FOUR of the leading shipping companies have responded to the appeal on behalf of the Life-boat Service which the Prince of Wales made to shipping in his presidential address at the Annual Meeting of the Institution last year.

In that address the Prince said : " May I also make a suggestion to our great Shipping Lines ? 1 know their wonderful seamen's charities, but may I suggest that one or two of them might give a Life-boat ? What prouder thing could a great Shipping Line have than its name on one of our Life-boats ? It is true that the Life-boat will not be seen by many people : it will not have very much publicity ; but think what it can do ! " The four shipping companies which have responded to this appeal are the Peninsular and Oriental Group, the Royal Mail Steam Packet Co., the Union-Castle Mail Steamship Co., and the White Star Line. The Peninsular and Oriental Group, through Lord | Inchcape, have given the Institution I £14,500 to provide the Motor Life-boat of the Barnett type, 61 feet by 15 feet, with two 80 h.p. engines, which is being built for the Station at Padstow, Cornwall. She will be named Princess Mary.

The White Star Line, through Lord Kylsant, have given £8,500 to provide the new Motor Life-boat which is to be built for Fishguard, and which will be named White Star. She will be of the Watson type, 45 feet 6 inches by 12 feet 6 inches, with two 40 h.p. engines.

The Royal Mail Steam Packet Co. and the Union-Castle Mail Steamship Co., have given jointly, also through Lord Kylsant, £6.500 to provide the Watson Life-boat, 40 feet by 11 feet 8 inches, which is being built for Weymouth.

This Boat will be named Lady Kylsant.

The Committee of Management desire to record their hearty appreciation of the generous manner in which these Companies have answered the Prince's appeal, and they earnestly hope that other companies will follow the fine example of these four great lines..