In 1966 the value of the inshore rescue boat as a means of saving life at sea has been proved beyond all possible doubt. It was only in 1963 that these boats were first used operationally, largely as an experiment. So successful have they been that a considerable further expansion of the IRB fleet is planned for next year.

In the winter of 1966-67 no fewer than 33 IRB stations will remain operational, compared with 24 last winter. The list of stations to remain in service this winter appears on page 204.

Figures give some indication of the success achieved. By the end of September this year IRBs had saved the lives of 287 people compared with 188 in the first nine months of 1965. The number of calls on these boats increased from 419 to 630. Although 1965 was a year in which all records were broken, in the first nine months of this year there was an increase in launches by the R.N.L.I.'s rescue craft of 19 per cent. The increase over the figure for five years ago was no less than 92 per cent.

PLEASURE AND DANGER It is all too easy to dismiss such figures by stating that they represent simply 'more help for pleasure boat owners'. The dangers which those who put to sea for pleasure may encounter were vividly and tragically brought home to the public by a number of disasters in the past summer such as that off the Cornish coast when the pleasure boat Darlwin foundered with the loss of everyone on board. The efforts made by the life-boat crews were officially recognized when the Under Secretary of State for Defence for the Royal Air Force (Mr. Merlyn Rees) said in the House of Commons : 'I am sure that the House will wish me to pay tribute to the Navy, the R.A.F., the Coastguards, the Life-boat Service, and all who have helped in any way in this operation.' A correspondent writing from Falmouth, Miss C. E. Tomkin, sent a moving account of the annual service held at the Custom House Quay, Falmouth, shortly after the disaster. In it she wrote: 'So Falmouth's life-boat service is over for another year, but I feel we here, so comparatively near the scene of the tragedy will remember that for many a long day, and not forget the part our life-boatmen played in giving all possible after-wreck help!' INTERNATIONAL LIFE-BOAT CONFERENCE The tenth international life-boat conference will be held at Dinard and St.

Malo from the 5th-9th June, 1967, when the Societe Centrale de Sauvetage des Naufrages will act as host. The Institution's delegation will be headed by the Chairman, Captain the Hon. V. M. Wyndham-Quin, R.N. Papers will be submitted on new life-boat development, auxiliary rescue craft, development of life-jackets and protective clothing, and fund raising and publicity.

The Institution's life-boats can be expected to make a fine showing. A yo-foot life-boat, one of the new 44-foot steel life-boats, and the Mark II 48-foot 6-inch Oakley boat will all be on show, and in addition new fast boarding/rescue boats, which are now under construction, may be sent. At the invitation of the State of Jersey delegates from the different nations will visit the island on 9th June and inspect the Jersey life-boat station.

OTHER EXCHANGES On page 202 an interesting article by Commander F. R. H. Swann, O.B.E., R.N.V.R., Deputy Chairman, appears on a recent visit which he and others made to Scandinavia. This was another instance of the growing importance of international exchanges in promoting the work of life-boat services generally and exchanging new ideas for design, construction, equipment and manning. In international life-boat exchanges the R.N.L.I. has always played a leading part, and the fact that it provides the central secretariat for life-boat services throughout the world is one of which it is rightly proud and of which the public as a whole is not generally aware.

SUSSEX LIFE-BOAT BALL The Sussex Life-boat Ball held at Petworth House on I5th July was attended by H.R.H. Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent, the Institution's President. It was a most enjoyable and successful occasion. Lord and Lady Egremont kindly lent their magnificent house for the ball, and guests were able to circulate in one room filled with Grinling Gibbons' carvings and another in which all the pictures were Turners. A net profit of nearly £1,000 was made. One successful moneyraising effort was organized by a young member of the Committee, Miss Audrey Moreton. Guests were invited to write their names on a IDS. note, all the notes being put into a pool. The winning note was drawn, and the winner received half the proceeds, the other half going to the Institution's funds. From this the Institution benefited to the extent of £63 IDS.

DISTRICT CONFERENCES The number of district conferences attended by voluntary workers to discuss problems of money raising and the exchange of ideas has been growing in recent years. In 1966 such conferences were held at Southend-on-Sea, Littlehampton, Norwich, Shrewsbury, Rhyl and Weston-super-Mare. These were in addition to the Annual General Meeting of the Scottish Life-boat Council, which takes place regularly in Edinburgh, and to the conference for voluntary workers in the Greater London area, which this year was held at the Mansion House in the City of London.

One valuable purpose which these conferences serve is to enable members of the Committee of Management and Head Office staff to learn at first hand the problems which voluntary workers encounter. Even more important is the opportunity afforded for voluntary workers in different branches to learn from the ideas and experiments, successes and failures of others.

LIFE-BOAT ENTHUSIASTS The Life-boat Enthusiasts' Society now has 90 members, including some in the U.S.A. and Canada. Interests are varied and cover everything from historical events in the early part of the last century to the modern technical developments of the present day. All the members are keen photographers and collectors of anything of life-boat interest. All data collected is correlated and made available to members and to the Institution.

Further details can be obtained from the honorary secretary of the society, Mr. John G. Francis, 203 Transmere Road, Petts Wood, Orpington, Kent..