THE LIFE-BOAT the Journal of the Royal National Life-Boat Institution
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THE LIFE-BOAT The Journal of the Royal National Life-boat Institution VOL. XXXII DECEMBER, 1947 No. 344 THE LIFE-BOAT FLEET Motor Life-boats, 154 :: Pulling and Sailing Life-boats, 2 LIVES RESCUED from the foundation of the Life-boat Service in 1824 to December 31st, 1947 75,690 H.R.H. The Duchess of Kent's Presidential Address" THE meeting to-day has a twofold The record of the Institution in 1946 purpose; to hear about the work of the was an impressive one, and it is remark- Institution during 1946; and to pay able that, in spite of all inventions to our tribute to the gallant self-sacrifice help navigation, and to make travel of The Mumbles life-boat crew, for by sea safe, there were more calls for whose families we all have the deepest life-boat assistance than ever before in sympathy. a year of peace. Two years ago I presented a gold We are very glad that the boats were medal on your behalf to the coxswain able to rescue 234 lives from the ships of that crew, William Gammon, for of other countries than our own, and conspicuous gallantry and seamanship in the long record of service to. foreign during the war. nations there is not a country in the You will remember hearing the won- world that does not pwe the lives of derful story of his achievements, and some of its seamen to British life-boats. of other coxswains who received medals, To the crews we express our gratitude and -you will, I know, share with me and admiration; some of them, I am the pride of being connected with the glad to be able to say, I have had the Royal National Life-boat Institution, opportunity of meeting during the last which can produce such men, -who in two years, when I visited various sta- war and peace are always prepared tions in the British Isles, and I was to face dangers to rescue lives from the greatly impressed with these splendid sea. and cheerful men. Our hopes and It has been a sad duty to me to pre- prayers are with them for the future. sent to the families of these men of The In conclusion, may I add my sincere Mumbles life-boat certificates record- thanks to all who have given their help ing the heroism of their deaths this in many ways during the past year, year, but in so doing, with a heavy and and to the generous British public, on understanding heart, I pray that they whose support we depend. may be comforted by the world-wide Everyone connected with the Institu- tributes paid to their menfolk, tributes tion, as well as. the public, must feel which we in the Institution so sin- proud that they have a share in the cerely share. We shall not forget achievements of the Life-boat Service, them, or their relatives. in which I take such a deep interest. » Bead at the Annual ifeeting on the 24th ol October, 1M7. (Bee page 88.) A 82 THE LIFE-BOAT [DECEMBER, 1947 The Fifth International Life-boat Conference By COMMODORE THE DUKE OF MONTROSE, K.T., C.B., C.V.O., V.D., LL.D., R.N.V.R., Treasurer of the Royal National Life-boat Institution and Chair- man of the Scottish Life-boat Council. THIS has been a great event in the life- different coasts present them with boat history of the world* the Inter- entirely different problems in carrying national Conference held at Oslo from it out. July 5th to July 12th, 1947; for it was It is not only in the exchange of plans the first occasion since the war on which and ideas that the different services it has been possible to gather together can work together. The greater range delegates from a number of nations to of present-day life-boats, and the possi- consider the most effective way of bility of the use of helicopters (although saving life from shipwreck, and to that is still in the air in both senses) compare all that had been done, learnt opened up the question of different life- and discovered since the last conference boat services, in such an area for held in Gothenburg eleven years before. instance as the North Sea, actually co- We had delegations from eleven operating in the work of rescue, and we countries: Belgium, Denmark, Finland, discussed whether an agreed plan of France, Great Britain, Holland, Iceland, intelligence and action could be drawn Norway, Sweden, Turkey and the up. United States of America. Each country had the opportunity, in Life'boats in War the papers and in the discussions which Among the larger questions we dis- followed each paper, of putting before cussed was whether the' rules of the the Conference its latest designs and Hague Convention of 1907 afforded life- developments. Prominence was given boats adequate protection in time of to the new inventions made during and war. It was felt in some quarters that since the war, and the Conference was the rules might be strengthened, and particularly interested in the American that life-boats should be respected and paper on its use of "ducks" and heli- protected by all belligerent nations in copters, working in co-operation, with the same way as the Red Cross. The life-boats. question was raised by the Dutch Ser- vice in their paper which described the Wireless and Twin-Screws struggle which it had with the German It was clear that radio telephony, the occupiers of its country to prevent its use of which has been for long much boats from being used in belligerent restricted in life-boat work, principally activities, and a paper on the same because of the difficulties of protecting subject was read by a French delegate. the apparatus from the sea, is now The feeling was that the position needed coming into full use. close examination and the conference The papers of the British Service put passed a resolution which has been forward twin-screws, which are now brought to the notice of the Govern- used by it in all boats large and small, ments concerned. It was, however, as the most important development in appreciated that the question is a design which we have made. We complicated one and there are many found that some other Services were points to be considered. doing the same, but some were not. The old controversy between wood Voluntary or State and steel as the best material for life- We discussed too the question boats was again debated and, as at whether life-boat services should be previous conferences, Great Britain maintained by voluntary effort, or by stood firmly by wood, and Holland as the governments. The service in the firmly by steel. The most impressive United States is and always has been fact in these discussions was that though maintained by the government, and all Life-boat Services are united in the is part of the coastguard service, but purpose and spirit of their work the the general feeling was that voluntary DECEMBER, 1947] THE LIFE-BOAT 83 THE OSLO CONFERENCE THE DELEGATES NORWEGIAN LIFE-BOATS AT HVALSTRAND From photograph oy Captain E. W. Swan, C.B.E., V.D., D.L, R.N.y.R., a member of the Committee of Management and Chairman gj the Tynemouth Branch. 84 THE LIFE-BOAT [DECEMBER, 1947 effort was still best, being much more the most striking features of the whole flexible than working to government conference was the mobilization of rules and schedule. It was recognized, eleven Norwegian life-boats, in which I think, by the Conference that British we were taken down the beautiful Oslo life-boat experience was not only Fjord. On the way we were treajted older, but larger than any other, that to- a life-saving demonstration with our boats were among the best, and rockets, line-throwing guns, coloured our practical experience in administra-- flares, and even men in the water with tion. second to none. But each nation life-buoys, life-saving jackets,. Verey felt that it must work in the way it lights and sea torches, whom, we saw found to suit its own circumstances best, rescued. These Norwegian boats are though I think also that each of us felt an example of the great.diversity in the that it was of immense value to under- work of the different life-boat services. stand the problems, and their solutions, They keep at sea during the winter, of other services, even if their problems moving with the fishing fleets,.have full were quite different from our own. cabin accommodation for their crews, and are maintained like yachts, all A Royal W»lfome beautifully clean and bright. Norway Qiir Conference-wa» welcomed on the now- has under construction one 'big first day by His Majesly King-Haakon cruising life-boat, larger than anything in person, who addressed us in a splen- that we have on the coasts of Great did speech. Then the. Mayor of Oslo Britain.. She is to be" employed, on entertained us to a sumptuous Civic special winter service in the Spitzbergen Banquet, at which the Crown Prince waters. Olaf attended. The Mayor, in perfect English (learnt at Oxford University), Magnificent: Hospitality and the Crown Prince gave Us two more We shall remember with special splendid addresses. Our meetings were pleasure and gratitude the magnificent held in the palatial quarters of the Nor- hospitality shown to us on all sides, wegian Shipowners Association, and hospitality in many cases not only to we elected Mr.