Japan.

THE Imperial Japanese Life-saving Institution issued in March of this year a pamphlet, written in English, giving a brief history of the Japanese Life-boat Service since the chief priest of the Kotohira Shrine in the Kagawa prefecture, inspired by the example of the Russian Life-boat Service, founded it in 1889 at Kotohira " with his own property, backed by the volunteers." A short account of the Institution's work, by Prince Yoshii, the late President, appeared in The Lifeboat for May, 1925.

The Japanese Life-boat Service then had 176 Life-boats and Surf-boats, including eight Motor Life-boats, It now has 16 Motor Life-boats, 138 Pulling Life-boats, and 22 flat-bottomed Lifeboats for use in case of flood, making a total of 176 Life-boats.

Denmark.

THE report of the Danish Life-boat Service for the year ending 31st March, 1928, states that during the year there were fourteen services in which lives were rescued, and forty-seven other launches on service. The total number of lives rescued was sixty-one. The number of lives rescued by the Danish Service since it was established in 1850, up to 31st March last, was 10,797. The total expenditure during the year was 788,023 kroner (about £44,000). A 40-foot Motor Life-boat was built during the year, with a 50-h.p. engine, and stationed at Esbjerg. The Danish Service is maintained by the State, and has been in charge of two directors under the supervision of the Ministry of the Navy, one director being for the North Jutland section, and one for the section of Bornholm and M0en. Since the beginning of the new year (1st April last) the whole Service has been in charge of one director with his office at Copenhagen..