Two life-boats 70- foot in length, which will be larger than any at present in the Institution's service, are to be built by Messrs. Yarrow and Company Ltd.

in Scotstoun, Glasgow. Both will be constructed in steel, one to the design of Mr. R. A. Oakley, the Institution's Naval Architect, and the other to the design of Mr. John Tyrrell of Arklow, Co. Wicklow.

NEW TYPE NEEDED It was in June, 1963, that the Institu- tion decided to invite tenders for a new type of life-boat which could be placed at certain exposed points round the coast where deep water would be available at all states of the tide and where there might be a need for a larger and faster type of life-boat. In particular it was felt that with the steady depopulation of certain parts of Scotland and Ireland such life-boats might be of special value.

TWO DESIGNS CHOSEN A number of designs were sub- mitted, of which three were considered most suitable. Models were builr ac- cording to these designs and tested exhaustively in tanks by Messrs.

Saunders Roe at Cowes in the Isle of Wight. As a result of these tests Mr.

Oakley's and Mr. Tyrrell's designs were finally chosen.

The building of steel life-boats is a new and important departure, for apart from six steam life-boats, the first of which came into service in 1890, the hulls of all the Institution's life- boats have hitherto been of wood.

SECOND OAKLEY 48-ft. 6-in.

LIFE-BOAT The Institution has also placed an order for a second life-boat of the 48-foot 6-inch class built to Mr.

Oakley's design.

The first 48-foot 6-inch life-boat, which was shown to the ninth inter- national life-boat conference in June, 1963, is now stationed at Yarmouth in the Isle of Wight. Certain modifica- tions will be introduced in the second boat with the object of providing maxi- mum protection for the electronic equipment and better vision for the coxswain. The hull configuration and the principle of self-righting by means of the shifting of water ballast will remain the same.

BUSY SUMMER MONTHS The early summer of 1964 has again been exceptionally busy. May, 1964, was the busiest May the service has ever known. Life-boats were launched on service no fewer than 99 times and saved 60 lives. The previous highest figure for launches in May was 78 in 1959- Frequent calls have also been made on the new inshore rescue boats.

Before the end of June these boats, the first of which was introduced experimentally in the summer of 1963, had been launched more than 100 times on service.

LIFE-BOATS FOR ITALY Two 52-foot Barnett life-boats have been completed at Messrs. Groves &Guttridge's yard at Cowes, Isle of Wight, for service in Italy.

OFFICERS TRAINED Before the life-boats were handed over two officers and seven petty officers of the Italian Navy underwent training in the use of 52-foot Barnett life-boats under the supervision of the Institution's Deputy Chief Inspector, Commander D. G. Wicksteed, R.N.R.

After training in the Torbay life-boat early in June, the party took passage from Falmouth in the Lizard-Cadg- with life-boat and continued their training at the Lizard-Cadgwith sta- tion.

When the Italian delegation returned to Italy they asked for drawings and other details of all the Institution's standard types of life-boat.

SEVERE TEST OF AMERICAN LIFE-BOAT A 44-foot steel life-boat in the service of the United States Coast Guard recently underwent an excep- tionally severe test with outstanding success. The life-boat was of the same type as that which has been obtained by the Institution for evaluation pur- poses in this country.

On 23rd June a 44-foot life-boat at the Umpqua River station on the west coast of the United States was standing by near the harbour bar while a num- ber of boats were being escorted in by another life-boat.

CAUGHT BY SURF Caught broadside by the surf the 44-foot life-boat rolled approximately 170 degrees and then returned on the 124 next wave. One man was thrown over- board. At the same time a boat cap- sized throwing four people into the breakers. A second swell then caught the life-boat and rolled her completely over.

CLEAR EVIDENCE She righted herself automatically, went full astern, picked up the crew member and rescued all four occu- pants of the capsized boat which by then had broken into three pieces.

For several weeks previously Lieut.- Commander R. W. Witter, who was largely responsible for the design of the 44-foot life-boat and who accom- panied the life-boat brought to this country, had been trying unsuccess- fully to capsize the boat in conditions comparable to those prevailing on 23rd June. What happened on service at the Umpqua River station was clear evi- dence of the self-righting capacity of the boat.

DEATH OF EARL HOWE At the time of going to press the Institution learned with deep regret of the death of Earl Howe, honorary Chairman for Life of the Committee of Management. A full obituary notice will appear in the December number Of THE LIFE-BOAT.

Among the many remarkable ser- vices which Lord Howe gave to the Institution was the visiting of every single life-boat station.

The present Chairman, Captain the Hon. V. M. Wyndham-Quin, R.N., has already visited 112 stations and hopes to tour the remainder within the next 18 months..