THE first three months of 1958 have offered striking evidence of the help given by life-boats to a great variety of vessels serving the commerce of the country in different ways and, in particular, to fishing boats. Of the 106 launches by life-boats on service during this period 37 were to the help of motor vessels, steamers, barges, motor boats and other similar craft ; 29 were to fishing boats ; and nine consisted of landing sick seamen or conveying doctors to vessels of different kinds.

Life-boats were launched six times to search for aircraft ; three of the services were to bathers or to people cut off on the rocks or cliffs ; and two to the help of yachts. In the summer months the proportion of services to yachts naturally tends to increase considerably, but the first quarter of the year has shown the continual help given by life-boats to vessels of various nations bringing food and other supplies to this country, taking goods abroad or engaged in coastal traffic.

CO-OPERATION WITH AMERICAN AIRCRAFT No. 66 Air Rescue Squadron of the United States Air Force, whose base for some years was Manston in Kent, was recently rendered inactive. The close co-operation between this squadron and life-boat stations on the coast of Kent has been a most happy feature in the work of rescuing life at sea. To mark the Institution's appreciation Earl Howe, Chairman of the Committee of Management, sent a letter stating that the Committee " truly appreciate the splendid work done by the squadron in the work of rescuing life at sea ".

The letter called attention to the outstanding service by a United States helicopter which took place on the 27th of November, 1954, and which was described fully in the March, 1955 number of the Life-boat on page 5.

This led to the rescue of the sole survivor from the South Goodwin lightvessel. In reply to the letter of appreciation Colonel Marshall H.

Strickler, Commander of the United States 9th Air Rescue Group, wrote : " May our future joint efforts continue in the same successful and co-operative manner as enjoyed in the past. Please extend our appreciation to all your personnel for their superior performance wherever and whenever required." THE LIFE-BOAT SERVICE SINCE THE WAR The 1958 edition of " The Story of the Life-boat" takes the form of a brief history of the Life-boat Service since the end of the last war. When the war came to an end the Life-boat Service was faced with a huge task of reconstruction. Building of new lifeboats had been brought to a standstill ; many of the former members of lifeboat crews had left their homes ; new and important devices had been invented ; and the country was undergoing something of a social revolution.

The booklet describes the manner in which these difficulties have been overcome ; how more than half the fleet of life-boats has been replaced ; how new tractors, carriages, boathouses and radio equipment have been introduced ; and how the work which life-boat crews are called upon to perform has steadily increased. A number of the outstanding services by life-boats since the war are described in detail. English, Scottish and Welsh editions are published, each priced l/6d. The Scottish and Welsh editions concentrate on services carried out by Scottish and Welsh life-boats.

SALES AT BOATHOUSES With the advent of summer a number of stations, particularly those at popular seaside resorts, will again be actively engaged in raising money for the Institution by collections at boathouses and by the sale of souvenirs. The Institution has decided not to increase its range of souvenirs but to concentrate on those which have proved popular. This decision has been taken as a result of an analysis, which shows that the introduction of new types of souvenirs does not in fact serve to increase the net revenue. The problem was discussed at some length at the conference of District Organising Secretaries.

At this conference it was also learnt that at certain stations souvenirs had been sold at below the marked price, a practice which although carried out with the best of intentions does not serve to benefit the Institution financially.

The ingenuity which branches of the Institution are showing in their work of raising funds is again revealed in this number in the column New Ways of Raising Money which appears on page 45. Another field in which the workers of the Institution are active is that of enlisting the help of sporting clubs. The Institution has now produced a leaflet which can be supplied on demand indicating how sporting clubs can help the work of the Life-boat Service..