'Most of our problems are common — let us solve them together' by Patrick Howarth THE CITY OF HELSINKI became associated with international conferences in the minds of millions in July of this year through the great assembly of statesmen who came together in the interests of what it is now fashionable to call 'detente'. Earlier in the year, at the beginning of June, another international conference was held in Helsinki at which there was happily no need of deiente. This was the 12th international lifeboat conference. The hosts, the Finnish lifeboat society, chose as the conference theme the phrase 'most of our problems are common—let us solve them together'.

The Finnish lifeboat society proved to be ideal hosts in every way, and their organisation was impeccable. The chairman, Mikko Mannio, carried out the onerous task of managing a conference in a foreign language with exquisite tact and perfect control. The organisation under the direction of Captain Paul Lammi, general manager of the Finnish lifeboat society, was flawless.

This is the fifth international lifeboat conference I have had the privilege of attending. It yielded to none in organisation and charm.

Delegations from 19 nations were present, and there were also observers from the Swedish National Administration of Shipping and Navigation and from the Sea Rescue Institution of Aland. Countries represented at the conference for the first time were Bermuda and the German Democratic Republic.

The Arun class lifeboat Tony Vandervell, under the command of Captain Roy Harding, made the journey to Finland under her own power and aroused much interest. The Finnish lifeboat from Kotka was also present, as were rescue vessels from Norway, Poland and Sweden.

The RNLI, whose delegation was led by Commander F. R. H. Swann, presented three papers. One of these was the work of Lieut.-Commander Gerard Dutton and was a comprehensive review of RNLI lifeboats in the twentieth century. The extraordinary command of his subject which Gerard Dutton evinced on this and other international occasions was again recognised by the delegates.

Gerard Dutton has now retired from the service of the RNLI. His understanding of lifeboat problems, his expertise and dedication will be missed, not only throughout the RNLI, but in the whole international lifeboat community, of which he was for many years an outstanding member.

A paper prepared jointly by SurgeonCaptain F. W. Baskerville and Dr Geoffrey Hale, and presented by Captain Baskerville, on the origin and work of the Medical and Survival Committee of the RNLI led to a lively discussion, and the films shown, particularly the Ministry of Defence film, Cold Can Kill, impressed many of the delegates, to whom the extent of the RNLl's medical organisation came as something of a surprise. The third paper, which I presented, was based on the new technical publication Lifeboat International. From the discussion it became clear that it was the wish of the conference that this publication should continue to appear annually. Authority was given to the RNLI to publish at intervals of two years, if too few papers of interest were received to justify annual publication. Lifeboat International will not appear in the years in which an international lifeboat conference is held. The thanks of the conference were conveyed to Grahame Farr for the excellent work he does in editing this publication in a letter from the chairman, Mikko Mannio.

A film presented by the Japanese delegation, which showed the consequences of a collision at sea in November 1974 between a large Japanese tanker carrying liquified petroleum gas and a Liberian freighter, was a vivid illustration of what such a hazard can produce and of the gallantry of the rescue services. The Swedish delegation also gave details of a complex sea rescue exercise based on a collision.

New types of lifeboat were described in papers presented by the West German, Polish and United States delegations.

The German boat was unfortunately prevented from being shown at the conference because of trouble with the machinery installation. The United States boat described was the US Coast Guard 41' utility boat. The Polish boat was a combined rescue and salvage vessel.

Items of equipment described included a new Dutch type of scrambling net and a South African night track indicator. Iceland, Italy, Norway, Spain and the USSR were among the countries whose recent lifeboat activities were described in papers, and the delegates were also interested to learn of the progress made in Bermuda and the German Democratic Republic.

Two resolutions were unanimously agreed by the conference. One expressed thanks for the voluntary efforts ofwomen in support of lifeboat services.

The other proclaimed the readiness of all lifeboat organisations represented to give advice on the provision of facilities for rescuing life at sea in other parts of the world if called upon to do so by the appropriate national authorities.

There was some discussion on a proposal put forward by the Norwegian lifeboat society for an international lifeboat secretariat, but the conference decided to ask the RNLI to continue to act, as it has done hitherto, as the central secretariat body. This was in effect a powerful vote of confidence in the RNLI, whose significance should not be minimised.

On one of the days of the conference the delegates and their ladies were all accommodated aboard a Finnish icebreaker and had the opportunity of witnessing a complex exercise in sea rescue, involving a variety of sea and airborne rescue craft. The following day a service was held in the beautiful Taivallahti Church. This is a new building carved out of rock and circular in form. The ceiling is formed of thousands of strands of copper wire. It is a Lutheran church, with a stark, plain decor and a finely carved stone altar. An impressive sermon was preached by a Finnish pastor. The hymns included Abide with me, the Finnish version being sung rather more vigorously than the English one.

The hospitality given by a variety of Finnish organisations, both official and private, was munificent, and the RNLI delegates were also entertained at a reception by the British Ambassador, Mr T. A. K. Elliott. It was agreed by the delegates that the 13th international lifeboat conference in 1979 should be held in the Netherlands..