THE R.N.L.I., as a result of the Fraserburgh inquiry, has been widely discussed in the press and debated on television. Many letters have been received at headquarters, including a large number following the Public Relation Officer's appearance on the B.B.C.'s 24 Hours programme, and there is strong evidence that the life-boat service is as respected as ever it was. Some extracts from letters and newspapers are published below.

0 Ex-Coxswain Richard Evans, Moelfre, Anglesey, only living holder of the R.N.L.I.'s gold medal and bar: 'First of all let me congratulate you on your television appearance. I thought you had some very difficult questions to answer and you really came out with flying colours.' % Colonel G. A. Jackson, O.B.E., honorary treasurer, Angle, Pembrokeshire, branch of the R.N.L.I.: The coxswain, crew and honorary secretary of this station have spontaneously requested that I write to you expressing the fullest confidence both in our Watson class boat and the Royal National Life-Boat Service in general.' % Mr. W. G. Kaye, Cheltenham: 'I may say that this donation was inspired by the spirited defence put up by the R.N.L.I, representative during the 24 Hours programme this evening.' 0 Mr. M. J. Ingram, Bearsden, Glasgow, in The Glasgow Herald, 24th October, 1970: 'How many people have lived, as I have, in a community where a life-boat capsized with the loss of the entire crew ? The courage of the relatives is a salutary lesson to all who are privileged to come in contact with them; and not once have I ever heard one of these families do anything but praise the R.N.L.I.' • Mr. John N. Hamilton, Lochgilphead, Argyll, in The Glasgow Herald, 24th October, 1970: 'The opinions expressed by most of the people interviewed were not in accordance with the facts. . . . Does the skipper of the fishing boat, for instance, not realise that life-boats are launched often to escort boats like his to harbour, and that more often than not they operate when no other vessel of comparable size is at sea. . . ? 0 From the Telegraph and Argus, Bradford, 23rd October, 1970: 'There is nothing in this situation which requires us to change to a Government rescue service. The present voluntary service has done a notably successful job and can continue to do so. But there are problems, they have to be tackled, and just because the service is voluntary does not make the need to tackle them any less vital.' • From the Western Mail, Cardiff, 20th October, 1970: 'The coxswain of Fishguard life-boat, Mr.

Glyn Bateman, said last night he had been a crew member of a Watson-design boat for more than 20 years and he had always felt confident in it.

'The coxswain of the Mumbles boat, Mr. Derek Scott, agreed. "I have been out in force 11 gales and seen waves 40 feet high and I would do it again, Watson boat or not", he said.

' "The lives of people at sea come before my fears", said the coxswain of Beaumaris life-boat, Mr. Harold Jones.'• From The Daily Mail, Hull, 20th October, 1970: 'Even so, and when all is said and done, it is the skill, courage and stamina of the life-boat crews themselves that make the service they render one of the best in the world. And the fact remains that life-boat rescue operations have and always will be extremely hazardous.' % From The Sunday Telegraph, 25th October, 1970: 'An annual £3 charge for every yacht club member would raise well over £500,000. It would cover not only himself but his crew. Ideally, the charge would be taken up voluntarily by all the yacht clubs who would make it a condition of membership.

'If this proves impossible then a Private Member's Bill containing the provision that all yacht club members should pay a £3 licence, collected by the yacht club with the receipts going to the life-boat service, could be put up by an enterprising M.P.

'The principle of the charge is in line with the Tory Government's idea of letting people who use a service pay for it and the Bill would surely be looked on kindly by a sailing enthusiast Prime Minister. It could hardly fail and would help rid the R.N.L.I, of its nagging money worries.' • From the East Anglian Daily Times, 21st October, 1970: 'Commenting on the boat which they have had for seven years, Lowestoft life-boat secretary Mr. Michael Chapman said his crew had every confidence in it.

' "I have discussed this with the coxswain, Tommy Knott, and nothing said at the inquiry has in any way shaken the faith of the crew in the Frederick Edward Crick", said Mr. Chapman.

' "The Lowestoft boat, unlike that at Fraserburgh, has not been re-engined, and I understand the stability factor is 112 degrees. The advantages of a self-righting boat at Lowestoft are somewhat questionable, because the most important work carried out off Lowestoft is on sandbanks in shallow water—and even if a self-righting craft capsized in these conditions, she could not right herself because she would be on the bottom." '.