THE Institution has received a leather cushion which has been specially made for it by an engineer in the Sudan government dockyard at Khartoum, Mr. R. C. Roberts, of Broughton-in- Furness. The cushion, which has been made in imitation of the native leather work, has the house-flag of the Institu- tion in colours on one side, and on the other the flag signal flown by ships in distress. It is stuffed with kapok, which is the material used for filling life-belts, and which was used for cushions before its buoyant properties were discovered.

Mr. Roberts gave this cushion for presentation to a distinguished cox- swain, and the-Institution has presented it to Coxswain Henry Blogg, of Cromer, who has twice won its gold medal and twice its silver medal for gallantry, and who in the course of forty years' service in the Cromer life-boat has taken part in the rescue of 352 lives.

Two years ago Mr. Roberts bought from Miss Power, the honorary secre- tary of the Cobham, Surrey, branch, a rug made in the shape and colours of the Institution's house-flag. This rug is in the engineer's cabin on the steamer running the petrol service on the White Nile, on which it has already travelled several thousands of miles..