AT the Institution's annual general meeting, which was held on the 6th April, some remarkable facts about the year 1964 were given in the Chairman's report.

The year was in many respects an exceptional one. There were more launches on service by rescue craft of the Institution than in any other year since the Institution was founded. More vessels were saved than in any previous year.

The total number of launches by life-boats was 930 and by inshore rescue boats 238. Life-boats saved 454 lives and inshore rescue boats 71. In addition 323 people were saved by shore-boats in services recognized by the Institution.

The fact that the number of launches last year was an all-time record might seem at first glance to be attributable to the increasing use of inshore rescue boats. Yet this was only a partial explanation. The number of calls on life-boats alone was greater than in any other year since 1940, which was the year of the Battle of Britain, and 1961. What, in fact, seems to be happening is that there are more and more calls on rescue craft of all kinds.

The number of vessels which these different craft saved was 191.

SIX NEW STEEL LIFE-BOATS After intensive trials extending over nearly a year the Institution has decided, in principle, to build six 44-foot steel life-boats. They will be to the same basic design as that of the 44-foot life-boats now in the service of the United States Coast Guard. The necessary specification and comprehensive drawings are being prepared, and when they have been completed tenders will be invited from firms in Britain or Ireland capable of building such craft.

The interest of the R.N.L.I. in this new type of life-boat was first aroused at the ninth international life-boat conference in Edinburgh in June 1963, when papers read and films shown by the United States Coast Guard delegation indicated that this type of life-boat had much to recommend it. A small delegation headed by the present Chairman, Captain the Hon. V. M. Wyndham- Quin, R.N., visited the United States, and through the good offices of the U.S.

Coast Guard a 44-foot steel life-boat reached Britain in May 1964. Since then trials extending over 5,000 sea miles have been conducted round the coasts of Britain and Ireland, and the life-boat also carried out trials off the coast of the Netherlands.

NEW INSHORE RESCUE BOATS The number of inshore rescue boats in the Institution's fleet is being increased from 27 to 49 in 1965. Fourteen of the new I.R.B.'s are being stationed on the English coast, 5 in Wales, 2 in Scotland and one in Ireland.

The new English stations are Blackpool, Blyth, Bournemouth, Brighton, Cullercoats, Eastney (Hampshire), Happisburgh, Harwich, Lymington, Mablethorpe, Newquay (Cornwall), Portishead, Southend-on-Sea and Tynemouth.

The new Welsh stations are Abersoch, Llandudno, The Mumbles, Porthcawl, and one in Anglesey, probably in the Moelfre area. New inshore rescue boats are being stationed at Helensburgh in the Firth of Clyde and Kinghorn in the Firth of Forth in Scotland and at Bangor, Co. Down, in Northern Ireland.

The small experimental inshore rescue boat at Poole is being replaced by a standard I.R.B. and the I.R.B. at Spurn Point is to be transferred to Cleethorpes.

FRENCH AND GERMAN CENTENARIES Two life-boats societies with which the R.N.L.I. enjoys close and friendly relations are celebrating the looth anniversary of their foundation in 1965. One is the French Societe Centrale de Sauvetage des Naufrages and the other the German Deutsche Gesellschaft zur Rettung Schiffbruchiger. The Institution decided to award its gold medal to both societies. On 25th April Captain the Hon. V. M. Wyndham-Quinj R.N., presented the gold medal to the French life-boat society in Paris, and on the 29th May Commander F. R. H. Swarm, O.B.E., R.N.V.R., one of the Institution's Deputy Chairmen, who on this occasion represented both the Institution and the international life-boat conference as a whole, presented the Institution's gold medal to the German society.

NEW SCOTTISH CONVENER At the annual general meeting of the Scottish Life-boat Council on 9th April the Duke of Atholl was elected Convener of the Council in succession to Lord Saltoun, who has resigned after holding this onerous post for the past twelve years. The Scottish Life-boat Council, which was formed in 1927, has played an important part since its inception in encouraging support of the service throughout Scotland. For many years the contribution per head of the population to the life-boat service has been considerably higher in Scotland than it has in England, Wales or Ireland.

DEDICATION OF STANDARD At a service held in Douglas, Isle of Man, on loth January 1965, the standard of the R.N.L.I. was dedicated by the Bishop of Sodor and Man, the Right Rev.

Benjamin Pollard, in recognition of the part played by Sir William Hillary in founding the body now known as the Royal National Life-boat Institution. The service was conducted by the Rector of St. George's, Douglas, the Rev. R. C. H.

Matthews, and the standard was placed in the Lady Chapel, from which it can be taken with the Rector's permission to be carried on suitable occasions..