IN January, 1948, the latest life-boat provided by the Civil Service Life-boat Fund, a 46-feet Watson cabin boat, went to Blyth in Northumberland.

She is one of eight Civil Service motor life-boats now in the fleet. Since the fund was founded in 1866 it has given to the Institution over £156,000, out of which twenty-five life-boats, including the new Blyth boat, have been provided and maintained. These boats have rescued over 2,200 lives.

For 34 years, until his death in January, 1947, at the age of 86, Lord Southborough had been the fund's chairman and honorary treasurer, and what he described as "his final act for the fund" was his correspondence, when he was dying, with Mr. Winston Churchill asking him to honour the fund and the Life-boat Service by allowing this new life-boat to be named after him.

The Blyth life-boat station was established in 1826. Of its first two lifeboats, during the next 40 years, there is no record, but since 1866, its boats have rescued 235 lives.

Message from Mr. Churchill The naming ceremony was held on the 17th of July, 1948. The Duke of Northumberland presided, and read the following message from Mr.

Churchill: "The hazards and dangers of the sea and of all who serve in the Royal National Life-boat Institution are stern and many. They call for the highest skill and, very often, sacrifice from the men who face the fury of the oceans to save the lives of mariners in distress.

"It is a pride to me that this, the newest life-boat in the country, should bear my name. I send my heartfelt good wishes for the happiness and safety of all who sail in her." Commander H. L. Wheeler, R.N., the district inspector of life-boats, described the life-boat, and the Right Hon. Sir Richard V. N. Hopkins, G.C.B., P.C., who succeeded Lord Southborough as chairman of the Civil Service Life-boat Fund, presented the life-boat to the Institution. She was received by Mr. Arthur G. Everett, a member of the Committee of Manage- ment, and he presented her to the Blyth branch. On behalf of the branch she was accepted by Captain H. Rowe, its honorary secretary.

The Rev. Edwin King, T.D., M.A., HON. C.F., dedicated the life-boat, assisted by Mr. J. Price, lay reader to the Seamen's Mission. The hymns were led by the choir of St. Cuthbert's Church, Blyth, accompanied by the Band of the Newcastle-on-Tyne City Police.

The Duchess of Northumberland then named the boat Winston Churchill.

She then presented to Mrs. Colpitts, the honorary secretary of the Blyth Ladies' Life-boat Guild, the statuette of a life-boatman awarded to her by the Institution.

A vote of thanks was proposed by the Mayor of Blyth and seconded by Councillor J. F. Thompson, chairman of the branch.

The boat then went afloat, and on her return the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland, with the principal guests, and members of the crew, were ' entertained to tea by the Ladies' Lifeboat Guild. A feature of the tea was a large christening cake which was cut by the Duchess..