been discussed by a sub-committee since the last full conference. The two countries advocating this very important scheme are Great Britain and Italy, and it has the support generally of British shipowners. In one or two countries opinion is divided, but the majority are at present opposed to the idea, the feeling being that the scheme asks shipowners to undertake a new and undetermined expense. The English view was put by Sir Norman Hill, Bt., Chairman of the Board of Trade Advisory Committee on Merchant Shipping, who pointed out how widespread was the desire for some such scheme among passengers, and also among those responsible for emigrants.

It was on his suggestion that the Comite asked the Sub-Committee to continue its work on the scheme, and decided to call a special conference of the Comite to consider the question when the Sub-Committee had reported.

Distress Signals at Sea.

As long ago as 1919 the possibility was considered of inventing an automatic device for the purpose of registering distress signals received on board ship, and since then experiments have been going on. The first apparatus designed was not found to be sufficiently reliable and the experiments were continued, with the result that the Radio Communication Company and the Marconi Company have now both designed apparatus which have passed the tests of the Admiralty, Post Office, and Board of Trade, as able to maintain a safe watch under the most adverse conditions and have been officially approved for use on British ships.

The use of the apparatus has been made compulsory by the Board of Trade on all vessels which have to carry two wireless operators, and these vessels will now only have to carry one operator.

On the larger vessels with|three operators, and the smaller with only one,, its use is optional.

There seems no doubt that this new invention will make still more certain that appeals for help will be heard.

Thus, although the perils of the sea remain, and will always remain, each year brings new inventions both on our coasts and on the high seas for defending seafarers against them..