THE Institution now has two ghost cabinets, to show the changes in the equipment of the Life-boat Service.

They are on the principle of the old "Peppers Ghost," and are worked by a penny in the slot. In each cabinet are two models, one of an old scene, the other of a new. By means of a revolving light and a smoked glass the new scene replaces the old.

In the one cabinet a pulling and sailing life-boat is seen lying close to a wreek in a stormy sea, and one of the crew is throwing a line to it by means of the leaded cane. This changes to a motor life-boat, firing its line-throwing gun from 80 yards away. In the other cabinet the first scene is of the rescued being brought to harbour on board an open pulling and sailing life- boat, exposed to wind and sea. This scene of exposure changes to the inside of the deck-cabin of the modern life- boats, with the rescued sitting in shelter and warmth, while a life-boat- man is at the cabin cooker serving out hot drinks.

The first of these cabinets is now in the Kursaal on the front at Southend-on-Sea, through the kind- ness of Mr. C. J. Morehouse, the Kursaal's managing director. The other, after being shown at the Model Engineer Exhibition, has gone to the Life-boat Museum in the old boat-house at Eastbourne..