MR. GRANT UDEN has achieved the con- siderable feat of telling the story of the life-boat service in a book of less than ninety pages, which yet includes numer- ous photographs of life-boats, a map of life-boat stations, several charts and tables and an index. This is Life-boats (Basil Blackwell, 8/6d.). Mr. Uden has sketched the history of the service, de- scribed the different types of life-boats and the ways in which they are launched, included a number of accounts of out- standing services both in war and in peace, and also provided a short section on ships' boats.

In such a short book there is neces- sarily little that has not appeared in other books on the life-boat service, although Mr. Uden has brought the story up to date in treating such recent developments as the Oakley life-boat and the installation of echo sounders.

He has also produced an interesting quotation from the year 1867, in which comparison is made between the boats which the Coastguard then used for going out to the rescue and the boats of the R.N.L.I. This states of the type of boat used by the Coastguard: "It is far from being constructed in the scientific way in which those of the Institution are".

Mr. Uden's book is written for the young, and he lists at the end a number of things which young people interested in life-boats can do. At its very reason- able price this book can certainly be recommended.

Supporters of the life-boat service all over the country will be interested to know of a new biography of the Institution's President, recently pub- lished. This is H.R.H. Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent, by J. Wentworth Day (Robert Hale, 21/-). Much is told of Her Royal Highness's earlier life and there are many pleasant photo- graphs. Those connected with the life-boat service who know of the close personal interest Her Royal Highness shows in every aspect of the service and the amount of devoted work she has given to it may be somewhat surprised to discover that no mention of her connection with the Royal National Life-boat Institution is made.

P.H.

Handbook on Seamanship Mr. Norris D. Hoyt has written a most interesting and valuable book for all who put to sea for pleasure—whether it be cruising, sea racing or merely mess- ing about in a dinghy. This is Seaman- ship (Darton, Longman & Todd, 15/-).

His chapters on boat-handling in fog at night and in heavy weather are par- ticularly valuable to beginners and of especial interest to the R.N.L.I., because as the author so pithily puts it: "when you're in the soup the long-suffering life-boat service has to be in there after you".

The book was originally written for the American market, and this British edition has been revised to incorporate such amendments as are needed to agree with British practice and regulations where they differ from the American.

D.G.W.

Other books received include The New Science of Skin and Scuba Diving by John Halfhide (18/- paper and 25/- cased) and How to Teach Children to Swim by Carolyn Kauffman (12/6d. paper and 16/- cased), both published by Darton, Longman & Todd..