THE loss of the whole crew of the Longhope life-boat made a deep impact on the nation as a whole. It evoked feelings not only of sympathy and grief but also of generosity and a widespread determination to express sympathy in a practical form. From the report on page 608 it will be seen that an appeal made by the Lord Lieutenant of Orkney on behalf of the families of the men who gave their lives met with a most generous response—£92,000.

Two Longhope families, the Kirkpatricks and the Johnstons, provided no fewer than six members of the crew of eight. When such a devastating event occurs no financial compensation can even begin to mitigate the sense of loss.

To members of life-boat crews, however, who often put out to sea in the know- ledge that they are facing grave dangers, it is a satisfaction to know that if they should lose their lives on service the Institution will always, automatically and immediately make provision by way of pensions for their families, quite apart from any benefit received from the State or funds raised privately. The provision of such pensions is indeed one of the most important purposes to which the Institution's general funds are put and one of the most compelling reasons for contributing to them.

NEWSPAPER COMMENT For the nature of their reports and comments on the disaster the R.N.L.I, owes a clear debt to the newspapers of this country. The volume of editorial comment was so great that space allows for only a few extracts in this journal.The Times in a leading article on 20th March wrote of the R.N.L.I.: 'When a service is run with exemplary efficiency and enthusiasm there is no need for it to be administered by the state, even if indirectly. When its spirit is considered by those in it to depend largely upon the voluntary principle state intervention would be actively harmful. . . . The Institution are certainly in need of more financial support, but their position is delicate not disastrous. This is a case for public understanding and for great private generosity.' The Daily Express leader on the same day commented: 'What can we do to help ? This is the public response to the tragedy of the Longhope life-boat of Hoy. The Daily Express investigation into the life-boat service shows the invaluable work of the Royal National Life-boat Institution. But at moments like this the question is inevitably raised: Should not this service be Government financed and run? The answer must be an emphatic No!' London Life-boat day followed immediately upon the disaster, and the Evening News in a leader on 19th March said: 'Londoners, dipping into their pockets and handbags for their life-boat emblems, have received an apt but horrid reminder that they are subscribing to more than an Institution. The loss of the crew of the Longhope life-boat from the Orkneys at this time shows that this annual tribute is going to an organisation of flesh-and-blood, brave men who are ready to dare the very stormy seas that have put their fellows in peril.' NOTICE All contributions for the Institution should be sent to the honorary secretary of the local branch or guild, to Stirling Whorlow, O.B.E., Secretary, Royal National Life-boat Institution, 42 Grosvenor Gardens, London, S.W.I (Tel: 01-730 0031), or direct to the Institution's bankers, Messrs. Coutts & Co., 440 Strand, London, W.C.2, or National Giro account number 545 4050.

All enquiries about the work of the Institution or about this journal should be addressed to the Secretary.

The next number of the LIFE-BOAT will be published in September, 1969.Comments from newspapers serving inland communities were striking in the concern they showed. For example, the Cambridge News on 19th March noted: 'Land-locked areas such as Fenland may feel that the sacrifice paid by the Longhope life-boat crew is remote from their way of life, where the weather may be unpleasant sometimes but never dangerous. The Elizabethan poet Donne, said: 'Every man's death diminishes me'. And for even the most agricul- tural area the deaths of this crew are the more affecting because of the risks they deliberately undertook.' The Montgomeryshire Express on 22nd March stated: 'The sea is not far from our county, but far enough for its perils to be remote.

Only when a disaster like the loss of the Longhope life-boatmen occurs does the cruelty of the sea come home to our landlocked community. But such a tragedy does make an impact, and that is what matters. The people of Montgomeryshire can be moved by a tragedy in distant waters and are prepared to help, if only by means of a monetary contribution.' The special appeals launched by the Daily Mirror and Daily Record are referred to on page 618.

TELEGRAMS AND LETTERS Numerous expressions of what people felt were received not only at the Longhope station but wherever the R.N.L.I, operates. The Queen and the Queen Mother both sent telegrams to Longhope expressing sympathy. In the House of Commons a resolution was passed with the following words: 'That this House, in the light of the disaster to the Longhope life-boat, expresses its deep regret at the tragic loss of life of such a gallant crew; conveys its sinceresympathy to the bereaved relatives and wishes to record its constant admiration for all members of life-boat crews of the Royal National Life-boat Institution who frequently hazard their lives in seeking to succour and rescue fishermen and mariners in distress'.

Letters from children are always a feature of the mail received at the R.N.L.I.

headquarters and after the disaster the numbers grew sharply, and there were many contributions from schools and from individual boys and girls. Some recalled what they had done earlier for the R.N.L.I. through the 'Blue Peter' project and said they wanted to help again.

Contributions came in from many parts of the world. One, for instance, which was sent through the Daily Telegraph, was accompanied by the following letter; 'Dear Sir, Sorry I do not know real address of R.N.L.I. so I send to your respectable newspaper and would you please forward my sincere donation for British Heroic Lifeboatmen. Thank you. (signed) Foreign Seaman.' Many of the gifts were substantial and one from a supporter who wishes to remain anonymous was for no less than £10,000.

B.B.C. TELEVISION APPEAL On Sunday, 16th March, Mr. Raymond Baxter made an appeal on B.B.C.

television on behalf of the Institution in England and Scotland. On the same day Brigadier J. W. H. Gow, C.B.E., D.L., J.P., a member of the Committee of Management, also made a radio appeal to Scottish listeners only. Mr. Baxter was able to speak from first-hand knowledge as he had himself had the help of the Whitstable inshore rescue boat a few months earlier. The results of the appeal surpassed all expectations, and contributions in direct response to it amounted in all to over £42,000. The Scottish radio appeal produced over £1,000.

Naturally, the Longhope disaster had an effect on the results which could not have been foreseen, but it is perhaps interesting to note that the total amount received in answer to the Institution's last television appeal in 1961 was just over £4,000.

GOVERNORS OF THE INSTITUTION A special meeting of the Governors of the Institution was held on the 8th May. The main purpose of this was to seek approval for an amendment to the bye-law which laid down the conditions whereby people could become Governors of the Institution. The bye-law had remained in force for a long time and no account had been taken of changes in the value of money. The meeting approved the resolution that henceforth Governors of the Institution should consist of people who had subscribed one sum of £60 or upwards or had made annual pay- ment of £10 or upwards or had rendered other essential services to the Institution.

FROGMEN IN LIFE-BOATS Following recent suggestions that frogmen might be included in the crews of life-boats and inshore rescue boats, the Committee of Management has instructed Lieut.-Commander L. A. Forbes, R.N., to investigate this possibility. Lieut- Commander Forbes, who since his appointment to the Institution in 1963 has served as Inspector of Life-boats in Scotland, was recently appointed Inspector of Life-boats (General duties). He is a qualified diver.

HELICOPTER WITHDRAWAL As immediate measures following the withdrawal of the R.A.F. helicopterservice from Mansion in Kent, the R.N.L.I. has stationed a second inshore rescue boat at Southend-on-Sea and reopened the inshore rescue boat station at Burnham-on-Crouch. The experimental 40-foot life-boat with a G.R.P. hull, which was described in detail in the March number of THE LIFE-BOAT on page 570 and which has been carrying out evaluation trials off different parts of the coast of Britain, is now continuing her trials in the Thames estuary area. Her operational base is Sheerness and during her trials she is available for life-saving duties..