THE LIFE-BOAT FLEET 155 Motor Life-boats 1 Harbour Pulling Life-boat LIVES RESCUED from the foundation of the Life-boat Service in 1824 to 31st October, 1954 - 78,940 Notes of the Quarter THE cold, wet summer of 1954 was a most exacting period for the Life-boat Service. In the six summer months, from the 1st of April to the 30th of September, the Institution's life-boats were launched on service 356 times and rescued 252 lives. The corresponding figures for 1953 were 334 launches on service and 180 lives rescued. Before the end of September more lives had been rescued by life-boats in 1954 than were rescued in the whole of 1953.

July was a particularly busy month, with 82 launches, as the result of which 55 lives were rescued. Never before in the history of the Institution have life- boats been launched so often in July.

August has now become traditionally a month in which considerable numbers of yachtsmen are rescued and their yachts saved. It may be noted, in view of misleading tales which are still current, that in August this vear, when life-boats were launched on service 68 times, only two property salvage claims were put forward by life-boatmen. In one case the yacht saved had been abandoned and was found drifting 8 miles from the East Goodwin light- vessel. In the other ease a motor vessel was on charter to a brewery for advertising purposes. The two men on board were rescued and brought to the life-boat, station.

LIFE-BOATMEN'S CHRISTMAS IF what has happened in recent years can be taken as a guide, a number of life-boatmen are likely to spend some part of Christmas at sea, rescuing those in danger. It is only four years since the bowman of the Walmer life-boat lost his life at sea on Christmas Eve.

On Christmas Day in the same year, 1950, the Redcar and Teesmouth life- boats were both out on service, the Teesmouth boat putting out at 10.30 at night and returning only at 4.45 next morning. In 1952 four life-boats were out on either Christmas Eve or Christ- mas Day, the Girvan and Yarmouth boats carrying out two services each and Campbeltown and Montrose one each.

Scottish life-boats are equally liable to have to go out on New Year's Day, as the crew of JIallaig know from personal experience.

In addition to the services rendered to those in danger, a traditional task carried out by a number of life-boats, including those at Barry Dock, Clacton, Eastbourne, Margate, Selsey, Walton and Frinton, and Weymouth, is taking Christmas fare to the men manning lightvessels.

BARROW'S STRANGE RECORD A record believed to be unique in the Life-boat Service was established thisyear by the Barrow life-boat. On three consecutive occasions she was launched to the help of the same single vessel. This was the Tranquillity, of Peterhead. On the first and third occasions, on the 22nd of July and the 19th of September, the crew were rescued from the Tranquillity, and on the second occasion, on the 8th of September, the fishing boat was towed in.

A QUESTION IN THE HOUSE The Annual Report of the Institution has appeared this year in a somewhat different form. It is now known as a Year Book, and by the publication of the district branch collections as a separate supplement, it has been pos- sible to bring it out much earlier than in the past. Early publication of the Institution's Report has not always met with official approval and on one occasion even led to the asking of an embarrassing question in the House of Commons. On the 2nd of December, 1867, the Vice-President of the Board of Trade, Stephen Cave, was asked why the Official Wreck Register for 1866 had not been printed and delivered to Mem- bers of Parliament although its contents had already appeared in the Press.

The Vice-President of the Board of Trade evidently found this a searching question. He spoke of "an unhealthy time in the office, temporarily depriving it of some valuable services". He declared that the assistant secretary of the marine department "who, as the Hon. Member knows almost as well as myself, is not a man to raise difficulties or to shrink from work", had stated that the work could not be done more quickly without additional staff, and he assured Members that the Board of Trade had not communicated any facts to the Press. Then he explained where the Press had got its information. This was from the Report of the Life-boat Institution where, apparently, the same difficulties in the matter of staff and sickness did not prevail.

LIVERPOOL UNIVERSITY'S ACHIEVEMENT Panto Day, an annual event organ- ised by the students of Liverpool University, this year produced a wind- fall for the Institution. As a result of the students' activities Miss Joan Crosley, secretary of the Panto Commit- tee, presented a cheque for the remark- able sum of £4,000 to the Liverpool branch, whose deputy chairman is Mr.

M. Arnct Robinson, a member of the Committee of Management of the Institution and chairman of the Hoy- lake branch. In accordance with the wishes of the students, the sum presen- ted will be used principally to pay for the 15 h.p. diesel-engined boarding boat Panto, which was delivered to New Brighton station early this year, and for its ancillary equipment. Every year part of the Panto Day's takings go to the Sick and Orphaned Kiddies' Christmas Treat Fund of the Merseyside Hospitals' Council. This year the fund received £500, and all the other money received went to the Institution..