NOTES OFTHEQUARTER (from page 355) their efforts in collecting paperback books, enough money has been raised to provide replacements in due course for the inshore lifeboats at Beaumaris, Littlehampton, North Berwick and St. Agnes. A total of a quarter of a million books has either been received at the R.N.L.I. Depot for sale to the book trade or sold directly by branches. The new Blue Peter ILB at Littlehampton is already in service and is one of the 21-foot Atlantic type. A similar ILB will be stationed later at Beaumaris. The ILBs at North Berwick and St. Agnes are being replaced by standard inflatables.

CIVIL SERVICE AND POST OFFICE LIFE-BOAT The decision by the Civil Service and Post Office Life-boat Fund to give the name of the late Sir Eric Seal to the latest life-boat being provided by the fund is a fitting tribute to the work which Sir Eric did for the life-boat service in a variety of capacities. He joined the Committee of Management of the R.N.L.I, in 1955 and was Chairman of the Civil Service and Post Office Life-boat Fund for 17 years. His death was announced briefly in the July number of THE LIFE-BOAT. The new Civil Service life-boat is one of the 44-foot class and will be stationed at Eyemouth. The new Chairman of the Civil Service and Post Office Life-boat Fund is Sir Louis Fetch, K.G.B., who is Chairman of the Board of Customs and Excise.

Commenting on Sir Eric Seal's work, Mr.

J. S. Chapman, honorary secretary of the fund, wrote: 'All Civil Servants and members of the Post Office interested in the Life-boat are more than grateful for his wise guidance during the difficult times occasioned by the re-organisation of the Civil Service and the formation of the Post Office Corporation. During his term of office the subscriptions increased out of all knowledge, and it is comforting to remember that during the last year of office the collection was an all-time record and one of his last acts was to agree to the purchase of the thirty-sixth life-boat by the Fund.' RELIEF DUTIES It has been decided by the Committee of Management to abandon the use of the term 'reserve fleet' for those boats which replace station life-boats at times of survey and on other occasions. These boats will in future be more accurately described as carrying out relief duties..