• A. F. Mumble's The Rowing Life- Boats of Whitby (Home and Son, Whitby, £1.63—including postage), has been produced with much scholarship and care. Mr Humble, who is acting librarian of the Whitby Literary and Philosophical Society, is himself a descendant of a boat builder who showed a model of a lifeboat in the Great Exhibition of 1851.

In relating the early history of the Whitby station, A. F. Humble emphasizes the importance of the fact that so many people on the north east coast of England had actually seen ships being wrecked with no means of saving the survivors. He also calls attention to the spirit of independence which has characterised Whitby committees and crews. This caused them to resist firmly attempts made by the Board of Trade to exercise some control over their station and also delayed the ultimate union of the Whitby station with the RNLI.

Much of the book is understandably devoted to the disasters of 1861 and 1877, to their consequences and to the problems of providing relief for widows and orphans.

The administration of the disaster funds, which were wholly outside the control of the RNLI, was the subject of a recent play by Peter Terson which caused something of a stir. The central character in Mr Terson's play was Francis Haydn Williams, an eccentric open-air preacher who readily indulged in litigation and abuse. Williams' charges that the relief funds were maladministered provided the substance of the play. Mr Humble rathersurprisingly does not mention Mr Terson's play, but he has little doubt about the veracity of Williams: 'In the face of so long a series of errors and blunders', he writes, 'it is impossible to accept any statement by Williams, unless it is supported by reliable independent evidence.

'As far as the Life-boat Relief Funds are concerned, no such evidence has been found.

'The published abstracts of accounts indicate that all the funds were honestly administered; in a ten-year campaign of calumny and invective Williams completely failed to prove anything to the contrary.' —P.M.

• Many different disciplines contribute their skills and wisdom to the common cause of saving life at sea, not least among them medicine, and the RNLI has been fortunate that for many years it has been able to count as its medical adviser Dr Geoffrey Hale, MBE.

A near neighbour, practising as a GP in Pimlico, he has given unstinted help both with committee work and in the practical testing of ideas and equipment.

He has served on the medical and survival committee, of which he is chairman, since 1952, and on the Committee of Management, of which he is a vice-president, since 1964. Now retired from general practice, Dr Hale together with co-author Nesta Roberts recalls a lifetime of medical advance in A Doctor in Practice (Routledge and Kegan Paul, £2.50). The reader will learn much of the development, and problems, of the profession during 40 years, revolutionary both in scientific knowledge and social administration; and members of the RNLI will also come to know more closely an old and trusted friend.—J.D.

• Blue Peter Eleventh Book (BBC, 70p) is sure to be a very popular children's present this Christmas—the sort of present the whole family enjoys on the quiet, too. It is packed with things to do, intriguing information, stories and such delightful illustrations as Hargreaves' portrayal of Michael Bond's Paddington bear. An article on the RNLI recalls not only the history of the lifeboat service, but also two incidents this year of particular interest to 'Blue Peter' viewers: Peter Purves'360° ride in a Waveney lifeboat on selfrighting trials, and the awards for gallantry made to the North Berwick crew of ILB Blue Peter /.—J.D.

• Another first-rate Christmas present, this time for offshore yachtsmen, is the fourth edition of Channel Harbours and Anchorages by K. Adlard Coles (Nautical Publishing Co., £5.75). It has been exhaustively revised and rewritten to bring it up to date with navigational changes since previous editions, metric soundings are now used throughout, and a change has been made to the new Admiralty chart datum.

As a boat is in greatest potential danger when she leaves or approaches land, Adlard Coles' authoritative pilotage books should be on the bookshelf of every yacht on passage.

—J.D.

0 Celebrating the 150th anniversary, three more booklet histories of stations have recently been published: The Story of St David's Lifeboats by Desmond G. Hampson, assistant honorary secretary, and Dr George W.

Middleton, chairman of St David's branch, includes photographs ranging from the station's first lifeboat and coxswain, 1869, to present-day helicopter and lifeboat exercises. From D. G. Hampson, The Pharmacy, Cross Square, St David's, Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, price 25p.

Isles of Scilly Lifeboats, a historical sketch book with a brief but factual text compiled by the local ladies' guild.

From Mrs M. Soar, honorary secretary, Isles of Scilly ladies guild, 6 Harbour View, St Mary's, Isles of Scilly, price 25p (postage and packing 8p extra).

Fifty Years of Yarmouth I.W. Lifeboats by Geoffrey E. Cotton, a detailed history available at bookshops locally, through the ladies' guild of the Island or direct from the author, Rose Villa, Ommanney Road, Yarmouth, Isle of Wight, 50p (postage and packing 8p).

• Other than in Wales it is probable that few people are aware that Anglesey was the cradle of a hardy race of mariners or that ship building was a thriving industry in the little port of Amlwch. The fascinating maritime history of the island is told by Aled Eames in his book Ships and Seamen of Anglesey, published by the Anglesey Antiquarian Society (£3.50). It is sad to note that owing to the change in the boundaries there is no longer an Anglesey County Council to sponsor the remainder of the planned series, of which this is the fourth volume.

This is a splendid, scholarly book with meticulous documentation and a fine, seamanlike air which does justice to the courageous mariners whose activities are recorded, but does not hide the fact that there were some tendencies to indulge in profitable ventures which were not strictly legal.

The tiny vessels which sailed fromlittle ports like Amlwch and Cemaes carried all sorts of cargo to all sorts of places, including copper ore from the local mines to Swansea and St Helens, and later found ready employment in the slate trade. The appalling conditions in which emigrants to America were carried, stowed amongst the slates, must have been almost unbearable and many of the hopeful passengers had already travelled from Ireland to Liverpool in cattle boats at a fare of Is or Is 6p a head.

Of considerable interest to lifeboat supporters and enthusiasts is the chapter on Anglesey wrecks and rescues, particularly the boundless energy and sterling work of James Williams and his wife Frances, who were the mainstay of the Anglesey Association for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck. James Williams was an active participant in rescues and was awarded the Institution's gold medal, continuing his support after the RNLI assumed responsibility for the Anglesey lifeboats.

Here is a moving saga of a little known aspect of sea life and times and, strictly on the basis of value for money, a very good buy. Both as compelling reading and as a very fully indexed book of reference it is an important volume for the shelves of a sea library.—E.W.M..