Stick or pin? Is this the end of an era? Another chapter ended in our history? I refer to the demise of that ancient institution, the boat-on-a-pin flag day emblem, which is now being replaced by the adhesive type.

What will collecting days be like without the pin? No longer will we shed our blood for the cause! No more stand, with box rattling and pin poised, ready to face all-comers. The burly navvy, who would probably fell you with one blow if you pierced his ego; the demure young miss wearing a sleeveless, shoulderless, backless outfit, and a look of abject terror as you search in vain for a safe mooring place; the 6' 4" Amazon who gazes down at you, and in a voice like Danny La Rue, says, 'Watch it, mate!' The adhesive ones may probably be safer in these circumstances, but there are limitations. Having accepted a donation, and peeled off an emblem, you then become aware that the donor is wearing a leather or suede coat. A warning notice in your collector's tray informs you that damage can be caused by sticking the emblems to these materials. One then conjures up visions of proceedings to recover damages. Did the collector draw the donor's attention to the notice? Was it obscured by the collecting box or your Thermos flask ? The real test of ingenuity comes when one is house-to-house collecting during the week preceding the flag day. Have you tried sticking the emblems on pullovers, pyjamas, and bath-towels? Or handing a small sticky object to the occupant, saying, 'You will need this on Tuesday'? Fortunately, I have overcome some of these difficulties by pre-cutting some of the sheets of emblems into individual pieces, with backing intact, and where appropriate handing it to the person concerned. Perhaps the real answer is to have some of each type. If you prick your finger on the old one, use the new one as a dressing.—L. j. ROOT, 21 Hambledon Court, Holmwood Gardens, Wallington, Surrey.

And the end of the story . . . ? It might amuse readers of THE LIFEBOAT to know of a strange occurrence late last year, when perhaps the RNLI assisted in central London.

I met a friend for a quick lunch in Bond Street and because I was on business I had my briefcase and umbrella. We were in a hurry so decided to have a snack in a sandwich bar. We sat down and I placed my case beside my leg and my umbrella on the back of the chair; when I came to leave both had disappeared. A search of the premises and surrounding area produced nothing.

About a week later I received a letter at my home from the proprietor of an art gallery at the other end of the road.

I was invited to collect my briefcase which had appeared in his gallery; having asked the police to open the strange case he found amongst my private papers the address and telephone number of my new house. When I went to collect the briefcase I also found my umbrella; the contents of my case, calculator, portable dictaphone, cheque book, were all intact. There was, however, on close inspection a set of papers missing. These papers were a letter from RNLI headquarters and a number of Shoreline enrolment forms. Perhaps for mistakenly taking my briefcase, one or perhaps more have decided to join Shoreline.—M. j. F. SCOTT, 20 Caldecote Road, Ickwell, Bedfordshire.

'Flag day' in Kuwait Thank you for the information you sent us about lifeboats. It was a great help for our Assembly. We were amazed at what we learned. Some of us had wanted to go to sea in a storm but have changed our minds.

In our assembly we had readers to read bits of information which were very important. We made a big RNLI flag and read stories and poems we had written about lifeboats. We painted pictures in art and acted a few little scenes. The children liked it very much.

The next day we had a film called 'Part- Time Heroes' which was very interesting.

Everyone thoroughly enjoyed it and agreed that it looked very exciting going down the slipway. We found out that once a year the RNLI is permitted to hold a flag day and collect money for the Institution. We decided to do this and made lots of little flags. We got pins and a tin and went round all the classes for donations. When we counted out the money we found that we had 17£ dinars. Our teacher took the money to the bank and changed it into a cheque for £35. We hope you can use this money to carry on saving lives.—JUNIOR 3o, The English School, Al Sourra, Kuwait City.

Clyde CC Sailing Directions I am sorry that the last paragraph of my review of the Clyde Cruising Club's latest issue of Sailing Directions produced a protest of inaccuracy from Godfrey Vinycomb, their editor. It was intended to do no more than raise a wry smile on the face of any reader who, like myself, is unconvinced that the use of metres for measurement at sea offers any improvement upon the ordinary practice of seamen.

If, as Godfrey Vinycomb states, the cable is correctly defined as a tenth of a minute of latitude, its equivalent in metres varies from 184.2 at the equator to 186.2 at the pole and the purist must be careful. However, no less of an authority than Reed's Nautical Almanac (reviewed on the same page) defines the cable (page 731) as 608 feet which converts to 185.32. This is not the same as one tenth of the International nautical mile—185.2 metres.

As he points out, the chances that these niceties will affect the yachtsman are small indeed! — K. s. MAIN, COMMANDER, 3 Bollard Road, Poole, Dorset.

To landlubber golfers who ask what the length of a cable is I usually reply: 'About a No. 3 wood.'—MANAGING EDITOR.

Underwriter under water John Francis of the Underwriter public house in St Mary Axe in the City of London is a great lifeboat enthusiast.

The collecting box on his bar is used regularly and during 1976 his customers contributed £306.27. In addition, he supports the Margate lifeboat where he has his own home.

On April 30, a Saturday when, in common with many City pubs, he does not open, the cleaner, Mrs O'Connor, found that the ice-making machine behind the bar had gone beserk and there was three inches of water on the bar floor.

Mrs O'Connor did not know Mr Francis' home address in Westgate but by good thinking she immediately associated—Underwriter— water— lifeboat . . .

A call to directory enquiries and another to Alf Lacey, Margate's motor mechanic, and all was well. John Francis was contacted and had soon made arrangements for the flood to be stemmed.

Just as well, since the RNLI City office is only a few yards up the road at No. 40.

I'm not too sure how the service will be recorded on Margate's station board.

Rescued, one bar?—RAYMOND POPE, district organising secretary, City of London, 40 St Mary Axe, London EC3..