Oslo is an ideal setting for a gathering of life-boats. The city lies at the head of a long narrow fjord with moderately high land on either side. There is no slum area and the quays are only a few minutes walk from the centre of the town. To celebrate their 75th anniversary, the Norwegian Life-boat Society had assembled eight of their life-boats to show the development from the original sailing rescue cruiser Colin Archer, built in 1891 and still in splendid order; to the latest vessel jforgen Amundsen christened by her donor on the first day of the celebrations.

VISITING LIFE-BOATS At the next quay, berthed close to the full rigged training ship Christian Radich, were the visiting life-boats from the other Societies, the second of the Royal National Life-boat Institution's new yo-foot boats Grace Paterson Ritchie with Lieutenant B. Miles, R.N.R., in command, the German Society's newest rescue cruiser Adolph Bermpohl from Heligoland and the big Swedish life-boat Hugo Hammar. Fortunately the weather was fine.

The Committee of Management of this Institution had awarded the Institu- tion's silver medal and a commemorative vellum to the Norwegian Life-boat Society to mark the occasion and had instructed me to hand it over personally.

On the forenoon of Friday, i6th September, there was a meeting of the officials, committee members and supporters of the Norwegian Life-boat Society in a fine suite of rooms belonging to the Norwegian Shipowners Association. We sat at small tables and the President of the Norwegian Life-boat Society, Mr. Odd Godager, welcomed us. Mr. Werner Vinnen, Vice President of the Life-boat Institution of the German Federal Republic, who was supported by Captain John Schumacher, his Chief Inspector, then opened the presentations with an excellent speech in English. I followed and presented the Institution's silver medal and vellum.

MANY PRESENTATIONS There were numerous other presentations of great variety, including a walrus tusk and a rather futuristic painting. The Swedish Life-boat Society was represented by its President, Admiral Jedeur-Palmgren, the Director, Captain Hans Hansson, and Inspector, Captain C. G. Alverman. The Danish, Icelandic and Finnish Institutions were also represented. During the afternoon the Chief Inspector and I visited the various life-boats while our hosts continued with their meeting and the off-duty life-boat crews were taken for a sight-seeing tour by coach.

At 6.30 p.m. there was a Government reception in the Akershus, a historic castle overlooking Oslo harbour. The Prime Minister and two other Ministers received the guests. There were about 300 people present, including many local dignitaries, senior officials of the services and the crews of the life-boats. Guests circulated in the huge state rooms which provided a most impressive setting.

The next morning, Saturday, lyth September, we again mustered at 10 o'clock in the Shipowners suite for the Norwegian Society's Annual General Meeting which was graced by the presence of the Crown Prince, H.R.H. Prince Harald.

The proceedings were formal and the prince left after about a quarter-of-anhour.

The foreign delegations also left, returning for a working lunch, during which a high Court official invested Mr. Odd Godager with an Order of St. Olaf, a great honour. The crews of the life-boats were entertained to a 'Sailing-ship' lunch on board Christian Radich.

LIFE-BOAT CREWS AT DINNER At 7.30 p.m. the Norwegian Life-boat Society gave a dinner at the Grand Hotel. This was a formal affair with about 250 people present, including the lifeboat crews. Full evening dress and medals was the rig for those who had it; those who hadn't were neatly turned out in suits or uniform. The dinner was elaborate and followed by a large number of short speeches. The only one in English was mine; a tribute to Colin Archer, the Norwegian of Scottish ancestry who designed the first rescue cruiser and showed what a good sailing boat can do. Altogether a very splendid and memorable affair.

The next day, Sunday, i8th September, most of us attended a service in Oslo Cathedral, a fine, rather austere building. As I could not understand what was said my main impression is of the amount of singing—there were nine hymns or psalms. Afterwards we walked to the University for the final ceremony which was held in a large hall just inside the entrance. A naval guard of honour was mounted outside the building and on the platform in the hall was a naval band and a male voice choir some 30 strong.

The guests were in their places by 12.45 p.m. and at i o'clock the King entered the hall, escorted by Mr. Odd Godager and Captain Olaf Bjornstad, Secretary- General of the Norwegian Life-boat Society. After the national anthem had been played, the King and his equerry sat on chairs in the aisle facing the podium, and the proceedings started with a very attractive Norwegian girl, a well known actress, declaiming a poem especially written for the occasion. She seemed to me to epitomize the spirit of Norway and the northern latitudes.

Then the President of the Society made a speech, followed by the male voice choir, someone else then spoke, followed by another song or music from the band, and so on, until finally it was my turn, representing the delegates of the foreign life-boat societies, to thank the Norwegian Society for its hospitality and to say something about its place in life-boat history (then we all stood up again as the band played the national anthem for the departure of His Majesty).

Altogether a most impressive performance, lasting about an hour and a half.

THEY STEAMED ROUND THE HARBOUR In the afternoon all the life-boats steamed round the harbour, except for Colin Archer which lacked wind and had to be towed. There was a good muster of spectators and as usual the spectacle of the German rescue cruiser launching and recovering her daughter boat attracted considerable attention. However, the R.N.L.I. yo-foot life-boat Grace Paterson Ritchie received very favourable comment, as did her crew during the whole celebrations and the display by her 15-foot 6-inch inflatable boat roused great interest.

At 5 o'clock the British and Swedish life-boats sailed in company for Gothenburg, the German boat sailing in the early hours of Monday, i9th September.

The second part of Commander Swann's article dealing with a visit to Sweden which followed will appear in the March, 1967, issue..