To interest the youth of our nation in the sea that encompasses their island— its traffic, its secrets, its hazards—is always timely. To do so in the manner of Malcolm Saville's book, The Adven- ture of the Life-boat Semice (Macdonald, 6s.) is also laudable. For it recounts, in a form addressed to youths and older children, the history and exploits of the men of the life-boats: those who made the first "unimmergible" craft, those who, with Sir William Hillary at their head, founded the R.N.L.I., whose who during the past -century and a quarter have manned -its boats and do so still to-day. With- out them and the splendid modem life-boats they go out in, the seas around Great Britain would be much more dangerous, the shipping upon whose cargoes our prosperity depends would travel much less securely.

In this book, the whole compelling story of life-boats is told; and it is illustrated with nearly sixty excellent photographs of pulling, sailing and motor life-boats, scenes of wrecks and rescues, launches and exercises, pic- tures of coxswains, life-boatmen, and equipment. It is an adventure which all young people can share in and enjoy.* * Copies of the booi, price 6,«,, can be obtained from the Institution..