IN the last issue of THE LIFE-BOAT, it was reported that Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent, had now completed 25 years as President of the Royal National Life-boat Institution. The Princess succeeded the late Duke of Kent, who had been the Institution's president for some six years, soon after his death on active service in 1942.

At the reception given in St. James's Palace in July, which was briefly referred to in the last issue of THE LIFE-BOAT, Captain the Honourable V. M.

Wyndham-Quin, the Chairman, said: 'We have met here this evening to honour our President, Her Royal Highness Princess Marina, and to give some of those who have long been associated with the life-boat service the opportunity to meet each other.

'During this long period she has every year graced with her presence many life-boat functions, including the annual general meeting in London, presenting, on these latter occasions, medals won during the previous year.

'All this, I know you will agree, has been a tremendous inspiration to us all, and we are deeply grateful to Her Royal Highness for her support and very real interest in our work of saving life at sea.' Captain Wyndham-Quin added: 'I ask you to accept from me the gold medal of the Institution as a token of the respect and esteem, and, if I may say so, the affection in which the whole life-boat service holds you.' GREAT PLEASURE In accepting the gold medal from the Chairman, the Princess said: 'There have been very many occasions throughout these past 25 years when I have had the privilege of meeting a number of those of you closely associated with the Royal National Life-boat Institution. And this gathering is a very specially happy one for me.

'To have been given the highly prized gold medal by you, Mr. Chairman, on behalf of the Institution, gives me more pleasure than I can easily express and touches me very deeply. Thank you with all my heart for this great honour, which, if possible, links me more closely to you all and which I shall always treasure.' The Princess first presided at an annual general meeting of the Institution in 1943, but because of the exigencies of the war it was not until October, 1945, that the first full meeting to be held for five years took place, and once again the President presided. In the 22 years that have elapsed since that date, Her Royal Highness has been present at every annual general meeting except four, and has presented awards to life-boat men and honorary workers from all overthe country. In addition, the Princess has presided at the annual meeting of the Scottish Life-boat Council and, in 1963, opened the 9th International Life-boat Conference in Edinburgh.

VISIT Besides inspecting the Institution's depot at Boreham Wood and visiting our Headquarters in London, Her Royal Highness has also attended a number of engagements throughout the 25 years of her presidency which were arranged to raise funds for the life-boat service.

Above all, perhaps, the President has made it her practice to visit life-boat stations, and to name new life-boats, around our coasts. The first of these naming ceremonies in which the Princess took part was at Bridlington in 1945; in all she has visited 39 life-boat stations and named no fewer than 27 new boats (a full list of which is given below), the latest being the new life-boat at Dover, of which an account appears on page 244 of this issue.

THE STATIONS The President has visited the following places for life-boat naming ceremonies or inspections (those marked with an asterisk are naming ceremonies): Brid- lington,* Tynemouth,* New Brighton,* Margate,* Plymouth,* Padstow,* Fraserburgh,* Walton and Frinton,* Southend-on-Sea,* Stornoway,* Tenby,* Port St. Mary,* Douglas,* Berwick-upon-Tweed,* Arbroath,* Barra Island,* Mallaig,* Newhaven,* Dundee,* Sheringham,* Shoreham,* Llandudno* and St. David's,* Cromer,* Wells,* Dover,* and St. Katherine Dock, London;* Cromer, Sheringham, Weston-Super-Mare, Ramsgate, Swansea (Mumbles), Penlee, Aberystwyth and Barmouth, Port Erin, Eyemouth, St. Abbs and Dunbar..