BELOW will be found particulars of the services of foreign life-boat societies to British vessels during 1933 and the present figures of their fleets.

Denmark.

The Danish life-boat service did not go out to the help of any British vessels during the year.

France.

The life-boat at He Molfene, Finistere, on 1st October, 1933, went to the help of the s.s. Moorwood, bound from Glasgow for Bordeaux with a cargo of coal, which had gone ashore. The life-boat was launched at 6.30 in the morning and stood by the steamer until three in the afternoon. She again went out at 7.30 in the evening, by which time wind and sea had both got up, took off the captain and wireless 'operator, took in tow the ship's boat, which had the rest of the crew on board, and transferred them all to a tug.

The French Central Society for Saving the Shipwrecked now has a total of 107 life-boat stations, with thirty-eight motor life-boats and sixty- nine pulling life-boats. It also has seventy-two stations with rocket life- saving apparatus and 350 stations with other life-saving equipment.

Germany.

Between nine and ten o'clock in the evening of 18th March, 1933, the pulling and sailing life-boat at Amrum-Nord and the motor life-boat at Amrum- Sud, off the coast of Schleswig, both went out in a rough sea to the help of the steam trawler Taipo, of Grimsby, which had gone ashore on the Nornum Sands. The pulling and sailing life- boat arrived at midnight, but found it impossible to get alongside against the tide and very heavy surf. The motor life-boat, which had thirty miles to travel, arrived at four next morning, but she too found an immediate rescue impossible. Three hours later a joint attempt was made and the motor life- boat then succeeded in getting along- side the trawler and rescuing her crew of nine men.

The German Society for Saving the Shipwrecked has a fleet of 103 life- boats, thirty of them being motor life- boats and seventy-three pulling and sailing life-boats. It also has seventy- five rocket life-saving apparatus, of which sixty-one are at life-boat stations and fourteen at stations where there are no life-boats.

Holland.

On 2nd March a Danish motor ship, putting out from the Hook of Holland, came into collision with the British steamer Red Sea. The Hook of Holland motor life-boat, belonging to the South Holland Society for the Rescue of the Shipwrecked, was launched, but found neither vessel in need of her help, although the Danish vessel was sinking and had to put back.

There were no services to British vessels by the life-boats of the North and South Holland Life-Saving Society.

The South Holland fleet now con- sists of seven motor life-boats and four pulling and sailing life-boats. The North and South Holland fleet consists of ten motor life-boats and twenty- three pulling and sailing life-boats, making a total fleet for the coast of Holland of seventeen motor life-boats and twenty-seven pulling and sailing life-boats. The North and South Holland Society also has nineteen rocket life-saving apparatus. Its launching equipment includes seven motor caterpillar tractors.

Iceland.

During 1933 a number of British trawlers were in difficulties off the coast of Iceland and were helped in various ways. During January two trawlers, one of Grimsby and one of Hull, stranded on the coast of North Iceland. Their crews got ashore in their own boats and were helped by the inhabitants. In the same month the trawler Night Rider, of Grimsby, was seen from the shore to be in a very dangerous position, and had evidently lost her way in the thick weather. The news was telephoned to Reykjavik, where the wireless station at once got in touch with the trawler, and by help of its instructions she got back to her right course. In April the trawler Bracanmoore, of Aberdeen, stranded and was towed off, with little damage, by the coastguard vessel.

In December the Aberdeen trawler Margaret Clark stranded, and her crew of twelve were rescued with the help of people from the shore.

The National Safety Association of Iceland has one British pulling and sailing life-boat of the self-righting type, one Danish pulling life-boat and two surf boats.

Norway.

No services were rendered to British vessels by the Norwegian Society for the Saving of the Shipwrecked. The society now has seven motor cruising ketches, nineteen sailing ketches, two stations with pulling and sailing life- boats and thirty stations with rocket life-saving apparatus or line-throwing guns. These figures do not include stations maintained by the Government.

Spain.

No services were rendered to British vessels by the Spanish Society for Saving the Shipwrecked. The Spanish fleet consists of eighteen motor life- boats and twenty-nine pulling life-boats.

Sweden.

No services were rendered to British vessels by the Swedish Society for Saving the Shipwrecked.

The Society's fleet consists of three cruising motor life-boats, seven motor life-boats at stations on the coast, six pulling and sailing life-boats and three stations with rocket life-saving apparatus. Most of the life-boat stations are also provided with rocket apparatus.

In addition to the Society's stations, the Government maintains twelve pulling and sailing life-boats and six stations with rocket life-saving appara- tus, making a total Swedish fleet of ten motor life-boats and eighteen pull- ing and sailing life-boats.

Turkey.

No services were rendered to British vessels by the Turkish Life-boat Service. Turkey has now eight life- boats.

Rumania.

The Institution has recently supplied the Rumanian Government with infor- mation about its organization and types of life-boat. It has now learnt with much pleasure that a life-boat society was founded in Rumania on 14th June, 1933.

It is a private society. The King of Rumania is the founder and president, and the governor of the National Bank of Rumania is, ex-officio, the vice- president. The full title of the society is Societatea de Salvare a Naufragiatilor in Apele Teritoriale Romanesti (Society for the Rescue of the Shipwrecked in Rumanian Territorial Waters), with the short title Salvamar. The Society hopes this year to establish its first life-boat station at Constantza.

Other Life-boat Services.

No information has so far been received from Belgium, Japan, Latvia, Portugal, Russia, or the United States of America. It is hoped to give par- ticulars of their services in the next issue.

British Services to Foreign Vessels.

Services were rendered last year by British life-boats to eleven foreign vessels belonging to nine different countries, and sixty-six lives rescued.

Two of the vessels were Belgian and two Greek. The other seven were from Denmark, France, Finland, Iceland, Italy, Norway and Spain..