IN THE SUMMER and early autumn of 1974 exceptional weather conditions were experienced over much of Britain with frequent and prolonged gales. These were particularly severe over the period from Sunday, September 1 to Tuesday, September 3. The depression on the Sunday was a relatively minor one but produced gale force 8 winds in the Channel and in the Thames Estuary and southern North Sea. This was followed by another system which deepened rapidly as it approached Cornwall on the Monday. Storm force 10 winds then extended to most of the coast areas of England and Wales, reaching north-east Scotland by mid-day on the Tuesday.

During the 48 hours beginning at noon on September 1 there were no fewer than 66 launches by lifeboats and inshore lifeboats. They spent in all 184 hours at sea. Through their combined efforts 57 people and 21 vessels were saved.

The Year of the Lifeboat The exceptionally bad weather in summer and autumn also affected many of the special events staged by the RNLI's branches to celebrate The Year of the Lifeboat'. Indeed the celebrations have been afflicted by a variety of difficult extraneous circumstances. The year 1974 began in blackout conditions; the general economic climate has been described as the worst for nearly half a century; two general elections occupied the time of many RNLI voluntary workers; and on top of all this there was the weather. That so many events were so outstandingly successful is an indication of the spirit which animates so much of the service. A small selection of theevents which have been held appears on pages 243 to 247.

One more consequence of 'The Year of the Lifeboat' celebrations has been that many new supporters have been attracted to the lifeboat service. At the same time the RNLI's long-standing supporters have done even more than in the past. This has been true of the branches and guilds and also of that remarkable body, the Civil Service and Post Office Fund, which in 1974 produced the 37th lifeboat which civil servants through their voluntary efforts have provided. The boat, the third of the Arun class, 54-03, is on trials before taking up station. Her picture appears on the cover of this journal.

Another body which has consistently supported the RNLI over many years presented a cheque for £5,000 for a new Atlantic 21 inshore lifeboat at Lymington.

This was the Ancient Order of Foresters, the great friendly societywhich has already provided the lifeboats stationed at Flamborough and Dover a 35' 6" Liverpool, Friendly Forester, and a 44' Waveney, Faithful Forester, respectively.

Atlantic 21 inshore lifeboat The Atlantic 21, developed by the RNLI from a design originated at Atlantic College in South Wales, is one of the most revolutionary and exciting results of design advance of recent years. In this boat the Institution has an inshore lifeboat with exceptional performance at sea; her speed, manoeuvrability, sea kindliness and safety are all of an extremely high order within the sea conditions for which the boat is designed to operate.

It is not surprising, therefore, that there is considerable interest in this boat outside the RNLI, both overseas among fellow members of the InternationalLifeboat Conference, and at home from the Ministry of Defence (Navy) and (Army).

The Royal Navy has two Atlantic 21s: one built by William Osbornes to the RNLI design, and the other, which is fitted with a roll bar, built at the RNLI base at Cowes. The latter has been under evaluation in HMS Plymouth, and there is a possibility that the Atlantic 21 will be considered by the Navy as a replacement for the whaler as a seaboat. A seaboat is maintained in HM ships at immediate readiness for rescue purposes.

The South Holland lifeboat society has three Atlantic 21s in service, all built at Cowes. The Greek government has sent its representatives to Cowes to test the boat, and other interested countries are the Philippines, Bermuda and Portugal.

Dutch Anniversary The two Dutch lifeboat societies, whose head offices are respectively in Amsterdam and Rotterdam, also celebrated the 150th anniversary of their foundation in 1974. The main ceremonies took place early in November, when Princess Beatrix opened a most impressive lifeboat exhibition in the Amsterdam Maritime Museum. The RNLI, the United States Coast Guard and the German lifeboat society all had special stands and there were exhibits from a number of other countries with lifeboat services.The RNLI delegation was led by Major-General R. H. Farrant, CB, vicechairman, who presented gold medals to both the Dutch societies as well as commemorative gifts.

Charles Vince As this number was about to go to press we learnt with deep regret of the death at 87 of Charles Vince, who among the many services he rendered the RNLI was editor of THE LIFEBOAT for many years. He joined the RNLI in the post of assistant secretary (publicity) in 1920 and remained responsible for the RNLI's publicity and public relations until 1953. Even in a service such as theRNLI it is difficult to think of anyone who won more respect and affection from all those who knew him. At a farewell meeting shortly before Charles Vince's retirement the chief inspector of lifeboats, Commander T. G. Michelmore, summed up the feelings of many when he said: 'I have never in my life known a more collectively popular man.' It had been hoped that Charles Vince would be able to attend the dinner at Guildhall in London to mark the RNLI's 150th anniversary. He was the sole survivor of the dinner held fifty years earlier, and it was his firm intention to come; but by the spring his health had already begun lo fail..