Port Askaig, Isle of Islay, Argyllshire.

LAST year a new life-boat station was established on the West of Scotland, at Port Askaig, Isle of Islay, Argyllshire.

The self-righting motor life-boat Frederick H. Pilley, which had been stationed at the Lizard, Cornwall, was temporarily placed there while a new motor life-boat was being built for the station. She was completed this summer, and is of the Watson cabin type, 45 feet 6 inches by 12 feet 6 inches. On service, with crew and gear on board, she weighs 20J tons.

She is divided into seven water-tight compartments, and is fitted with 142 air-cases. She has twin screws, and is driven by two 40 h.p. engines.

The engine-room is a watertight com- partment, and each engine is itself water-tight, so that it could continue running even if the engine-room were flooded. Her speed is 8J knots, and she carries enough petrol to be able to travel 116 miles, at full speed, without refuelling. She carries a crew of eight, and in rough weather can take ninety-five people on board. She has a line-throwing gun and an electric searchlight, and is lighted throughout with electricity.

Glasgow's Seven Motor Life-boats.

The new boat is a gift to the Insti- tution from Miss Elizabeth Sinclair, through the Glasgow branch, and is the first motor life-boat to be built on the Clyde, her donor having made it a condition of the gift that the boat should be built in Scotland.

The boat is the first of three Scottish life-boats to be named this year which are the gifts of Scottish ladies, and two of these three are gifts from Glasgow. Glasgow has now given to the Institution six motor life-boats, stationed at Portpatrick (Wigtown- shire), Girvan and Troon (Ayrshire), Dunbar (Haddingtonshire), Port Askaig (Argyllshire), and Aith (Shetlands), and a seventh stationed at Campbeltown (Argyllshire), is named City of Glasgow, as a mark of the Institution's gratitude for the help received in recent years from the Glasgow branch.

The Naming Ceremony.

The naming ceremony of the new life-boat was held at the building yard at Sandbank on the Clyde, on 25th June. The Duke of Montrose, C.B., C.V.O., V.D., LL.D., chairman of the Scottish Life-boat Council and a vice- president of the Institution, accom- panied by the Duchess, presided at the ceremony. Lieut.-Col. C. R. Satter- thwaite, O.B.E., secretary of the In- stitution, spoke of the devoted work of the Glasgow branch and said that though this was the first motor life- boat to be built in Scotland, the Insti- tution's motor life-boats had, for many years, been designed by a Scotsman— Mr. J. R. Barnett, of Glasgow, the Institution's consulting naval architect.

The district inspector described the life-boat, and she was dedicated by the Rev. Thomas Barclay, M.A., of Sand- bank.

Miss Elizabeth Sinclair then named the life-boat Charlotte and Elizabeth.

A vote of thanks to Miss Sinclair was proposed by Mr. J. Bryce Allan, chairman of the Glasgow branch, and a member of the committee of manage- ment of the Institution, and a vote of thanks to the Duke of Montrose was proposed by Commander E. D. Drury, O.B.E., R.D., R.N.R., chief inspector of life-boats. The yachts assembled for the Clyde Fortnight and anchored in the Holy Loch were decorated for the ceremony, and as the life-boat was launched she was welcomed by the sirens of the steam yachts. The music at the cere- mony was provided by the brass band of the Clyde Division of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve.

On the following day the Charlotte and Elizabeth left the Clyde for her station, calling at Campbeltown on the way, and on 22nd August a dedication ceremony was held at Port Askaig.

The Duke of Montrose again took part, accompanied by the Duchess. They had travelled by air from Arran.

Lord and Lady Strathcona came in their yacht with a large party from Colonsay, and the island of Jura was also well represented. A guard of honour of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders received the Duke, and at the ceremony itself a guard of honour was mounted by the Bow- more and Bridgend Girl Guides. The pipers of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders played during the assembly of the guests, and the singing was led by a choir conducted by Mr.

Islay Mac-Eachern, of Port Ellen.

Over 1,500 people took part in the ceremony.

Mr. John Granville Morrison, presi- dent of the branch, presided, and the Duke of Montrose presented the life- boat to Port Askaig. She was received by Mr. John Macaulay, chairman of the branch; Vice-Admiral the Hon.

W. S. Leveson-Gower, C.B., D.S.O., a former Admiral Commanding the Coast of Scotland, welcomed her to the Scot- tish coast; and she was dedicated by the Rev. Neil Ross, B.D., of Bowmore.

Lord Strathcona also spoke, and votes of thanks were proposed by Captain A. C. Macintyre, of Bonahaven, and Mr. James McKinnon, of Caolila.

Prince of Wales Day was held throughout the island in the morning, and in the evening there were dances at Bridgend and Caolila..