ON two sunshining days in May Prin- cess Marina, Duchess of Kent and President of the Institution, named new life-boats which will serve two stations on the Welsh coast, Llandudno in North Wales and St. David's in the south.

On 15th May Princess Marina ar- rived in Llandudno by a helicopter of the Queen's Flight, landing on a cricket ground only two minutes' car drive from the promenade. Wearing a blue coat and a white hat, she lis- tened to the opening words of Coun- cillor H. Neville, chairman of the Llandudno branch, and a description of the new 37-foot, self-righting Oak- ley life-boat by Lieut.-Commander W.

L. G. Dutton, Chief Inspector of life- boats.

Captain the Hon. V. M. Wyndham- Quin, Chairman of the Committee of Management, handed The Lilly Wainwright to the branch and she was accepted on behalf of the branch by Mr. T. Taylor, honorary secretary, and dedicated by the Rt.

Rev. G. W. O. Williams, Bishop of Bangor. The vote of thanks was pro- posed by Lady Mostyn, president of the Llandudno (Ormes Head) ladies' life-boat guild.

HOOTERS SOUNDED After her address, Princess Marina pressed a button to release the bottle of champagne and to break it over the life-boat's bows. The boat slid into the water to a chorus of hooters from the Beaumaris life-boat and pleasure craft which were nearby.

134 The life-boat was provided out of a legacy from the late Mr. J. H. Wain- wright, of York, and a gift from the Arthur Jowett Fund provided by the late Mr. Arthur Jowett, of Batley, Yorkshire.

Four days later, on the igth, the Princess stood on a rostrum set high on a gorse-covered cliff above the sea at St. David's to name the new 4y-foot Watson life-boat after the former honorary secretary of the station - Joseph Soar (Civil Service No. 34).

Dr. Soar, now in his eighties and president of the St. David's branch, was unable to attend the naming cere- mony but the Princess paid a tribute to his years of voluntary service to the Institution.

TWO OTHERS NAMED The proceedings were opened by Mr. W. Morris Mendus, chairman of the St. David's branch, and Comman- der D. G. Wicksteed, Deputy Chief Inspector of life-boats, described the craft. Mr. F. C. Hampden formally presented the life-boat to the Institu- tion on behalf of its donors, the Civil Service Life-boat Fund. She was re- ceived by Captain the Hon. V. M.

Wyndham-Quin, Chairman of the Committee of Management, on behalf of the Institution and accepted by Mr.

W. Llewellyn, assistant honorary sec- retary, on behalf of the branch. The life-boat was dedicated by the Rt. Rev.

J. R. Richards, Bishop of St. David's, and a vote of thanks was proposed by Mr. E. H. Taylor, honorary secretary of the branch.

Two other life-boats were also named during the second quarter of the year.

On 6th June the Duchess of North- umberland, wife of the Honorary Treasurer of the Institution, named the new Cullercoats life-boat the Sir James Knott.

PROVIDED BY TRUST The 37-foot Oakley life-boat was provided out of a gift from the Sir James Knott Trust and the funds of the Institution.

After opening words from Mr. B. H.

Brown, chairman of Cullercoats branch, Commander L. F. L. Hill, District Inspector of life-boats, des- cribed the new boat. Mrs. E. C.

Obbard, widow of the late Sir James Knott, presented the life-boat to the Institution on behalf of the Sir James Knott Trust.

The life-boat was accepted by the Duke of Northumberland, Honorary Treasurer and a Vice-president of the Institution, on behalf of the Institution, and handed over to Mr. A. Rankine, honorary secretary, acting for the branch. The Rt. Rev. H. E. Ash- down, Bishop of Newcastle, dedicated the life-boat and a vote of thanks was proposed by Mr. J. A. St. S. Talbot, a member of the Cullercoats branch committee, and seconded by Mrs. D.

Kirsop, chairman of Cullercoats and Whitley Bay ladies' life-boat guild.

At Cowes, Isle of Wight, a reserve life-boat was named James and Cath- erine Macfarlane on 26th May.

ON DONOR'S BEHALF Captain the Hon. V. M. Wyndham- Quin, Chairman of the Committee of Management, opened the proceedings and Commander H. B. Acworth, As- sistant Chief Inspector of life-boats, described the 37-foot Oakley craft. The life-boat was presented to the In- stitution by Mr. G. F. White, on behalf of the donor, Mr. Robert F.

Macfarlane. She was dedicated by the Rev. H. A. Eyton-Jones, Vicar of Holy Trinity Church, Cowes..