FIGURES for the first nine months of the year show remarkable increases in the numbers of services carried out by life-saving vessels. All three categories of life-saving vessel with which the Institution is concerned, its lifeboats, its own inshore rescue boats, and privately owned shore-boats, were launched on service more often than in 1963 and rescued many more lives.

The comparative figures tell their own stories. In the first nine months of 1964 life-boats were launched 747 times and saved 391 lives. Corresponding figures for 1963 were 630 launches and 279 lives saved. Even more striking was the increase in services rendered by R.N.L.I. inshore rescue boats, which were launched 219 times in the first nine months of 1964, saving 66 lives. In the corresponding period in 1963 there were only 37 launches, which led to the saving of 10 lives.

SHORE-BOAT INCREASE The figures for shore-boat cases recognised by the Institution were 290 launches up to the end of September, 1964, compared with 213 for the corresponding period of the year before, and 297 lives saved, compared with 210. The shore-boat figures are clear evidence of the increasing effectiveness of the inshore rescue scheme.

September was an unusually busy month, life-boats being launched 128 times. This was the highest figure for September ever recorded, the previous highest having been 117 in September, 1962.

IRISH DISTINCTION Services recorded in this number of THE LIFE-BOAT led to the awards of six bronze medals for gallantry. Every one of these was won by an Irishman.

Coxswain Patrick Power of Dunmore East achieved the rare distinction of winning the bronze medal for the fourth time. Two other members of his crew, Second Coxswain Stephen Whittle and Assistant Mechanic John Power, also received bronze medals, as did Coxswain Joseph McLoughlin of Howth. The other two bronze medals were awarded for a rescue carried out by a currach manned by two Kerrymen, Mr. Patrick O'Connor and Sergeant William McCarthy.

CHANGE AT WELSH STATION A life-boat station established more than 100 years ago lost its traditional life-boat on 3ist October. This was the Aberystwyth station, where a life-boat was first placed in 1862. Since the station was established 91 lives have been saved by life-boats.

Aberystwyth was one of the first stations to have an inshore rescue boat, which has already proved its value by saving eight lives. There is now little coastal traffic in this part of Cardigan Bay and the life-boat has for some time been launched mainly to the help of yachts and other small boats. For this purpose the inshore rescue boat is, of course, particularly well suited, and she will remain at the station ready for service throughout the year.

ONE HUNDREDTH BIRTHDAY A happy event occurred on 6th September when Mr. J. R. Barnett, the well-known boat designer, celebrated his looth birthday. No man played a more important part in the development of the early motor lifeboats than Mr. Barnett. He was appointed Consulting Naval Architect to the Institution in 1904 when the first experiments with motor life-boats were being made, and he remained in this office until 1947.

When he retired he had been engaged in the work of designing life-boats for 60 years, his earliest association with this work being with the Clydeside firm of boatbuilders, Messrs. G. L. Watson. The largest type of life-boat at present in the Institution's service is named after Mr. Barnett.

In 1933 Mr. Barnett published a book entitled Modern Motor Life-boats and 17 years later a revised edition of the work was produced. Although in the last 15 years there have been many new and important developments in life-boat design and construction the revised edition of his book can still be considered a standard work on the subject.

TRIALS OF STEEL LIFE-BOAT The 44-foot steel life-boat which the Institution obtained from the United States Coast Guard completes her trials in December, having covered some 4,500 miles on passage and sea trials. The last stages of her trials were carried out off the coasts of Scotland and north-east England. On 8th to loth December the life-boat was on view at Westminster pier.

She will not be the only new lifeboat to be seen in London this winter, for the 37-foot Oakley life-boat which will later be sent to her station at Kirkcudbright will be shown at the Institution's stand at the International Boat Show in Earl's Court from 6th to i6th January..