AFTER twenty-seven years with the Institution it is brought home to me more than ever that the great majority of the people of these islands have a dash of the salt of the sea in their veins. For twelve years, as an in- spector on the coast, I sailed with crews from every part of the British Isles, and although the dialects were different, the attitude towards their life-boats and the service to which they were dedicated was everywhere the same. The faith in the boat that is shared by all coxswains and crews round our coast has enabled them to carry out the most hazardous feats of seamanship, and at times one is amazed by the matter-of-fact way in which the feat is described to the inspector sent to investigate a meritori- ous service. There was, for example, the Irish coxswain who, after 63 hours in a full gale, rescued all hands from a lightvessel which had broken away from her mooring. Every man in the crew was awarded a medal, but the coxswain wanted his gold medal presented to his life-boat. He was only satisfied when it was agreed to erect a plaque in the boat com- memorating the service.

Waiting for the Grapnel Where brave men are concerned humour rises sometimes unconsciously when things are difficult. I remember the case of the fiery honorary secretary who alwavs went out on service. One night after beating against a gale for some hours the crew found the schooner they had gone out to help ashore. The life-boat hailed, but get- ting no reply, went nearly along-side.

The crew threw in the grapnel and shouted again. At this a figure ap- peared at the rail, who said that they did not now want assistance. Before the honorary secretary could flare up the coxswain said: "Do'na curse him, sir, till he's given us back our grapnel." Then there was the case of the life- boat ranging up and down alongside a steamer ashore. One by one the crew jumped into the life-boat, but one man hesitated for some time.

Then the coxswain lost patience and shouted: "Next time up jump on our Willie," pointing to his son, a big, strong lad. The man took the cox- swain at his word and jumped on Willie.

The crews were really a grand lot of men, and working with them has made life to me so much more worth while.

Meeting Voluntary Workers Then the second phase of my time in the Institution as Superintendent of Depot. Here one comes in contact with the voluntary workers ashore, who, all over the country, give up their time in order to raise funds. The zeal that honorary workers put into this work is astonishing, and at times the resources of the Depot are stretch- ed to the utmost in order to cope with the request for supplies.

In addition to the 1,500 flag days a year, the Depot has provided decora- tions and displays for life-boat balls, mannequin parades, garden parties, gymkhanas, cinema display's and many other shows which our branches have arranged. We even designed and made a large sou'-wester that won a first prize in a Luton Easter bonnet lorry competition and helped the B.B.C. television service by bringing a well-known actress on to a studio set ! in a bosun's chair.

What is a Scuffle ? This publicity work is all done in addition to the Depot's main task of storing and supplying every item of equipment that is required by our boats and stations.

The supplying of stores too presents its problems. I was once asked for a "scuffle". Fortunately my coast ex- perience told me that this was the name given by a certain Irish station for a Dutch hoe, which is used to clear sea-weed, etc., off the slipway.

Certain outstanding events will always stay in my memory: the passage from Falmouth of the first life-boat to Port Askaig in 1935.

She was a 38-feet self-righter and the passage was the worst I ever made.

The crew had never manned a life-boat before. After this passage I was given a week's special leave.

There were the days at Dover dur- ing the Dunkirk evacuation, and the war-time convoy of four new life-boats round the east coast in October, 1939.

On this passage we sighted the peris- cope of a submarine quite close, and one of the boats broke away to investi- gate. Fortunately discretion prevailed, and the boat sheered off before she caused any annoyance to the owner of the periscope..