IN making his report on the past year's work of the life-boat service at the Institution's annual general meeting on the 30th of March, a meeting which is reported in full on page 436, Earl Howe, the Chairman of the Committee of Management, emphasised strongly the regrettable fact that in 1959 the Institu- tion's income fell short of its expendi- ture. Not since 1952 had revenue in any one year been less than expenditure, and with a steady and inescapable annual increase in the cost of the service the fact that reserves had to be drawn upon is clearly a matter for some concern. The decline in revenue in 1959 was not in any way attributable to any failing by the voluntary workers who form the Institution's branches.

Indeed they raised even more than they had done in the previous year. The decline was wholly attributable to a drop of over £160,000 in the amount received in legacies, and at the time of going to press the figures for legacies received in the present year have shown no increase. In this connection the appeal which Earl Howe made to busi- ness houses and other commercial enterprises indicates one source from which the Institution could perhaps benefit rather more than it has in the recent past.

BROUGHTY FERRY DISASTER After the Institution's own inquiry into the disaster to the Droughty Ferry life-boat, the findings of which were published in the March 1960 number of the Life-boat on page 391, a formal Procurator-Fiscal's inquiry was held.

Many witnesses were called, and the conclusions to be drawn from what they said were summed up by the Sheriff-Substitute, Mr. J. B. W.

Christie, in the following words : " No one could have listened to the evidence without a feeling of strong emotion. Besides our deep and sincere sympathy for those who have been tragically bereaved, there is the feeling of admiration and pride that the human race can still produce men of the stature of those who set out in the life-boat in such con- ditions.

" They were very brave men ; they were more than brave. We have it on the authority of St. John the Evangelist that ' greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.' " That is the highest standard. It is the standard these men reached.

It seems to me when men reach that standard in their deeds and actions they are beyond the realm of com- ment by lesser men like us. When one hears a story such as we have heard today the only fitting thing we can do is just to listen in respectful silence." BABY BORN IN LIFE-BOAT In the sparsely inhabited parts where life-boats are stationed, particularly on the west coasts of Scotland and Ireland, it is not uncommon for life- boats to act as floating ambulances, especially when conditions at sea are too bad to prevent other boats from being used. Twice in three days in February of this year the Barra Island life-boat R. A. Colby Cubbin No. 3 was launched to convey people to hospital.

On the first occasion, on the 5th of February, the life-boat put out at 11.10 at night. The sea was calm at the time and there were only light variable airs. The patient to be trans- ported was an expectant mother, and the woman's husband and a nurse accompanied her. The birth occurred sooner than had been expected and the baby was actually born on board the life-boat. So far as is known, this is the first occasion on which a birth has actually occurred in a life-boat. The birth was successful, and the mother and child were taken to hospital when the life-boat reached South Uist. The life-boat then returned to her station, arriving at six o'clock in the morning.

Rather more than twenty-four hours later, at 12.45 early on the morning of the 7th of February, the same life- boat put out to take an elderly man suffering from a strangulated hernia to hospital. He too was landed success- fully, and the life-boat returned to her station at seven o'clock in the morning.

NEW LIFE-BOAT STATION The new life-boat station at Selsey, in Sussex, on which work was first begun in July, 1958, came into service at the beginning of April this year. It is one of two new stations which are due to be completed in 1960. Meanwhile a station which was first established in 1835 is to be closed. This is the Ferryside station, which will cease to be operational on the 30th of June.

Changed circumstances caused by the silting of the river and diversion of shipping have been making it increas- ingly clear that the need for a life-boat at Ferryside has recently disappeared.

The closing of Burry Port and the virtual closing of Llanelly port have served to divert shipping ; the River Towy up to Carmarthen has not been used for shipping for some years ; and the limited salmon fishing from boats is all carried on inside the bar. In the 125 years of the station's existence Ferryside life-boats were launched on service 57 times and rescued 94 Jives.