THE Italian Government has awarded medals to the Cromer life-boat crew for their gallantry in rescuing thirty men from the steamer Monte Nevoso, of Genoa, in October, 1932. The steamer had stranded on the Haisborough Sands and had broken her back, and the life-boat was out for nearly fifty hours.1 The Institution awarded its silver medal to Coxswain Henry Blogg, and its thanks on vellum to each member of the crew, and the Italian Government has awarded a silver medal to the coxswain and a bronze medal to each member of the crew.

Each medal was accompanied by a warrant which spoke of the Cromer crew's " humane action and honourable spirit of comradeship at sea." The medals were presented at the annual meeting of the branch on 5th November. Lord Suffield, president of the branch, was in the chair, supported by Mr. F. H. Barclay, the honorary secretary, and Mr. F. W. Samuels, the honorary treasurer. The presentations were made by Lady Suffield. The Italian Embassy was represented by its naval attache1, Commander F. Cap- poni; the Institution by Captain Guy i See The life-boat for November, 1932.

Fanshawe, R.N., a member of the committee of management, and the district inspector of life-boats; and the Board of Trade by the inspector of coastguard and the district officer of coastguard.

Commander Capponi, in the course of his speech, said : " We Italians owe a great debt of gratitude to the British life-boat service. I have been looking through the records of the last seven years and I find that during that time twelve Italian vessels benefited by the assistance of British life-boats. My Government has very fittingly and very properly awarded official recognition of the life-boat service, and it is a privilege for me to be here at the presentation of the medals by Lady Suffield. I con- gratulate you on the gallant action, which is in keeping with the high tradi- tion of your service, and in particular I would like to mention Coxswain Henry Blogg, who is well known for his very splendid record.

" I have been in the Navy well over twenty years, but my experiences have not been entirely in naval matters, and I have had the opportunity of admiring the great services rendered to humanity by the great brotherhood of seamen.Italy is a seafaring nation; practically all her supplies come from over the sea, and the sea is her breath of life. The bond of the sea is one of the greatest ; it makes for peace and goodwill among nations; and I am proud to be a member of the same brotherhood of the sea as you are." In proposing a vote of thanks to Commander Capponi, Captain Fan- shawe spoke of the great record of the Cromer station and its coxswain. He then said to Commander Capponi: " On shore we may be split up into all sorts of factions, but, as you have said, afloat all seamen are a band of brothers.

We welcome you here to-night as a seaman, we thank you as a seaman, and we ask you to send a message to your Government telling them that when- ever Italian seamen are in peril on our coasts, they will always be succoured by the crews of the Royal National Life- boat Institution." Besides the medals and warrants awarded to the life-boat crew, one silver and four bronze medals were awarded to the skipper and crew of the Lowestoft motor trawler Gleam, which had taken part in the rescue. These medals had previously been presented by the Mayor of Lowestoft..