The Royal National Life-boat Institution agreed to a request made at the International Life-boat Conference that it should act as a distributing centre for information which may be of general interest to all Life-boat Societies. The Institution recently sent a request to all Life-boat Societies overseas to supply up-to-date information on the strength of their fleet and the nature of their finances. The following table is based on the answers received:— Country Name of Society Strength of Fleet Nature of Finances Belgium Section of Administration 3 motor life-boats. State financed. de la Marine, Ministere des Communications. ! Canada Government of Canada j 3 motor life-boats. State financed. (Department of Trans- Denmark port).* Bestyreren af Rednings- 23 motor life-boats. ! State financed. vaesenet. 19 pulling and sailing life- | boats. ! i 16 shore stations with 1 rocket anoaratus. France Societe Centrale de Sauve- j 50 motor life-boats. Voluntary contributions but tage des Naufrages. 1 8 pulling and sailing life- boats. with State subsidies for maintenance and new con- 1 17 shore stations with struction. 1 rocket apparatus. 1 Societe des Hospitaliers 6 motor life-boats. Voluntary contributions with Sauveteurs Bretons. 18 motor beach patrol State and municipal sub- boats. sidies. i [ 45 pulling beach patrol boats. Germany Deutsche Gesellschaft zur 27 motor life-boats. Voluntary contributions in- Rettung SchirTbriichiger. 6 shore stations with rocket apparatus. cluding donations from towns and villages. State subsidies for special pro- jects amounting in past year to less than 2 per cent of ( voluntary receipts. Italy Societa Siciliana Salva- i 1 tug. Financed by the shipping taggi (Palermo). company of which it forms part. Japan Nippon Suinan Kyusaikai. 37 motor life-boats.

94 pulling life-boats. Voluntary contributions, with municipal subsidies. Netherlands Koninklijke-Noord-en- 37 motor life-boats. Solely by voluntary contribu- Zuid-Hollandsche Red- 1 16 shore stations with tions. ding-Maatschappij.

Koninklikje Zuid-Holland- rocket apparatus.

8 motor life-boats. Solely by voluntary contri- sche Maatschappij Tot butions. Redding Van Schip- breukelingen. 1 New Zealand The Sumner Life-boat In- j 1 motor life-boat. Voluntary contributions with stitution. ! 1 pulling life-boat. a municipal grant. (reserve). Norway Norsk Selskab til Skib- i 27 patrolling' rescue crui- Until 1955 solely by volun- brudnes Redning sers. tary contributions. Small 32 shore stations with State subsidy now given. rocket apparatus. Poland ! Polskie Ratownictwo Okre- 4patrollmgrescuecruisers. State financed. | towe. 4 life-boats. 1 salvage tugs. 25 shore stations with rocket apparatus. Portugal Institute de Socorros a 20 motor life-boats. State financed. Naufragos. i 21 pulling and sailing life- boats. 29 shore stations with rocket apparatus. Spain Sociedad Espanola de Sal- vamento de Naufragos. 8 motor life-boats. Voluntary contributions with subsidies from official or- ganisations. Sweden Svenska Sallskapet for 8 patrolling rescue cruis- Voluntary contributions with Raddning af Skepps- ers. donations from towns and brutne.f 16 motor life-boats. villages along the coast. 8 shore stations with rocket apparatus. Turkey 1 Denizcilik Bankasi T.A.O. 1 motor life-boat. Financed by Turkish Mari- (Turkish Maritime Bank) 8 pulling and sailing life- time Bank. Kiyi Emniyeti Isletmesi boats. (Coastguard) 15 coastguard stations with 1 rocket apparatus. U.S.A. United States Coastguard 1446 motor boats. State financed. 1722 pulling boats. U.S.S.R. Soviet Emergency Rescue 68 life-boats. State financed. ; Service. 42 salvage tugs. * The Canadian Life-Saving Service is co-ordinated with the Air Sea Rescue Services.

f The Swedish Board of Pilotage also has 5 life-boats and 20 stations with rocket apparatus..