OVER a year after she was first introduced experimentally into the life-boat service, the 48-foot 6-inch Oakley prototype life-boat, The* Earl and Countess Howe, was named and dedicated at Yarmouth, Isle of Wight, on 26th August.

The life-boat was named after the late Earl Howe, former Chairman of the Committee of Management, and his widow, Sybil, Countess Howe, in recognition of their valuable services to the Institution.

Earl Howe died only two months before the ceremony and his daughterin- law, Countess Howe, named the new life-boat. The cost of the life-boat was provided out of the general funds of the Institution.

Admiral Sir Manley Power, chairman of the Yarmouth branch, opened the ceremony and Commander H. B.

Acworth, Assistant Chief Inspector of life-boats, described the life-boat.

Captain the Hon. V. M. Wyndham- Quinj R.N., Chairman of the Committee of Management of the Institution, handed the life-boat to the branch and Mr. L. W. Noton, honorary secretary, accepted her on behalf of the branch. The life-boat was dedicated by the Venerable Geoffrey L.

Tiarks, Archdeacon of the Isle of Wight. Sir Charles Baring, President of the Isle of Wight Life-boat Board and a member of the Committee of Management, proposed the vote of thanks.

NAMED AFTER FATHER Three other life-boats were named during the summer. On 9th July a 37-foot Oakley life-boat Charles Fred Grantham, named after the former honorary secretary of the Skegness branch, was named by his son, Admiral Sir Guy Grantham, former Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Malta.

The late Mr. Grantham, who was honorary secretary for 40 years, was also the first chairman of the Skegness Urban District Council and the first magistrate appointed from Skegness.

Lieut.-Commander F. S. W. Major, vice-chairman of the branch, opened the proceedings and Commander L. F.

L. Hill, district inspector of life-boats, described the new life-boat.

DEDICATED BY BISHOP The Right Hon. the Earl of Scarbrough, president of the Skegness branch, presented the life-boat to the Institution and she was accepted by Rear-Admiral R. St. V. Sherbrooke, a member of the Committee of Management.

Mr. F. Janney, honorary secretary, accepted her on behalf of the branch. The Right Rev. Anthony Otter, Bishop of Grantham, who dedicated the life-boat, was assisted by three other members of the clergy, who included the Rev. Canon A. H.

Morris, chairman of the branch.

A statuette of a life-boatman was presented to Admiral Sir Guy Grantham by Mrs. George Perrin on behalf of the Institution. The vote of thanks was proposed by Coun. F. A. Wise, chairman of the Skegness Urban District Council, and seconded by Mrs. E. Horry, chairman of the Skegness ladies' life-boat guild.

The life-boat was provided out of legacies from the late Mrs. Elizabeth Wright Montford and Miss Edith Mary Dearden and out of the funds of the Institution.

COXSWAIN'S BIRTHDAY Five days later, on I4th July, another 3y-foot Oakley life-boat, The Royal Thames, was named at Caister by the Hon. Mrs. Valentine Wyndham- Quin, wife of the Chairman of the Committee of Management. By a happy coincidence it was also the 6oth birthday of Coxswain Jack Plummer, coxswain of the Caister life-boat and his daughter, Jane, presented a bouquet to Mrs. Wyndham-Quin.

After opening words from the Rev.

Richard Dommett, chairman of the branch, Commander Acworth described the life-boat.

Captain the Lord Ailwyn, a Vice- President of the Institution and a member of the Committee of Management, handed the life-boat to the branch, and she was accepted by Mr.

M. C. McAvoy, honorary secretary, on behalf of the branch.

FORMERLY IN CREW The Rev. John Markham, formerly a member of the life-boat crew, dedicated the life-boat, and Mr. G. E.

Tubby, chairman of Caister Parish Council, proposed the vote of thanks.

The Royal Thames was provided out of gifts from Mr. G. J. F.

Jackson and Miss G. Ellison, a legacy bequeathed by the late Mr. D. A.

Forster and the general funds of the Institution.

Two previous life-boats which served consecutively at Caister between the years 1856 and 1871 had similar names to the new life-boat.

Both were called Royal Thames Yacht Club after the club which gave them to the Institution.

Lady Egremont, daughter of the Chairman of the Committee of Management, performed her first naming ceremony since becoming President of the Ladies' Life-boat Guild when she visited Hastings on 23rd September.

The new 37-foot Oakley life-boat was named Fairlight.

MAYOR TOOK PART Coun. D. W. Wilshin, Mayor of Hastings and president of the Hastings branch, opened the proceedings and Mr. R. D. Pike, assistant district inspector for life-boats, described the life-boat.

Sir Neill Cooper-Key, M.P., a member of the Committee of Management, handed over the life-boat to the branch.

LEGACIES HELPED She was accepted by the mayor on behalf of the branch. The Rev. J. L.

Napier, Rector of the Borough Church of St. Clement, Hastings, dedicated the life-boat. The vote of thanks was proposed by Mr. S. L. Clarke, chairman of the Hastings branch, and seconded by Mr. J. J. Adams, honorary secretary of the branch.

The cost of the life-boat was defrayed by legacies bequeathed by the late Airs.

Katherine Elizabeth Wood and Mrs.

Florence Mary Dudman and in addition by the general funds of the Institution..