The Royal National Life-boat Institution agreed to a request made at the rnternationaf Life-boat Conference that it she act as a distributing centre for information which may be of general interest to all life-boat societies. The Institution recently ! a request to all life-boat societies overseas to supply up-to-date information on the strength of their fleet and the nature of t finances. The following table is based on the answers received : — Country Name of Society Strength of Fleet Nature of Finances Belgium Ministere des Communications, Administration de la Marine. 3 motor life-boats. State financed. Canada* Department of Transport. 3 motor life-boats. State financed. Chile Cuerpo de Voluntarios " Botes Salvavidas ". 2 motor life-boats. Voluntary contributions with small State grant. Denmark Rednings vaesenet . 24 motor life-boats.

19 pulling and sailing life-boats. State financed. Finland Suomen Meripelastusseura. 3 patrolling rescue cruisers.

13 motor life-boats. Voluntary contributions with small State subsidy. France Societe Centrale de Sauvetage des Nauf rages.

Societ6 des Hospitallers Sauveteurs Bretons. 48 motor life-boats.

2 pulling and sailing life-boats.

9 motor life-boats.

43 motor beach patrol boats.

85 pulling beach patrol boats. Voluntary contributions but i State subsidies for maintem and new construction.

Voluntary contributions with S and municipal subsidies. Germany Deutsche Gessellschaft zur Rettung Schiffbriichiger. 3 rescue cruisers with daughter boats.

10 middle-sized motor life-boats.

11 small shore motor life-boats. Solely by voluntary contributioi Great Britain and Ireland Royal National Life-boat Institu- tion. 153 motor life-boats. Solely by voluntary contributioi Iceland Slysavarnafe'lag Islands. 3 motor fife-boats.

4 patrolling rescue cruisers.

14 pulling surf boats.

1 ambulance aircraft. Voluntary contributions with S and municipal subsidies. India Department of Lighthouses & Lightships, Ministry of Trans- port & Communications. 2 motor life-boats. State financed. Italy Societ Nazionale di Salvamento. 3 life-boats. Japan Nihon Suinan Kyusaikai. 30 motor life-boats.

67 pulling life-boats. Voluntary contributions with m cipal subsidies. Netherlands Koninklijke Noord-en-Zuid- Hollandsche Redding- Maatschappij.

Koninklijke Zuid-Hollandsche Maatschappij tot Redding van Schipbreukelingen. 25 motor life-boats.

8 motor life-boats. Solely by voluntary contributio: Solely by voluntary contributio New Zealand Sumner Life-boat Institution (Canty) Inc. 1 motor life-boat.

2 pulling life-boats (reserve). Voluntary contributions with occasional government grant. Norway Norsk Selskab til Skibbrudnes Redning. 28 rescue vessels. Voluntary contributions aided State subsidy. Poland Portugal Polskie Ratownictwo Okretowe.

Institute de Socorros a Naufragos. 6 patrolling rescue cruisers.

7 life-boats.

2 salvage tugs.

20 motor life-boats.

25 pulling and sailing life-boats. State financed.

Voluntary contributions with S subsidies. Spain Sociedad Espanola de Salvamento de Naufragos. 8 motor life-boats. Voluntary contributions with sidies from official organisati Sweden Svenska Sallskapet for Raddning af Skeppsbrutne. 9 patrolling rescue cruisers.

1 1 motor life-boats. Voluntary contributions. Turkey Maritime Bank T.A.O. Coast Security Exploitation. 1 motor life-boat.

2 pulling and sailing life-boats. Financed by Turkish Marii Bank. Uruguay Asociacion Honoraria de Salva- mentos, Maritimos y Fiuviales. 1 motor life-boat. Solely by voluntary contributio U.S.A. United States Coast Guard. 1,355 motor boats.

1,508 pulling boats. State financed. U.S.S.R. Emergency Rescue Service of the U.S.S.R. 72 life-boats and tenders.

14 salvage tugs. State financed. * The Canadian Life-saving Service is co-ordinated with the Air-Sea Rescue Services..