AT a press conference held in London on 24th October, Commander F. R. H. Swann, O.B.E., R.N.V.R., Chairman of the R.N.L.I., announced a colourful programme of events to celebrate in 1974 the 150th anniversary of the foundation of the R.N.L.I. The following are some of the events which have been planned by the special 1974 Working Party set up, which included representatives from head office and district offices and the Central Appeals Committee, with a representative from the English Tourist Board.

COMMEMORATIVE SERVICES A life-boat commemorative service in St.

Paul's Cathedral will take place on 4th March, 1974 (it was on 4th March, 1824, that the R.N.L.I. was founded). The Archbishop of Canterbury has agreed to preach the sermon, and Cardinal Heenan and the Moderator of the Free Church Council will be participating.

Rabbi Dr. Leslie Edgar will be reading a lesson.

Other services of dedication will be taking place in cathedrals, churches and chapels in many parts of Britain and Ireland on the following Sunday, 10th March. One of these will be held in St. George's Church, Douglas, Isle of Man, where the founder of the R.N.L.I., Sir William Hillary, is buried.

SPECTACLE An international life-boat exhibition will be staged in Plymouth over a six-week period extending from late July to early September on the West Hoe in Plymouth. Among the new R.N.L.I, life-boats on show will be a 52-foot boat of the Arun class, which is being provided by voluntary gifts from members of the Civil Service and Post Office Life-boat Fund. Lifeboat organisations in countries overseas have been invited to participate and, if possible, to send life-boats to visit Plymouth for the occasion.

The Department of the Environment has given permission for a son et lumiere production to be staged in aid of the R.N.L.I. in Greenwich Park during the summer of 1974.

The central feature at the International Boat Show at Earl's Court in January, 1975, which will be a life-boat station and village, will be sponsored by the Midland Bank.

Many local authorities will be havingR.N.L.I, flower motifs in municipal parks and gardens in 1974.

It is hoped that owners of historic houses and and fine gardens will open them in aid of the R.N.L.I, on at least one day in 1974.

THE ARTS Mr. Benjamin Britten, who was born at Lowestoft, has agreed to dedicate his next major work, which will be a sea symphony, to the R.N.L.I., to commemorate its 150th anniversary.

The first performance will be given by the Bach Choir and will take place some time after 1974.

Cassells will be publishing the official history of the R.N.L.I., which is being written by Mr.

Oliver Warner, the historical writer whose works include many covering naval history. The White Lion Publishing Company will be reprinting R. M. Ballantyne's novel The Life-boat with a foreword by the Duke of Atholl, Deputy Chairman of the R.N.L.I, and Convener of the Scottish Life-boat Council, and will be publishing an illustrated book entitled Life-boats and Life-boat People.

It is hoped that a new work by Dame Barbara Hepworth will be commissioned and will be placed on the site of the R.N.L.I.'s newheadquarters to be built at Poole in Dorset.

The Royal Society of Marine Artists will be staging a travelling exhibition in 1974 in conjunction with the R.N.L.I.

COMMEMORATIVE ITEMS A request has been made to the Post Office that there should be a special issue of commemorative postage stamps in 1974, and it is also hoped that the Irish Republic, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands will be producing special life-boat issues.

Pilgrim Philatelies will be producing a series of philatelic commemorative covers with colourful printed designs and one-day only special Post Office pictorial postmarks.

John Sandy (Roses) Ltd. are cultivating a new rose to be named 'Life-boat Jubilee' to be marketed in 1974. The R.N.L.I, will recieve royalties on the sales of these roses, as they will from the following other special commemorative wares being produced, most of them in limited editions.

(i) Worcester Royal Porcelain will be pro-ducing a covered vase and a 10 inch plate in limited editions, and also a specially designed ash tray.

(ii) Wedgwood will be producing a tankard.

(iii) Stuart Crystal will be producing a commemorative covered chalice, and Strathearn Glass a glass paperweight.

(iv) Caithness Glass will also be producing glassware for marketing in Scotland.

(v) Slade, Hampton will be producing single commemorative medals and sets of three medals in gold, silver and bronze.

(vi) Aurum Designs will be producing a prestige item in precious metal.

SPORT It is proposed to stage a Captains of Industry golf tournament, which will be a novel form of pro-am competition. Leading figures in the commercial and industrial world will be invited to compete for an entrance fee of £100 each, the total amount of entrance fees to go to the R.N.L.I. The captains of industry will be partnered by leading professionals on a betterball basis. A commercial sponsor for this event is still needed.

DINNER Dinners will be held in the Guildhall in London and the Painted Hall, Greenwich, in 1974, details of which will be announced later.

In addition, of course, branches and guilds of the R.N.L.I, will, it is hoped, stage their own special events, and other special gifts are expected.

In particular, the Corah Foundation has undertaken to provide a new life-boat.

NEW POOLE HEADQUARTERS Architects have now been appointed for the new headquarters and depot to be built for the R.N.L.I, at Poole. They are Leslie Jones and Partners. Messrs. Drivers Jonas have been appointed to act as agents for the disposal of the Institution's property in London, Boreham Wood and Gowes. James Nisbett and Partners will be the quantity surveyors for the Poole project, and Messrs. Lewis & Duvivier will act as consulting civil engineers for the marineworks there. Commander K. S. Main has been appointed Poole Project Officer to report to the working party of the Committee of Management, of which Mr. W. T. Bishop is chairman.

FINANCE ACT 1972 Important provisions affecting gifts and legacies to the R.N.L.I, are included in the Finance Act, 1972, which has now been published.

Capital Gains Tax (S.I 19) Those making gifts to charities no longer have to pay capital gains tax on any increase in the value of the gift so long as the gifts are made to the charity by transfer of securities, etc. in specie. (For example, if somebody bought some shares for £ 1,000 two years ago and he sold them now in the normal manner for £2,000 he would have to pay capital gains tax on the £1,000 increased value; but if he gives them to the Institution they will still be worth £2,000.) Estate Duty (S.I21) Legacies left to charities up to a maximum of £50,000 will be disregarded in calculating the value of an estate liable to estate duty.

Mr. Ian Wellington Mr. Ian Wallington has been appointed District Organising Secretary for the South East District of the R.N.L.I. Mr. Wallington has been assistant district organising secretary for the last two years, prior to which he worked at the Institution's head office for nine years.

Journal Back Numbers Readers from time to time require back numbers of THE LIFE-BOAT. Issues are still available for the period 1971-1972 and may be obtained from the R.N.L.I., 42 Grosvenor Gardens, London, SW1W OEF, at 15p a copy or 20|p including postage..