By COMMODORE THE DUKE OF MONTROSE, K.T., C.B., C.V.O., V.D., LL.D., R.N.V.R., Treasurer of the Royal National Life-boat Institution and Chairman of the Scottish Life-boat Council.

THIS has been a great event in the lifeboat history of the world* the International Conference held at Oslo from July 5th to July 12th, 1947; for it was the first occasion since the war on which it has been possible to gather together delegates from a number of nations to consider the most effective way of saving life from shipwreck, and to compare all that had been done, learnt and discovered since the last conference held in Gothenburg eleven years before.

We had delegations from eleven countries: Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Great Britain, Holland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Turkey and the United States of America.

Each country had the opportunity, in the papers and in the discussions which followed each paper, of putting before the Conference its latest designs and developments. Prominence was given to the new inventions made during and since the war, and the Conference was particularly interested in the American paper on its use of "ducks" and helicopters, working in co-operation, with life-boats.

Wireless and Twin-Screws It was clear that radio telephony, the use of which has been for long much restricted in life-boat work, principally because of the difficulties of protecting the apparatus from the sea, is now coming into full use.

The papers of the British Service put forward twin-screws, which are now used by it in all boats large and small, as the most important development in design which we have made. We found that some other Services were doing the same, but some were not.

The old controversy between wood and steel as the best material for lifeboats was again debated and, as at previous conferences, Great Britain stood firmly by wood, and Holland as firmly by steel. The most impressive fact in these discussions was that though all Life-boat Services are united in the purpose and spirit of their work the different coasts present them with entirely different problems in carrying it out.

It is not only in the exchange of plans and ideas that the different services can work together. The greater range of present-day life-boats, and the possibility of the use of helicopters (although that is still in the air in both senses) opened up the question of different lifeboat services, in such an area for instance as the North Sea, actually cooperating in the work of rescue, and we discussed whether an agreed plan of intelligence and action could be drawn up.

Lifeboats in War Among the larger questions we discussed was whether the rules of the Hague Convention of 1907 afforded lifeboats adequate protection in time of war. It was felt in some quarters that the rules might be strengthened, and that life-boats should be respected and protected by all belligerent nations in the same way as the Red Cross. The question was raised by the Dutch Service in their paper which described the struggle which it had with the German occupiers of its country to prevent its boats from being used in belligerent activities, and a paper on the same subject was read by a French delegate.

The feeling was that the position needed close examination and the conference passed a resolution which has been brought to the notice of the Governments concerned. It was, however, appreciated that the question is a complicated one and there are many points to be considered.

Voluntary or State We discussed too the question whether life-boat services should be maintained by voluntary effort, or by the governments. The service in the United States is and always has been maintained by the government, and is part of the coastguard service, but the general feeling was that voluntary effort was still best, being much more flexible than working to government rules and schedule. It was recognized, I think, by the Conference that British life-boat experience was not only older, but larger than any other, that our boats were among the best, and our practical experience in administra-- tion. second to none. But each nation felt that it must work in the way it found to suit its own circumstances best, though I think also that each of us felt that it was of immense value to understand the problems, and their solutions, of other services, even if their problems were quite different from our own.

A Royal Welcome Our Conference-was welcomed on the first day by His Majesty King-Haakon in person, who addressed us in a splendid speech. Then the. Mayor of Oslo entertained us to a sumptuous Civic Banquet, at which the Crown Prince Olaf attended. The Mayor, in perfect English (learnt at Oxford University), and the Crown Prince gave Us two more splendid addresses. Our meetings were held in the palatial quarters of the Norwegian Shipowners Association, and we elected Mr. Dagfinn Paust, a shipowner of Oslo and the president of the Norwegian Life-boat Institution, as our chairman. He fulfilled the office greatly to the satisfaction and pleasure, and indeed admiration, of us all. The whole business of the Conference, it is worthy of note, was conducted in English.

When we were not in conference we had much to do and much to see. We were entertained by the Royal Oslo Yacht Club in its most beautiful clubhouse, and were taken to see the famous Viking ships and the From of Nansen's arctic exploration. These vessels were most interesting, and magnificently preserved in special buildings. One of the most striking features of the whole conference was the mobilization of eleven Norwegian life-boats, in which we were taken down the beautiful Oslo Fjord. On the way we were treated to- a life-saving demonstration with rockets, line-throwing guns, coloured flares, and even men in the water with life-buoys, life-saving jackets,. Verey lights and sea torches, whom, we saw rescued. These Norwegian boats are an example of the great.diversity in the work of the different life-boat services.

They keep at sea during the winter, moving with the fishing fleets,.have full cabin accommodation for their crews, and are maintained like yachts, all beautifully clean and bright. Norway now- has under construction one 'big cruising life-boat, larger than anything that we have on the coasts of Great Britain.. She is to be" employed, on special winter service in the Spitzbergen waters.

Magnificent: Hospitality We shall remember with special pleasure and gratitude the magnificent hospitality shown to us on all sides, hospitality in many cases not only to the delegates but to their wives and daughters. It was a generous act, so soon after the war and all that Norway had suffered, and the good spirit and friendship were marvellous. Many of us had never seen one another before, and knew very little about each other, but we parted the best of friends, and found ourselves singing on the last evening, hand in hand, "The Banks of Loch Lomond " and " Auld Lang Syne." Just before that final meeting the news reached Norway of the royal engagement, and that assembly of eleven nations most heartily drank to the health and happiness of our Princess Elizabeth and her future husband.