H.R.H. THE DUCHESS OF KENT, Presi- dent of the Institution, named the new Southend-on-Sea life-boat on the 17th of May, 1955.

The new life-boat is a gift of the Civil Service Life-boat Fund, the thirtieth which that fund has given to the Institution, and Her Royal High- ness described it as "yet another example of the wonderful generosity of the Civil Servants in this country." She went on to say: SENSE OF LOSS "There must be many here today who feel a sense of loss in the departure from Southend of this new boat's pre- decessor, the Greater London Civil Service No. 3. Few life-boats have had such a wonderful record of service; during that period, which lasted for nearly 27 years, she put out to sea more than 250 times and rescued more than 200 people from death at sea; no previous life-boat at Southend was launched so frequently or rescued so many lives. . . . For most of her period of service, this boat was manned by the same outstanding coxswain, Mr. Sidney Page, a winner of the silver medal once and the bronze medal twice." The Mayor of Southend, Alderman H. N. Bride, president of the branch, took the chair. Commander T. G.

Michelmore, Chief Inspector of Life- boats, described the new boat. Sir Eric A. Seal, chairman of the Civil Service Life-boat Fund, presented the life-boat to the Institution, Sir Godfrey Baring, chairman of the Institution, accepting her and handing her over to the Southend-on-Sea branch, on whose behalf Mr. W. A. Jones, chairman of the branch, accepted her. The Vener- able E. X. Gowing, Vicar of Prittlewell, assisted by the Rev. L. J. Reading, chaplain to the Southend-on-Sea life- boat, dedicated the boat. Her Royal Highness then named her Greater London II (Civil Sendee No. 30). A vote of thanks was proposed by Mr.

Percy G. Garon, honorary secretary of the branch.

WATSON CABIN TYPE The new life-boat is a 46-feet 9-inches Watson cabin type boat.

The next morning she was launched on service and rescued three people from the yacht Stormalong. For a full account of this service see page 131..