A New Appointment MR. Alasdair Garrett has been appointed to promote the Yachtsmen's Life-boat Supporters' Association in the field and to start what, it is hoped, will be a big and successful drive to recruit new members. For some years Mr. Garrett has been chairman of the Kensington and Chelsea branch of the R.N.L.I., and he is a well-known figure in yachting circles, the clubs of which he is a member including the Aldeburgh Yacht Club, the Cruising Association, Pin Mill Sailing Club, the Royal Cruising Club and the Royal Lymington Yacht Club. He is a member of the cruising sub-committee of the Royal Yachting Association and honorary editor of the Royal Cruising Club journal.

His family association with the R.N.L.I. is a long-standing one, for his great- grandfather was the first honorary secretary of the Aldeburgh life-boat station.

Before the war he practised as a chartered land agent in Scotland and served in the last war with the Black Watch, Highland Division, and later in S.O.E., being decorated by King Christian X of Denmark.

Anyone who has new or interesting ideas for increasing the membership of the Y.L.A. is invited to contact Mr. Garrett, who is working from the R.N.L.I.'s City of London office at 146 Bishopsgate, London, E.C.2 (Tel.: 01-247 0442/3). • Commander Middleton's article 'Yachtsmen and the Life-boat Service' in the June edition of THE LIFE-BOAT has produced some interesting facts based upon his analysis of all life-boat services over a period of 10 years. He points out that it is the more experienced yachtsmen who ask for the services of the life-boat most frequently and goes on to appeal to all amateur sailors to join the Y.L.A.

However, some doubt must be cast on the wisdom of life-boat crews claiming salvage. There is no doubt that they are fully entitled to do so legally but is there moral justification, especially as their means of doing so is raised by public subscription ? Surely it is a very dangerous precedent to ask our friends to sup- port a public service which can be used for the private gain of its volunteer albeit dedicated helpers. How will the man in the street respond to an appeal to provide a boat for the possible financial reward of the crew ? Then there is the point of view of the yachtsman. How long will he delay a legitimate call for a life-boat because of considerations of cost ? Surely we must be prepared to serve without any thought of personal gain and, like any other public service, we must take the rough with the smooth.

The rude, selfish, demanding yachtsman with his frivolous call must be accepted Y.L.A. Membership Increasing There are now nearly 3,000 members of the Y.L.A. All of them receive THE LIFE-BOAT. Members of the Y.L.A. are cordially invited to contribute to what we hope will be a. lively correspondence section in the Journal.

because of the legitimate man who only seeks help when there is no other alternative.

Yet Cmdr. Middleton's desire to make those who use the service help to pay for it can only be highly commended especially, as he says, it could avert the stultifying danger of state control. Perhaps membership of the Y.L.A. could carry immunity from salvage claims by the life-boat crews. Members could be issued with a current certificate and a burgee. Then the Service would not have to rely upon the goodwill of yachtsmen only, for it would be worth their while to support a service where sacrifice on their behalf is accepted as a normal procedure.

Dr. John S. Makepeace, The Broadway, Sunderland, Co. Durham.

(Other correspondence on page 76) COXSWAIN OFFER AT LUNCHEON Coxswain Eric Offer, of the Dun Laoghaire life-boat, attended the 'Men of the Year' luncheon at the Savoy Hotel, London, on 13th November, 1969.

Coxswain Offer, who went to sea at 16, won the bronze medal of the R.N.L.I.

for gallantry when he rescued two people from the harbour on 15th June, 1969..