A NUMBER of outstanding services were carried out by life-boat crews in the first quarter of 1962. Of these one of the finest was by a life-boat crew in the Irish Republic ; another was by a crew in Northern Ireland, and a third by the crew of a station in the Outer Hebrides.

The Galway Bay crew, who in recent years have found that much of their activity has taken the form of convey- ing doctors to remote islands and land- ing patients on the mainland, had an opportunity to distinguish themselves when a vessel went aground in a south- westerly gale in January. By a splendid example of teamwork eight men and a dog were rescued. Another fine service occurred when the Cloughey life-boat rescued the crew of five from the Dutch coaster Frida Blokzijl, nine attempts in all having to be made to bring the life- boat alongside. Two survivors only were rescued by the Stornoway life-boat when a motor fishing vessel went a- ground, but that they are alive today was due to an exceptional feat of sea- manship and the great courage shown by the coxswain and the assistant mechanic in dragging the two sur- vivors safely on board the life-boat.

Full accounts of all these services are to be found later in these pages.

NEW RESUSCITATION APPARATUS The Institution has developed a new apparatus for the resuscitation of those rescued from drowning. The instrument, which allows the mouth-to-mouth principle of resuscitation to be used, consists of an airway which is inserted in the mouth of the patient and is con- nected to a length of coiled hose, at the other end of which is an air-valve fitted to a mouthpiece for the use of the person operating. The hose makes the equipment easier to use in the confined space and difficult conditions of a life- boat at sea. It also minimises the risk of infection. Prototypes of the appara- tus were produced at the depot at Bore- ham Wood and have been demonstrated to crews at life-boat stations. When manufacture has been completed every life-boat will be supplied with it.

The mouth-to-mouth principle of resuscitation, which is increasingly favoured by medical authorities, was in fact applied by Elisha when he raised the Shunammite's son. II Kings iv, 34 and 35, reads: "And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands; and he stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm. Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes." FLAG-DAY CONTRIBUTIONS On the 20th March, 1962, which was Life-boat Day in the Greater London area, a letter was handed in at the Institution's head office. It was anony- mous and stated simply "a voluntary contribution for the good work you do at sea from an old woman nearing the end". Inside the envelope were one hundred £1 notes. This splendid con- tribution was naturally a source of de- light to all those who had spent the day collecting in the streets, and although such windfalls must be expected to be rare, they may well raise in our minds the question of the appropriate sum which the average individual may be expected to give to the Life-boat Institution or to any other charity meriting support. Before the war 6d.

was perhaps a reasonable contribution from an average worker who felt that the cause to be supported was a worthy one, but of no special concern to him.

6d. at that time would buy among other commodities a packet of ten reasonably good cigarettes. Ten cigarettes of the same kind today cost 2/3d., and to regular collectors who have watched closely over the years the sums which the average citi/en puts in a collecting box, it may well seem that today the sum of 2/- or 2/6d. is by no means a large sum to put in a collecting box.

The experience of other charitable organisations on this point would be of interest.

AMERICAN TRIBUTE A pleasant ceremony, indicative of the close co-operation between the rescue services in Great Britain and those of the United States, took place at Walmer in February, 1962, when a dinner was held by the Goodwin Sands and Downs branch. It was to mark the retirement of Coxswain Fred Upton, and at the dinner Captain H. L. Morgan, Senior Officer of the United States Coast Guard in Europe, read out and presented a letter sent by Admiral A. C.

Richmond, Commandant of the United States Coast Guard. The letter ended: "I hope that this letter will convey the appreciation of those who owe you so much and who, I am sure, join me in saying 'Well done!' and wishing you health and happiness in your well deserved retirement." Another presenta- tion on the 27th January was made to ex-Coxswain Upton by the Civil Service Life-boat Fund, when at the annual dinner of the Deal Post Office Sports and Social Club Mr. Donald Bailiff, Head Postmaster, presented an in- scribed gold watch.

LIGHTVESSELS' ANCHORS In the March 1962 number of The Life-boat an account was given of the service by three Kent life-boats when the East Goodwin lightvessel broke adrift. It was stated on page 200 that "by the time the life-boat reached her the lightvessel's crew managed to let go an emergency anchor." The state- ment was factually correct, but it has been pointed out by Trinity House that it could perhaps give a misleading im- pression. In fact on board each light- vessel Trinity House provides two emergency anchors which are always kept in such a state of readiness that they can be let go at a moment's notice by the cutting of a piece of spun yarn or by the release of a well-greased bolt..