LAST year the Institution greatly increased the retaining fees paid to the officers of life-boats. It also increased the payments made to crews and launchers for exercise launches, and brought in a new scale of rewards for services.

These alterations, it was calculated, would add £10,000 a year to the payments made to coxswains, crews and launchers. As from the beginning of this year the annuities paid to retired officers of life-boats have been doubled..