THERE has been a Life-boat Station at Stornoway, Island of Lewis, in the Northern Hebrides since 1887. Last year, owing to the increasing number of wrecks in the Southern Hebrides, it was decided to establish a Station at Barra Island, and this Station was opened in September, 1931. A 45-feet Watson Cabin Motor Life-boat was temporarily placed there, while a new Motor Life-boat was being built. This boat is of the largest and most powerful type which the Institution is now building, the 51-feet Barnett (Strom- ness) type. A full description of this type appears on page 525, but it should be noted that in view of the distance which the Barra Island Life-boat is likely to travel on service, she has been built to carry a supply of petrol enabling her to travel 184 miles at full speed instead of 120 miles like the other Motor Life-boats of this type.

It was decided, with the approval of the Committee of Lloyd's, that this boat should bear the name Lloyd's, in gratitude for the most generous support which the Institution, since its founda- tion in 1824, has received from the members of Lloyd's. During the past five years their contributions have amounted to nearly £9,000, the cost of the Barnett (Stromness) type of Motor Life-boat, and the annual contributions received from Lloyd's in the future will be allocated to maintaining the Life- boat, and to replacing her, so that there will always be a Life-boat of this name in the fleet.

The Lloyd's Life-boat also com- memorates the fact that for twenty years before the Institution was founded Lloyd's did a great deal to encourage the provision of Life-boats round the coasts of Great Britain and Ireland.

In 1802, on the proposal of its Chair- man, Mr. John Julius Angerstein, it voted £2,000 for the building and equipping of Life-boats. Twenty-six were built, and these boats were in- spected by' Lloyd's agents. When the Institution was founded there were already thirty-nine Life-boats, of which the majority had been provided by Lloyd's, so that, prior to 1824, Lloyd's was virtually the Life-boat Institu- tion.

The Inaugural Ceremony took place on 25th July at East Cowes, at the yard of Messrs. Groves and Gutteridge, the builders of the boat. Sir Godfrey Baring, Bt., Chairman of the Committee of Management of the Institution, pre- sided, and in opening the proceedings, spoke of the splendid and generous help which the Lifeboat Service had re- ceived from Lloyd's.

Sir Percy MacKinnon, Chairman of Lloyd's, then presented the Life-boat to the Institution. In doing so he spoke of the part which had been taken by Lloyd's in encouraging and helping the work of saving life from shipwreck since, in 1802, it had voted 100 guineas to Henry Greathead, the builder of the first Life-boat. The interest of the members of Lloyd's in the sailor and his welfare was an old tradition, and it was a great pleasure to the Corporation that its name would be associated with this beautiful Life-boat, which, they allhoped, would be the means of saving many lives.

Sir Godfrey Baring accepted the boat and handed her to the Duke of Montrose, C.B., C.V.O., V.D., LL.D., as Chairman of the Scottish Life-boat Council. TheDuke, in accepting her, said that Scotland would rejoice that this new Life-boat on her coast would bear a name honoured among all who were associated with the Life-boat Service.

Commander E. D. Drury, O.B.E., R.D., E.N.R., Chief Inspector of Life- boats, described the boat. This was followed by the service of dedication.

The hymn " Eternal Father, strong to save " was sung, accompanied by the combined bands of Cowes and East Cowes, and the Life-boat was dedicated to the glory of God and the salvation of life at sea, by the Bishop of Portsmouth (the Right Rev. F. Neville Lovett, C.B.E., D.D.).

A vote of thanks to Lady MacKinnon was proposed by the Hon. George Colville, Deputy-Chairman of the Insti- tution, and seconded by Mr. H. S.

Saunders of Messrs. Groves and Gut- teridge. Lady MacKinnon then named the Life-boat Lloyd's, breaking over her bows a bottle of F ''ire wine..