• A new volume in the Wreck and Rescue Series is always welcome and in The Life-boats of Cardigan Bay and Anglesey (D. Bradford Barton Ltd., Truro, 32s.) Mr. Henry Parry has maintained the traditions of accuracy and thorough- ness of the series. The stations whose history is recorded stretch from Barmouth to Holyhead, and presumably a second volume will tell the history of the other Anglesey boats and those along the north coast of Wales.

Many of the earlier services recorded were to vessels engaged in coastal trade, particularly the slate trade, which at one time was of such importance.

Today rescue activity, particularly in Cardigan Bay, is increasingly for the benefit of those who put to sea for pleasure. Mr. Parry's volume, like others in the series, records some interesting facts about the origins of life-saving efforts and types of life-boat. As early as 1783, for example, the Druidical Society of Anglesey offered £10 to any farmer on the coasts of Anglesey, Caernarvonshire or Merioneth who gave effective assistance with men and horses to save life from wrecked vessels. An early life-boat stationed at Pwllheli was one of the tubular type developed by the Richardson family of Bala, the boat consisting of a double hull of steel plates curving up and meeting at each end.

Holyhead at one time had three life-boats, one of them being the steam life-boat Duke of Northumberland formerly stationed at Harwich. In February, 1908, this steam life-boat put out in a westerly gale of hurricane force, probably the worst conditions she ever encountered. It required two hours of skilled and hazardous manoeuvring by the coxswain for the life-boat to be brought close enough to the steamer Harold for a line to be thrown aboard. The Harold sank at her anchorage next morning. This was one of the gold medal services carried out by a Holyhead life-boat. Another recorded in the book was, of course, that to the Greek motor vessel Nafsiporos in 1966. Mr. Parry tells his story factually and objectively and modestly makes no reference to his own service in the Porthdinllaen life-boat.—P.H.

• Another distinguished life-boat historian, Mr. Cyril Noall, is the author of The Story of Cornwall's Life-boats, published in paperback by Tor Mark Press (3s. 6d.). In this work too there are some interesting facts about the origins of early life-boats. In 1836, for instance, an appeal was made directly to King William IV for a life-boat at Bude, and a contemporary account stated that 'His Majesty most promptly and munificently commanded that a sum of money should be given from the Duchy of Cornwall for the purpose'.

One of the lesser-known competitions for the best designed model of a life-boat was that organised by the Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society. The winners were two St. Ives men and the life-boat which emerged as a result was stationed at St. Ives and first launched in January, 1840. The first life-boat to be stationed at Cadgwith was provided by subscriptions among commercial travellers in the West of England and bore the name Western Commercial Traveller. This first went into service in 1869.

In his interesting and attractive study Mr. Noall makes the point that the opening of the twentieth century saw the entire Cornish seaboard protected by a fleet of some 19 pulling and sailing life-boats. Less than 50 years later this number had been reduced by half through the introduction of the motor life-boat.—P.H.• Sophia's Son by Dorothy Thompson (Terence Dalton Ltd., price 30s.) is the biography of a Victorian parson, the Rev. Henry Thompson, the author's father, who was born in 1841. From 1874-1904 he was Vicar at Aldeburgh, Suffolk, and naturally tales of the life-boat are woven into this local chronicle of the Victorian/Edwardian era.

The chapter 'Men of the Sea'—it is illustrated with some photographs, mostly from the records of the R.N.L.I.—tells of the great storm of 18th January, 1881: 'The little boys had made an attempt to go out in the gale, starting backs to the wind, then found when they turned they could make no headway against it, and only got home after a long time with frequent rests in sheltered places, and one of them was so exhausted when he did reach home that Georgie had to revive him with brandy'.

Then there is a chapter on the life-boat disaster at Aldeburgh on 7th December, 1899, when, in attempting to get over a sandbank, she capsized. Twelve men were thrown clear but six were trapped under her and died. A seventh crew member died later from injuries he received. Dorothy Thompson writes: 'The regular life-boat coxswain James Cable, had been ill, and was only up for the first time, but meant to occupy his usual place in the boat. However, the doctor knew his man, and he arrived at his house in time to prevent him leaving it.

While he was arguing the case, the boat was launched; the second coxswain was also ill, but an experienced seaman who had been coxswain of a previous life- boat took command.' Incidentally, when the book appeared a few months ago, Dorothy Thompson was ninety-four years of age.—C.R.E.

• Deep End by David Cozens is the story of Lyme Regis life-boats and inshore rescue boats and has been published by the Lyme Regis Station Com- mittee. It costs 2s. 6d. and has been generously supported by local advertisers.

There are a number of excellent photographs by Mr. Gerald Silverlock and the research has been done by Mr. Ken Gollop. Vividly and succinctly the story is told of the changing pattern of the rescue service from life-boats through the R.A.F. marine craft to the modern type of fast rescue boat now in service.

• Beken ofCowes2—7979-7939 (Cassell, 4guineas) is a masterpiece of modern photography. During the inter-war years Frank and Keith Beken had the opportunity of photographing many of the giants of sail. Most of the photo- graphs reproduced are in black and white, but there are also two truly superb colour photographs, one of the Australian 12-metre Kurrewa and another of Sovereign, an unsuccessful challenger for the America's Cup. The text is by Alain Gliksman in collaboration with John Chamier and Jean-Michel Barrault.—P.M.

• Planned Public Relations by Frank Jefkins (Intertext Books, 42s.) is a well-documented presentation of modern problems of public relations. One section headed 'Case Studies' gives a number of examples of successful public relations campaigns in recent years. All were launched by commercial enter- prises except for two. These both concerned the R.N.L.I. One was the pro- vision of four new inshore rescue boats through the 'Blue Peter' programme on the B.B.C. The other was the occasion in 1956 when the late Penlee coxswain Eddy Madron, appeared in the television programme 'This Is Your Life' on the evening before London Life-boat Day.—P.H.• Anyone interested in life in Georgian and Victorian times will read with fascination Joan Stevens' Victorian Voices (La Societe Jersiaise, St Helier, price 63s.). This well-produced book containing many interesting illustrations has been written by the author from private papers and diaries of the Le Couteur family of Belle Vue in Jersey. Mrs. Stevens claims that in her book there is material to cater for all tastes, and she has certainly found room to refer to the launching at Rozel on 17th May, 1830, of the first life-boat to be stationed in Jersey. This resulted from a suggestion by Sir John Le Couteur following the wrecking of the cutter Fanny outside St Helier harbour with the loss of Lord Harley and a number of other passengers.—S.E.B..