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 December, 1956 80,578 Notes of the Quarter THE year 1956 was one in which greater demands were made on life- boat crews all round our coasts than in any comparable year in the past.

In fact there have been only two years in the whole history of the Institution in which life-boats were called out on service more often. One was 1940, the year of the Battle of Britain, when at one period life-boats, particularly on the south and east coasts, were out almost continuously searching for allied and enemy airmen; the other was 1941.

The previous busiest year in time of peace was 1954, when there were 668 launches on service. Last year there were no fewer than 745—an astonish- ing increase. 533 lives were rescued by life-boats during the year and rewards were paid for the rescue of 75 lives by shore-boats.

The busiest months were August, with 146 launches, and July, with 129, and from June to November inclusive every month was busier than in the corresponding month of the year before.

LOSS OF TWO MEMBERS OF CREWS It is with deep regret that this journal has to record the loss of two members of life-boat crews during the fourth quarter of 1956. They were leuan Bateman, of St, David's, and William Carder, of Exmouth. leuan Bateman was washed out of the St.

David's life-boat in the course of an exceptionally exacting service, a full account of which appears on page 384.

William Carder was washed out of the Exmouth life-boat when she was called out on the afternoon of Christ- mas Day. Until the last quarter there had been no loss of life among mem- bers of life-boat crews in spite of the great demands made on the Service and of the exceptionally bad weather which was experienced at almost all times of the year.

LOSS OF A NEW LIFE-BOAT Another most unfortunate loss of a different kind which the Institution has suffered was the destruction by fire on the 10th of December, 1956, of the life-boat and boathouse at Thurso.

An account of this incident appears on page 388. The life-boat was the first of the new 47-feet class Watson boats, and she was named by H.M. Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, no later than the 18th of August, 1956. She cost over £32,500 to build, the money being subscribed by the Civil Service Life-boat Fund. A new life-boathouse is being erected at Thurso at an esti- mated cost of £23,000.The whole of this loss falls on the Institution, because it has been the Institution's practice for some years not to insure its life-boats and boat- houses against accidents of this nature.

For the first quarter of a century after motor life-boats began to be built the Institution regularly took out in- surance policies, as it was felt that the risk of fire was considerable in the early petrol boats. The whole question of insurance was closely examined by a committee in 1932, which came to the conclusion that excessive premiums were being paid and that the risk of damage or destruction by fire or other cause was actuarially less than the rates of premium implied. Experience over the past twenty-five years has shown the committee's conclusion to have been correct, for the premiums which would have had to be paid would greatly have exceeded in amount the losses suffered. Nevertheless, the loss of a new life-boat and boathouse is a sudden and considerable blow.

MORE V.H.P. SETS FITTED The Institution has decided to install very high frequency radio-telephones into a further 50 life-boats to enable them to communicate directly with helicopters and other search and rescue aircraft. Eighteen of these life-boats are at Scottish stations, thirteen in Wales, seven on the mainland of Eng- land, three in Ireland and three in the Isle of Man. Six are reserve life- boats.

In the September number of The Life-boat it was announced that a first list of 50 life-boats in which V.H.F.

sets would be installed had been selected. When the sets have been installed in the life-boats on the new list, all life-boats of 41 feet or more in length which are within range of nor- mal helicopter coverage will have been equipped with V.H.F. radio tele- phones.

LIFE-BOAT SERVICE TELEVISED On the afternoon of Sunday, 25th of November, 1956, a life-boat service was shown for the first time on tele- vision screens as it actually took place.

The Dover life-boat Southern Africa took part during that week-end in two television programmes arranged by the B.B.C., one on the Saturday evening and one during children's hour on Sun- day afternoon. She was at sea with the B.B.C. producer, Mr. Peter Webber, the commentator, Mr. Ray- mond Baxter, B.B.C. engineers and cameras on board, when a man in the motor boat Silver Wings, anchored near the eastern arm of Dover harbour, shouted to Coxswain John Walker that the local motor boat Mayflower needed help near the South Foreland light.

There was a moderate sea, a moderate south-westerly breeze was blowing, and the tide was flooding. The life- boat made for the position and some five minutes later found the Mayflower, which had been taking part in an angling contest, very close to the shore at South Foreland. Her engines were working, but she was unable to make headway against the wind and tide.

Watched by millions of viewers on their screens, the life-boat took her in tow to Dover, arriving at 4.45 p.m., a quarter of an hour before the children's programme was due to begin.

ROYAL SUPPORT With the death of H.H. Princess Marie Louise the Life-boat Service has lost a most valued and respected sup- porter. The late Princess Marie Louise's work for the Service was mainly concentrated in the London area. She presided over the London district conference, was an active sup- porter of the Central London women's committee, and for a number of years was president of the bridge party organized by this committee. Her loss will be deeply felt..