FIGURES already available show that the year 1958 has been similar to the two preceding years in the demands made on life-boat crews. When a record figure for peacetime of 745 launches on service was established in 1956, this seemed an exceptional event. Yet the next two years have produced comparable figures. Whether the life-boat service has simply experienced three exceptionally busy years in succession or whether the figure of more than 700 launches a year must now be expected as normal can be shown only by future results. But the contrast with the average figure for the 1930's of less than 300 launches a year is certainly striking.

Vessels of many kinds were helped by life-boats during the period under review in this number of the Life-boat, and as is usual during the summer months there were a considerable number of services to yachts in distress.

The accounts of services beginning on page 141 describe how time and again yachts were towed to safety, in some cases after they had been abandoned by their crews. Yet during the whole of July claims for salvage of yachts were put forward from only one lifeboat station and in August from only two stations.

PROPOSED NEW LIFE-BOAT STATION The Institution has applied to the local authorities concerned for the necessary consents for the construction of a new life-boat station at Kilcobben Cove in Cornwall. The ultimate aim is to amalgamate at this point the existing life-boat stations at Cadgwith and the Lizard. Kilcobben Cove lies half way between these two stations and is a mile and a quarter east of the Lizard lighthouse.

Careful visual and instrumental observations made at Kilcobben Cove during the past winter and spring have shown that it will be possible to launch at this point a life-boat of the largest class, the 52-feet Barnett type, in any weather and at any state of tide, and that conditions will normally be favourable for re-housing. The life-boats now stationed at Cadgwith and the Lizard are 35-feet 6-inches and 41-feet in length respectively, and in certain conditions launching from both these stations can be most hazardous; rehousing is also frequently difficult.

COMPLETION OF V.H.F. PROGRAMME The Institution completed during the summer its programme of installing very high frequency radio-telephones in life-boats. 126 life-boats of the active fleet have been fitted with these means of communication and 12 lifeboats of the reserve fleet. The frequency at first in use was 138.78 megacycles, but in every case this had to be changed to the standard search and rescue (scene of action) frequency of 123.1 megacycles, which was adopted by aircraft of all N.A.T.O. countries on the 1st of September, 1958.

GUATEMALAN LIFE-BOAT SERVICE A life-boat service is being founded in Guatemala which will be under the control of the State. Captain I. M.

Munn, a representative of the Guatemalan government and son-in-law of the President, visited the headquarters of the Institution in August, 1958.

He has now purchased on behalf of his government the reserve life-boat W.R.A., which was formerly stationed at North Sunderland. He inspected her at Gorleston, where he went afloat.

Negotiations are also in progress for the sale of other life-boats to the Guatemalan government.

LIFE-BOAT AT NATIONAL BOAT SHOW For the second time the Institution will show a new life-boat at the National Boat Show at Olympia, London, which is sponsored by the Daily Express. The Ship and Boatbuilders' Federation, the organisers of the show, have generously given free space, and the life-boat to be displayed is the 42-feet beach life-boat Alfred and being stationed at Dungeness.

Patience Gottwald, which will be sent next year to her station at Aldeburgh.

She is only the second of the 42-feet beach boats to go into service, the other.