Lanzarote lifesavers I shot these photographs in Playa Blancha, Lanzarote recently - the only lifeboats I saw in the Canary Islands! You are welcome to use them to illustrate foreign lifeboats.

Michael Osbaldston South Woodford London Launch congratulations May we, through The Lifeboat magazine, express our appreciation for a job well done with regard to the Overland launch at Lynmouth, North Devon on 12 January.

Our congratulations and thanks go to all the organisers and participants in this marvellous event - we had a wonderful day. The weather played its part too in making the occasion so authentic - pouring rain and near gale force winds! What a monumental task it must have been in 1899, and what an interesting article it would make in The Lifeboat in your 175th year.

Our best wishes and thanks for an interesting magazine.

Mr and Mrs C R Acland Rugby Ed replies: No sooner said than done! See the News pages in this issue for the full story.

The great barometer hunt I read with interest details of the publication 'Rain Later, Good' by Peter Collyer (The Lifeboat, Autumn 1998).

It was in 1860 that RNLI committee member Admiral Robert Fitzroy, formerly captain of HMS Beagle (Darwin Expedition), persuaded his colleagues that The use of a barometer for indicating a coming storm two or three days before it actually takes place would considerably reduce the calamities now endured by our fishermen' (The Lifeboat, 1 October 1860).

The Committee resolved to '...fix such instruments wherever found useful and practicable in suitable positions at the Society's lifeboat houses'.

About 200 were placed at different locations between 1860 and 1900. Each instrument manufactured by Negretti and Zambra was enclosed in a teak case and labelled with the name of the RNLI and individually numbered. There is in the library at Poole a hand written ledger drawn up in 1909 showing the numbers and station allocations.

I have recently embarked on a research project to locate as many as possible of these instruments still in existence. Early results have been encouraging. To date 35 have been positively identified and confirmed to exist.

May I ask for the help of readers who have any information on the subject of RNLI barometers to contact me. We hope in due course to make this information available to the RNLI for its records.

Colin Dingle, Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society 42 Chestnut Avenue Esher Surrey KT108JF Tel (0181) 3983943 Cuttings from the past On sorting through my late father's papers, I came across these pictures which I thought may be of interest to readers.

Jean Hughes Falmouth Letters from readers are always welcome.

Address them to: The Editor, The Lifeboat, RNLI, West Quay Road, Poole, Dorset BH15 or email us at: [email protected] All submissions should be marked 'for publication'.

RNLI period costume - any givers? tf A I would like to find out whether anyone has old crew's clothing that they would like to contribute to me - for display purposes in museums and at related events.

These could include: black oilskins and Sou'esters, old-style woollen RNLI jumpers, late 1800"s knitted headwear, footwear, Kapok lifejackets, orange crew's clothing, etc.

Many thanks.

Maureen la Frenais, RNLI Display and Visits Co-ordinator Tel (01202) 663369 Journals -- any takers? I tend to hoard things but sometimes the sheer volume of the collection means that I have to dispose of a part of what I have amassed.

This year I feel that it is time for me to shed a run of The Lifeboat- perhaps raising some cash for the RNLI in the process. My set runs from 1976, issue number 457, to date and is complete. If anyone is interested, I would suggest they make arrangements to collect them from this address and hopefully make a donation to the lifeboats.

Mr A G Newman, 30 Old Eaton Road, Rugeley, Staffordshire, WS152EZ Back m 1976- issue number 457 The Lifeboat Mainland Hayling I was born 72 years ago between the two old disused lifeboat stations on Hayling Island and, like Howard Richings (The Lifeboat Winter 1998/99 pp 18 and 19), regard Hayling as The Mainland'.

I suspect however that a few residents of North Island, also known by some as Great Britain, might not agree.

S J Pook, East Sussex.