Safety at sea Having just received my summer copy of THE LIFEBOAT and read the reported speech of John Archer at University College, London, on 'Safety at Sea', I feel that I cannot let it pass without making a few comments on it.

Instead of saying that between the years of 1966 and 1971 lives lost at sea were between 49 and 140, it would have been better to have stated that at least 336 people were lost, likewise with the figures for fishermen at least 314 were lost, a total of 650 (these figures are arrived at by assuming four years at a minimum of 49 and one year of 140 = 336, and seven years at a minimum of 22 plus one year of 44, one year of 80 and one year (Gaul) of 36 == 314). This makes the situation worse, but I believe that if he had quoted the figures for each year, the total would be far higher. I think that he should have done so.

I agree with Mr Archer that Great Britain is engaged in a great deal of re-thinking on safety equipment, but thinking is not quite enough, real action is what is required.

The only time that safety equipment is going to be of use to all seamen is when every seaman knows not only what safety equipment is carried, but how to use it. It is not the slightest use teaching those who are going through for promotion, because what happens to the rest of the crew if they are incapacitated in an accident ? All seamen must be made competent in liferafts, lifeboats and all forms of survival equipment/aids and in that order. Quite a few accidents happen so fast that the time available just doesn't allow the launching of a lifeboat. The Brandenberg (January 1971, Varne Sandbank) is a very good case. Although the vessel was going down so fast that she sank within minutes, the crew still tried to launch the lifeboats, and consequently lives were lost when there was no need; had they gone for the liferafts, they would have had a means of survival within 20 seconds or so.

The onboard condition of liferafts has got to be improved. Some of the faults that I have seen over the past four years or so are: Static lines not attached to a strong point.

Sealing strips on containers peeling away (and in one instance, missing altogether).

Containers cracked and split open, thus allowing salt water to contaminate the rafts and rust the operating heads and CO2 bottles.

Containers with their servicing lashings of 400 Ib nylon cord still round them; this will~retard the inflation time considerably.

Containers completely wrapped in waterproof material. Why, when the container is waterproof anyway ? Containers lashed down to their stowages with ¥ wire rope.

And Mr Archer claims, 'without complacency', that the British marine safety record matched our great maritime tradition and that the organisation was geared to tackle new tasks effectively.

I wonder? Just think how much better it might have been. I am afraid that it is a case of 'tries hard but could do better'.—BRIAN j. j. AHERN, Ex-RN MarinejAviation Safety and Survival Branch, 36 East field Avenue, Fareham, Hampshire PO14 1EG.

Mr Archer's lecture was in fact illustrated with slides, one of which gave year-by-year figures for accidental deaths at sea in British merchant ships and fishing vessels for the years 1964 to 1973. The total deaths at sea for those years was merchant ship crews 855, fishing vessel crews 314. There was a note to say that the numbers of seafarers at risk ranged from some 150,000 merchant seamen in 1964 to some 100,000 in 1973, while the number of fishermen at risk throughout the period ranged between some 20,000 and 25,000.—THE EDITOR.

Air in the sea In the absorbing article by Joan Davies on the lifeboatmen of Dungeness in the summer 1975 issue of THE LIFEBOAT Ben Tart is quoted as saying 'you'd have to ask some scientist to tell you whether, when it blows hard, there is much air in the top 3' of the sea'. Perhaps you will permit some scientist to offer a few comments.

When waves are being generated there is sometimes more energy being injected into the sea than the waves can completely absorb. In effect, the accelerations required of the particles at the top of the wave are greater than that which the earth's gravity can hold down, and so the water tends to fly off at the crest.

The fierce wind takes hold of this water and hurls it down the front of the wave, trapping air as it falls back into the sea.

The bubbles it forms, which can be an inch or more in diameter and may wellgo down 3' below the surface, as Coxswain Tart observed, take quite a few seconds before they can float back up to the surface. While they are submerged, the density of the sea in the foamy patch is less than that of ordinary sea-water, and so gives less support to a vessel ploughing through it. As far as I have been able to find out, no-one has been able to measure the actual density of the water-air mixture in these patches, so we cannot say precisely how much air there is, but Coxswain Tart's observations suggest that in places there must be quite a lot below what appears to be the turbulent surface of the sea.

During the last war there was a proposal to sink heavily-laden enemy vessels by aerating the water under them, and so making the water density too low, locally, to allow them to float. This is quite possible in principle but it may be of comfort to know that no-one was able to think of a practical way of doing it; certainly the magnitude of the effect seems too small to sink any RNLI vessel even in the roughest conditions, but it undoubtedly contributes to the wetting of anyone on deck.

Any reports of encounters with unusual wave conditions would be appreciated; I am sure that the editor would be pleased to receive them and pass them on to us.—LAURENCE DRAPER, British Oceanographic Sciences, Brook Road, Wormley, Godalming, Surrey, GU8 SUB Mr Draper is a member of the RNLI Technical Consultative Committee.—THE EDITOR.

Nautical Terms I read with interest the feature on nautical terms published in the spring 1975 issue of THE LIFEBOAT. Would you please explain to me the origins of the terms port and starboard in relation to the sides of a ship?—c. ADAM, Airylea, 81 Stevenston Road, Kilwinning, Ayrshire KA13 6LL.

The following explanation was kindly prepared for us by Dr. A. P. McGowan, MA PHD, Deputy Keeper of the National Maritme Museum.—THE EDITOR.

The terms larboard and starboard can be fairly specifically traced to the fact that it became the convention in early mediaeval times for the steering oar always to be at the right quarter. Thus, it can be seen that this became known as the steerboard side, a term later corrupted, of course, to starboard.

Similarly, the opposite side, which was always placed against the quay in order to avoid damaging the steering oar, and, of course, for easier manoeuvring, was the side of the lade board or loading board, that is the gangway, lade board later being corrupted to larboard.

Because of the confusion between the sound of the two words, the use of the term larboard had already been commonly dropped when the AdmiraltyOrder of November 22, 1844, made the use of the term port mandatory aboard warships. However, the use of the term port for the left-hand side of the ship was itself quite old then, since it appears in many early 17th-century manuscripts.

Its origin is obscure, but that which I have always favoured is the simple one that when coming alongside or when lying alongside, since the starboard side was outboard, the inboard side might well often have been referred to as the port side, since it was the side closest to the quay.

Since this word was already currently understood to mean the same as larboard it was presumably the obvious word to use, as it became apparent that larboard was potentially dangerous.

—A. P. MCGOWAN, Deputy Keeper, Head of Department of Ships, National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, SEW 9NF.

To fellow members . . .

For the third or fourth time I have read and thoroughly enjoyed the summer edition of THE LIFEBOAT. As an offshore member of Shoreline I receive this publication each quarter and it is with deep distress (excuse the pun) that I find that it has become another victim of inflation.

Well, I do not want a book with less pages or 'summat for nowt', as they say, and I feel that we members should do something about it. When I renew my membership in future I will be including an extra thirty bob to cover the cost of the magazines and also the postage which has also gone sky high.

Come on, members. We are a vast body now. This is what it is all about and what we are here for. An extra threepence per week cannot anywhere be more deserved or have such high value.

—RAYMOND p. TOPLIS, Shoreline member 59898, 10 Durham Street, Ilkeston, Derbyshire.

Thank you, Mr Top/is.—THE EDITOR.

Lifeboat Bicycle First to say how much we enjoyed our day at Portsmouth for the handing over ceremony of Hampshire Rose on June 1, We were all very impressed with the service and with the lifeboat herself.

It is carnival time with us again. You will remember our carnival comimttee donated £50 to the RNLI last year.

On carnival day I decorated my bicycle with everything to do with the RNLI that I could lay my hands on. A yachting friend lent me his outfit, which was the right colour, and with RNLI embroidered across my chest I tried to look like a lifeboat man. There were about 20 floats, but I was the only decorated bicycle so there was no competition, which was a pity.

Adrian Love, son of Geoff Love of BBC fame, was our compere for the carnival. He called for me to go to the rostrum and asked for £1 notes for the RNLI. I told him he mustn't, but the carnival treasurer said it was all right.

It was fantastic. £1 notes were handed in. Then Adrian Love offered his Tshirt for £5. At once a £5 note was handed over and off came his shirt. He called to his friend to sell his shirt and another £5 was added, and so it went on until £50 was collected. I stood there bewildered by it all.

It was a very hot day and I nearly melted away in that waterproof suit, with no ventilation, but I am none the worse for it now.—PHYLLIS REDDICK, Sunnyside, 35 St Lukes Road, Old Windsor, Berkshire SLA 2QL This letter was sent to Anthony Oliver, district organising secretary (Southern).

Miss Reddick has been organising lifeboat collections in Old Windsor since 1938.— THE EDITOR.

Ex-Norfolk and Suffolk Lifeboat I should very much like to join your excellent cause, and become a member of Shoreline.

Your committee may well be interested in our permanent home, Valentino, ex-Mayflower, as she is one of the oldest RNLI lifeboats still in commission and registered at Lloyd's. Her history from 1893 when she was built to date is proudly exhibited by the Port of Lowestoft Research Society, whose chairman, L. W. Moore, wrote to me: 'Now I am pleased to be able to add something to your knowledge ofValentino's history. The name Mayflower recorded by Lloyd's was the first name she was given after she was converted for private use. When Ellis built her she was named Hearts of Oak and she was stationed at Sea Palling on the Norfolk coast.

'Hearts of Oak was a Norfolk and Suffolk type lifeboat, a class which was developed from the East Anglian beach yawls which carried out rescue work before the RNLI came into being, and which in turn were the successors of the Scandinavian 'yols' which raided these same shores long ago. Valentina is, therefore deep-rooted in history and, as she is possibly the last of her line still in active commission, you can see how pleasing it is to have been able to add a photograph of her to our collection.

'Just to round out the story, you may like to know that when she was on station at Palling Hearts of Oak assisted 13 vessels and saved 190 lives between 1893 and 1917 when she was sold.' We maintain Valentina permanently in seagoing order, and usually manage a summer cruise in the Thames Estuary.

She's a wonderful old lady and fully qualified to wear your flag.—L. j.

GREENLAND, MY Valentino, Taggs Island, Hampton, Middlesex.

Burgh of Glasgow Glasgow as a Burgh is disappearing after 800 years and I would like to take this opportunity of thanking you and your predecessors for all that you have contributed towards the well-being of the city.

In particular I wish to thank you for all the help you have given to me as Lord Provost.

I am sure that the good relationship which has existed in the past will continue with the new authorities.— WILLIAM GRAY.

G. E. Paton, secretary of Glasgow branch, received this letter last May from Sir William Gray, Lord Provost, of Glasgow.—THE EDITOR.

Box Secretary's Story Our committee has now been in existence for one year under a chairman with many years of RNLI fund raising behind him. I was elected box secretary and launched in all my innocence. To those who find themselves in similar circumstances perhaps an account of my experiences may be useful.

The district is thinly populated over a wide area; it was necessary, therefore, to saturate the 80 square miles with collecting boxes, and a total of 84 were placed, mainly in public houses, during the first six weeks. It soon became apparent that some publicans were disillusioned with charities as a whole, since boxes had been left with no name or address, and frequently we found that moneys had not been collected for two or three years. So motivation became a prime objective, and to this end a point was made of labelling eachbox and entering the name and address in the log book in their presence. I felt it would encourage enthusiasm if I called at least four times on everyone in the first year, and this was done, so obviating the implied criticism, and the constant attention seems to be increasing our take month by month.

'Why not nationalise?' was the oftasked question, which I answered with another question: 'How do you nationalise volunteers?' I need hardly say that everywhere I have emphasised the voluntary service throughout the RNLI resulting in very low overheads and that all, but all, moneys are sent to HQ.

Collecting boxes are now permanently ensconced in golf clubs, pubs, hotels and shops; and even one in a dentist's waiting room, where the children prefer the 'launcher', much to our advantage. The few factories here are also proving helpful during flag week.

All this effort has proved to be well worthwhile, with a total for the year from collecting boxes of £801. Our main contributor has been C. Spackman, of the Swan Hotel, Pangbourne. His never-ending enthusiasm has resulted in donations amounting to £292 since our start, and a grateful committee has now presented him with a plaque to commemorate his achievement. —NORMAN CLIVE, honorary box secretary Pangbourne branch, 29 Hillside, Whitchurch, Pangbourne, Berkshire.Kind as well as courageous Recently while on holiday at Cromer, Norfolk, I found myself in an awkward position, only to find myself 'rescued' by the cosxwain and mechanic of the Cromer lifeboat.

On Tuesday, July 29, I had travelled from Cromer to Gorleston by bus so that I would be able to see the naming of Gorleston's new Atlantic 21. Awards for the Biscaya service were presented, and then the Lowestoft lifeboat arrived.

As the service progressed I noticed that some of the Caister VRS whom I knew were seated in front of me, and, as the service ended they came over and invited me to visit their boat.

After tea, with all the crews, officials and other visitors, they took me off in their car, but we arrived to find the rescue boat at sea off Hemsby. After visiting the house of 'Skipper' Woodhouse and waiting for the boat to return, I was taken to the bus stop for my trip home.

But, unfortunately, the bus had gone and I was stranded.

After a very long walk I found myself about 18 miles from Cromer, in a small village called Ingham at about 2245. I found a telephone box, and to my horror I discovered that I knew only one Cromer telephone number, that of Mr H. T. 'Shrimp' Davies, coxswain of the lifeboat. He told me not to worry and he would see what he could do.

At about 0015 he arrived in Mr Ralph Amey's car (Motor Mechanic of the lifeboat), and I returned with the two lifeboatmen, to the relief of my parents.

And as my father rightly said that morning when we met them, not many people would have done that, especially at that time of night.

I now know that lifeboatmen are not just courageous and brave, but also kind and considerate, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank again Mr Davies and Mr Amey for what they did for me on that Tuesday night late in July.—PAUL RUSSELL (aged 16), 24 Pirton Road, Hitchin, Hertfordshire SG5 2BD.

Old lifeboat fittings The Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society Cromer and District Research Group has recently acquired a Weyburn petrol engine and the wheelhouse canopy from the old Caister lifeboat Jose Neville, ON 834. These are to be renovated and both mounted on a trailer and used for fund raising on lifeboat days.

However, many parts are required to complete the job. The main objects required are instruments, bulkhead door, port light, compass and a lot of brasswork. If anyone can help out with some of these parts I should be glad to hear from them. I would also like to hear from anyone who has old lifeboat parts that they would be willing to pass on for preservation.—FRANK H. MUIRHEAD, 43 Howards Hill West, Cromer, Norfolk NR27 9BH..