THE . The Journal of the Royal National Life-boat Institution.

VOL. XXV.—No. 282.] NOVEMBER, 1924. [PRICE

Our Centenary Year. By GEORGE F. SHEE, M.A., Secretary of the Institution. A VISITOR who called at Life-boat House to aim at this object, mainly because this autumn made the remark that he its achievement might well have had a never opened a newspaper without bad effect upon our position in the seeing in it something about the Life- following years. People might have boat Service. Allowing for the exaggera- been disposed to say : " You raised a tion of a friendly critic, we may hope special fund in your Centenary Year; that his observation fairly describes we contributed generously to that fund, the facts of the case. If so, it is a and you ought not to ask us to do any- gratifying sign that our aim in this Cen- thing more—at any rate, for some years tenary Year has been to some extent to come." Now such an attitude would achieved. be very harmful in the case of an We have not aimed at raising a special institution whose task is as permanent Centenary Fund, although in many as the sea and as vital as the fives of the ways it would have been fitting enough hundreds of thousands of seafarers of that the Institution should ask the all nations who ply their arduous trade people of these islands to present it with in the waters that encompass us. The a fund of, say, an additional £100,000 character of our work and its intimate or £200,000, to enable it to deal as relationship to the element by which we promptly as possible with the com- have developed our wealth and strength pletion of the programme of Motor Life- and world-wide dominion make it a boat construction which was announced matter of the utmost importance that in 1917, initiated in 1918, and has been the support we receive should come not steadily pushed forward ever since. It merely, or even mainly, from the would, as I say, have been a natural and wealthy, that is, the few, but should proper suggestion that such a fund represent the deep-felt interest of the should have formed the central aim of millions of all classes who rightly regard our Centenary Year ; and it Would have the Life-boat Service as their own. The been much easier to raise such a fund Committee have felt, too, that there was by a central effort, organized from Head- a distinct advantage in offering to the quarters, than it has been to initiate great cities and to the counties an and develop the several funds which opportunity of marking their association have been started by different cities and with our maritime interests by naming counties, in order to present Life-boats one of our Motor Life-boats after them. bearing their respective names, thus And so it is that our aim in this linking their civic and county pride with Centenary Year has been rather to one of the noblest and most character- impress upon the British people the istic of our national achievements, and main facts about the history, develop- one in which the Institution has been ment, and present position of their the acknowledged pioneer and leader voluntary Life-boat Service, being sure among the maritime nations of the that such knowledge, sufficiently wide- world. spread, is the best guarantee of that But the Committee of Management broad and steady support from men and decided, after mature consideration, not; women of all classes which is required 170 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1924_ to maintain it as a living, efficient, and down to the humblest of those who were truly national organization. present at a Thanksgiving Service, or We have carried out this aim by contributed on a Century Life-boat widespread organization, both central Day, all classes of the people of Great and general. This has embraced big Britain and Ireland have joined with undertakings, such as the publication the Institution in celebrating this great of the history of the Institution, under event. The King's action in conferring the title "Britain's Life-boats," by personal distinction on the Gold Medal- Major A. J. Dawson, with an Introduc- lists of the Life-boat Service marked tion by the Prince of-Wales and a Fore- once more—and in a signal manner— word by the late Joseph Conrad; the that close association of the reigning building of a special pavilion at the monarch with the Life-boat Service British Empire Exhibition, to house one which has been a feature of its history of our most up-to-date Motor Life- since the date of its foundation, and boats, and a series of models showing probably few marks of royal favour have the developement of the service; and had a more far-reaching influence and the holding of an International Con- have given profounder satisfaction to ference on the Life-boat Services of the a magnificent body of men than this world, as well as hundreds of Centenary gracious act by which our Royal Patron meetings, Thanksgiving Services, special showed his appreciation of the thousands Fetes and Bazaars, the revival of the of humble fishermen who, around our Life-boat Essay Competition in the coasts, form the crews of our Life-boats. elementary schools, etc. In all these Nor is it the British people only who undertakings we have received, as have thus paid their tribute to the always, the loyal and enthusiastic assist- Institution's work. Eight foreign coun- ance of hundreds of Hon. Secretaries tries were represented at the Inter- and thousands of voluntary workers, to national Conference, and nothing in this whom our heartfelt gratitude is due, year of celebration has given the and is hereby conveyed. The present Institution greater pleasure than the issue of The Lifeboat must be regarded tributes which they paid to the British mainly as a permanent record of what has Life-boat Service,f and the visit to the been done at Headquarters and through- Thames of six foreign Life-boats in out the country in this Centenary Year. honour of our Centenary.' The Centenary Meeting, at the Mansion Since the work of the Life-boat House on 4th March, has already been Service knows no distinction of race or reported (The Lifeboat for June, 1924), creed, it has always been our aim to and two of the principal Centenary remain in close and friendly touch with functions in still remain to be the Life-boat Services of other countries, held—a London Thanksgiving Meeting, exchanging with them ideas and putting at the Central Hall, Westminster, on at their disposal our own experience and 14th December, and the London Bazaar, developments. The International Con- which is to take place at the Hyde Park ference, held in July last, the first in the Hotel on the 3rd and 4th of next history of the world, has done much to March (the 4th March being the date I increase that friendly co-operation, and of the foundation of the Institution). j we hope that it will bear permanent For the rest, this account will show the fruit in the establishment, as suggested variety and extent of the celebrations, by Count Yoshii, President of the the enthusiasm of our workers and the Imperial Japanese Life-boat Institution, interest of the public: above all, the •of an international Life-boat organiza- truly national character of the celebra- tion, of which all the national Life-boat tions. From the Bang, who personally Services will be members. Such a result decorated the Institution's Gold Medal- ' would in itself repay all the effort which lists with the British Empire Medal for brought the Conference together, and gallantry, and the Prince of Wales, who might thus well prove to be one of those presided both at the Centenary Meeting and the Centenary Dinner, and who has * This appeal appears in facsmile in the June issue, and is reprinted in this issue on page 187. issued a personal appeal to the Empire,* t See p. 174. NOVEMBER, 1924.] THE LIFEBOAT. 171 steps which are of lasting benefit to tury of achievement, for the heroic ser- humanity; for if such an organization is vices of the Crews, for the devotion of set up, it should not only be a great help Life-boat workers, for fche generosity of to the Life-boat Services which already the public, for the rescue of nearly 60,000 exist, but should lead to the establish- lives, will not fail of their material sup- ment of services in those countries, some port as we set out on our second century. of them with long and dangerous coasts The resolution which was passed at which still have no organized means o: all the Centenary Meetings was not only succouring the shipwrecked. It if an expression of gratitude for the past, interesting to note in this connexion but a promise for the future : that since the Conference the Institu- tion has been approached by the Life- " That those present at this Cen- boat Society of Latvia with a requesi tenary Meeting, recognising the im- for its assistance in the reorganization portant services which the Institution of the service on that coast, which was has rendered to the seafarers of all formerly under the direction of the nations during a century of life saving, Imperial Eussia Life-boat Service. desire to record their hearty appre- By the visit of the Life-boats to ciation of the gallantry of its Cox- London, the trip of a Motor Life-boat swains and Crews, to pay a tribute of up the Thames, the land-tour of a Life- respect and admiration to those who boat in the Midlands, and the presence have sacrificed their lives in the of a Motor Life-boat at the British attempt to save others, gratefully to Empire Exhibition, hundreds of thou- acknowledge the invaluable help ren- sands of people of our own and other dered to the Life-boat cause by the countries have seen a Life-boat for the Local Committees, Honorary Secre- first time, have been aboard her, and taries and Honorary Treasurers, and now will have a memory of their own to many thousands of self-sacrificing help them realize what lies behind those men and women who have helped to brief words: " Last night the maintain that cause in the hearts of Life-boat went out, and rescued so many the British people, and to pledge lives," often the only record which the themselves to do all in their power to public see of some of the most heroic secure a widening and increasing work carried out by our crews. measure of support for the Life-boat As already indicated, although we Service." have made no effort to raise a Centenary No one who has been present at any Fund, several towns and counties opened of the Centenary Meetings at which this £10,000 funds of their own, with the idea resolution was passed can fail to have of presenting the Institution with Motor been stirred by its reference to those Life-boats to bear their names. Brad- who have lived—and died *—in and for ford had already completed last year ;he Life-boat Service. The mind goes its fund for the Life-boat now stationed jack to some of the days of mingled at Spurn Point, Humber, and had ;ragedy and glory, in which whole crews started a second fund for the Boat lave lost their lives in the heroic effort House and Slipway. Manchester raised iO bring succour to their fellow-men. over £10,000 in three days by means of Such scenes occur to the mind as that at a bazaar. Birmingham, Leicestershire, on 4th December, 1849, Nottinghamshire and Northamptonshire when the Life-boat put out to a vessel have all started funds. A special appeal which had been driven aground on the was also made to regular subscribers to lerd Sand, and, in a heavy easterly sea, double their subscriptions as a Cen- was capsized, with the loss of twenty out tenary Gift. In a large number of cases )f her crew of twenty-four ; or that this appeal has been answered. >ther episode when, on the 9th February, Apart from these appeals, the Cen- 861, the whole crew, except one, of the tenary has been celebrated chiefly as an occasion for thanksgiving. But we are - After a careful study of the records I have come to sure that those who have joined with the ie conclusion that some 500 life-boat men have lost Institution in giving thanks for a cen- heir lives in the service.—EDITOR, " THE LIFEBOAT." 172 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1924. Life-boat were drowned, in the inspired the splendid men who have sight of many thousands of spectators, illustrated the annals of Life- boat story in going to the rescue of the seventh during the last century. That spirit is ship wrecked that day, and when, hot- the proudest possession of our people, foot on that disaster, a group of seamen and would be very precious even if, under and landsmen nevertheless launched a some mighty cataclysm, the seas around second and inefficient Life-boat within Britain were to dry up, and this country a few hours in order to rescue the crews were to cease to be an island. As it is, from yet other vessels driven ashore on that spirit is beyond price, and will con- that tragic day. Nor will the older tinue to inspire the men of our Service generation among us forget the South- and, in a different degree, the thousands port disaster of 1886, in which thirteen of our voluntary workers " so long," to of the crew of that Boat and the whole quote Sir William Hillary, " as men of the crew of the St. Anne's Boat were shall continue to navigate the ocean and drowned in the efforts to rescue the crew the tempests shall hold their course over of the German barque Mexico. its surface." For, so long,too, shall there Too often in the history of the Insti- be a British Life-boat Service for the tution have the mighty forces of Nature succour of the seafarers of all nations, finally prevailed over man's courage, an example to all other seafaring endurance, and humane effort. But the peoples, a promise of closer union spirit of the Life-boat Service has re- among the nations in the work of peace mained undimmed, and burns to-day and progress, and an honour to the with the same steady flame which has British race.

The Centenary : In London. Gold Medallists Decorated by the King. DURING its first century the Institution men have won this, the Victoria Cross of awarded its Gold Medal for gallantry and the Life-boat Service. conspicuous service in saving life from Of these eighty-seven, only eight are shipwreck, ninety-five times. Fourteen alive to-day—five of them being English, Gold Medals were also awarded for other two Irish and one Welsh. The eight forms of service to the Institution, but were invited to attend the Centenary the last of these was given nearly fifty Dinner and other celebrations in years ago. Since that time the award London, as the guests of the Institu- has been strictly confined to gallantry in tion. Seven of the eight were able to the actual endeavour to save life. come : The first Gold Medal was awarded to Captain Thomas McCombie, of King- Captain Charles Howe Fremantle, R.N., stown, Ireland. for swimming out to a Swedish brig Major H. E. Burton, R.E., Honorary wrecked off Christchurch, Hampshire, Superintendent of the Tynemouth Motor on 10th July, 1824.* The last Gold Life-boat. Medals of the century were won by Ex-Coxswain Robert Smith, of Tyne- Coxswain Fleming, of Gorleston, and mouth. Coxswain Swan, of Lowestoft, for the Coxswain H. T. Blogg, of . rescue of the crew of the Hopelyn in Ex-Coxswain John Howells, of Fish- October, 1922. Six men have won the guard. Medal twice for gallantry, and the Coxswain William G. Fleming, of Institution's founder, Sir William Hil- Gorleston. lary, who took part in the rescue of 305 Ex-Coxswain John T. Swan, of Lowe- lives, won it three times. Thus, in the stoft. course of a century, only eight-seven The eighth, the Rev. John N. O'Shea, * See the issue of THE LIFEBOAT for June, of County Waterford, was prevented 1924. from coming by illness. NOVEMBER, 1924.] THE LIFEBOAT. 173 The seven were received at Bucking- s.s. Tearaght, of which he was Master, ham Palace by the King on the morning and in two trips saving, at very great of June 30th, being accompanied by risk, the Master, his wife and child, and Sir- Godfrey Baring, Bt. (Chairman of the crew of the barque Palme, of Fin- the Committee of Management), the land, on the 26th December, 1895. The Hon. George Colville (Deputy-Chairman), vessel was wrecked two days previously, Mr. George F. Shee, M.A. (Secretary), and the Kingstown No. 2 Life-boat was and Captain Howard F. J. Rowley, totally wrecked while trying to effect a C.B.E., R.N. (Chief Inspector of Life- rescue, the whole of her gallant crew, boats) ; and were decorated by his fifteen in number, being drowned. Majesty with the Medal of the Most " Captain McCombie also holds the Excellent Order of the British Empire. Silver Medal of the Institution for a

Photograph by} [Sport and General. GOLD MEDALLISTS LEAVING BUCKINGHAM PALACE, AFTER BEING DECORATED BY THE KING. Left to right.—Ex-Coxswain Swan, Coxswain Blogg. Coxswain Fleming;, Ex-Coxswain Smith, Ex-Coxswain Howells, Major Burton. Each of the seven was presented life-saving service in April, 1874, when, separately to the King, who recognized as Second Officer of the s.s. Princess in Coxswain Howells, an old shipmate Alice, he put of! with other members of with whom he had served in the Teme- her crew in the steamer's gig and cutter, raire in 1888. and saved three of the crew of the brig The record of each man was read out Hampton, of Dublin,which was wrecked to his Majesty, and *as published in in Dublin Bay during a heavy W.S.W. full, next day, in the " Court Gazette." gale. Major H. E. BURTON, R.E., Honorary Captain THOMAS McCoMBiE, Kings- Superintendent of the Tynemouth town. 1895. Motor Life-boat. 1914. " For gallantly putting off in the boat " For his gallant conduct and fine with other members of the crew of the seamanship in bringing the Tynemouth 174 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1924. Motor Life-boat forty-four miles through WILLIAM G. FLEMING, Coxswain, Gorle- the night and storm, unaided by coast ston No. 1 Life-boat. 1922. lights, to Whitby and, after all other " For his intrepid conduct and skilful efforts had failed, rescuing on 1st Novem- seamanship in endeavouring to save the ber, fifty persons from the Government crew of twenty-four of the s.s. Hopelyn. Hospital Steamer Rohilla, wrecked at After nearly twenty-four hours' efforts Whitby, on 30th October, 1914. in the Gorleston Life-boat, he put off in " Awarded Silver Medal for putting the Lowestoft Life-boat, and assisted to ofi with a reduced crew to the assistance save the men in circumstances of great of the s.s. Dunelm, which was wrecked peril, on 21st October, 1922. close to Blyth Pier, during a whole S.E. gale with a very heavy sea, on the JOHN T. SWAN, ex-Coxswain, Lowestoft llth January, 1913. Motor Life-Boat. 1922. " For. his intrepid conduct and skilful ROBERT SMITH, Ex-Coxswain, Tyne- seamanship in rescuing the crew of mouth Motor Life-boat. 1914. twenty-four of the s.s. Hopelyn in cir- " For his intrepid conduct and fine cumstances of great peril. The vessel seamanship, in conjunction with Major was wrecked on the Scroby Sands during Burton, when the Life-boat under his a strong N.E. gale on 19th October, 1922, command proceeded to Whitby and, on and the rescue was effected on 21st, after 1st November, 1914, saved fifty persons the Gorleston Life-boat had made un- from the Government Hospital Steamer availing efforts to save the men. Rohilla, wrecked at Whitby, as stated " Awarded Silver Medal for rescuing above. the crew of nine hands of the mine- " Awarded Silver Medal for putting sweeper Condor, which was wrecked on off with Major Burton and a reduced Newcombe Sands, in a very heavy sea, crew to the help of the Dunelm, as on 22nd November, 1914. stated above. " Also awarded Silver Second Service " Also awarded Silver Second Service Clasp for rescuing nine of the crew of Clasp for rescuing on 21st November, H.M. Sloop Pomona, which was totally 1916, sixteen of the crew of s.s. Muristan, I wrecked five miles south of Southwold of Swansea, which was wrecked in | on the 30th September, 1918, during a Blyth Bay, during a strong E. gale with whole N.E. gale with a very heavy sea. a very heavy sea." " This wartime Life-boat crew was HENRY G. BLOGG, Coxswain, Cromer composed of fourteen men over sixty Life-boat. 1917. years of age and four over fifty." " For conspicuous gallantry, tenacity The King expressed his great regret and skilful seamanship in rescuing eleven that Father O'Shea was prevented by of the crew of the s.s. Fernebo, of | illness from being present, and handed Christinehamn, which was wrecked off his Medal to Sir Godfrey Baring. This Cromer on the 9th January, 1917, during is the record of Ms gallantry : a strong N.N.E. gale and a very heavy Rev. JOHN M. O'SHEA, Ardmore, Co. sea. | Waterford, 1911. " The work of rescue involved three trips to the wreck and occupied over " For his example and initiative in nine hours." ! leading very gallant attempts, by means of a small boat, to save the lives of the JOHN HOWELLS, Ex-Coxswain, Fish- crew of the schooner Teaser, which was guard Motor Life-boat. 1920. lost, with her crew of three in Ardmore " For rescuing in circumstances of Bay on the 18th March, 1911, during a great peril seven of the crew of the motor whole S.E. gale with a very heavy sea. schooner Hermina, of Rotterdam, which After the ceremony some of the men was wrecked in a N.W. gale on Needle gave their impressions of meeting the Rock, off Fishguard, on the night of the King. Coxswain Swan, of Lowestoft, 3rd December, 1920. To effect the said : rescue involved taking the Life-boat into " We all liked the friendly way in a position of great danger among rocks. which the King shook hands with us. NOVEMBER, 1924.] THE LIFEBOAT. 175 We found the King a very nice gentle- about my medals, and the presentation man to speak to, and very homely. I gold watch, and what they were given had been given a little hint before we got for. I told him all about them, and I there by someone who knew. He said, told him how one was for saving the life ' Do you go to him in your ordinary of a bed-ridden old man from fire, and way, and he will think more of you. If how I went in and carried him out in my you don't he will come round on you arms. Then he wanted to know about for it.' ... Of course, Mr. Smith got this one, and I told him it was given for most of the talk, being the oldest, and life-saving out of a fund started by an having the most medals. The Bang American gentleman. And I told him talked to him quite a time." about the silver cup what the King of Coxswain Robert Smith, who is now Norway gave me and this watch given seventy-five years old, with failing sight, by the people of Tynemouth ' for said : " The King wanted to know all life-boat services.'"

International Conference on the World's Life-boat Service. The Presentation of Gold Medals and Addresses of Congratulation to the Institution.

AN International Conference on the The delegates from the foreign Life- World's Life-boat Service was held, in boat Societies were :— connexion with the Centenary of the Institution, on 1st and 2nd July, in the HOLLAND. Council Chamber of the Westminster j Noord-en-Zuid Hollandsche Redding- City Hall, which had been kindly lent j Maatschappij. (The North and South to the Institution by the Worshipful i Holland Life-saving Society. Founded the Mayor of Westminster. j 1824.) Sir Godfrey Baring, Bt., Chairman Mr. P. E. Tegelberg, President. of the Committee of Management, pre- Mr. H. de Booy, Secretary. sided, supported by the Hon. George Captain D. H. Doeksen. Colville, the Deputy-Chairman, and other members of the Committee of Zuid-Hollandsche Maatschappij tot Red- Management. The Institution was also ding van Schipbreukelingen. (The represented by Mr. George P. Shee, South Holland Society for the Saving M.A. (Secretary), Captain H. F. J. of the Shipwrecked. Founded 1824.) Eowley, C.B.E., E.N. (Chief Inspector The Right Hon. A. A. Baron Sweerts de of Life-boats), Commander Thomas Landas Wyborgh, Vice-President. Holmes, R.N. (late Chief Inspector and Mr. C. D. Julius, Secretary. Acting Deputy-Inspector of Life-boats), Mr. J. R. Barnett, O.B.E., M.I.N.A. UNITED STATES. (Consulting Naval Architect), Mr. Felix United States Coast Guard. (Life-boat Rubie, M.I.N.A. (Surveyor of Life- Service, established 1848.) boats), Mr. Arthur F. Evans (Surveyor Commander Harold D. Hinckley. of Machinery) and the District In- spectors of Life-boats. DENMARK. The Board of Trade was represented by The Royal Danish Government Life-boat Captain H. F. Aplin, R.N., and Captain Service, established 1852. Rundle, R.N., of the Mercantile Marine Captain Jorgen Frederick Saxild, Department. Ministry of Marine. 176 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1924. NORWAY. FRANCE. Norsk Selskab Til skibbrudnes Redning. (Norwegian Society for the Saving of La Societe Centrale de Sauvetage des the Shipwrecked. Stations established Naufrages. (The Central Society for by the State 1854. Society founded the Saving of the Shipwrecked. Founded 1891.) 1865.) Captain Klaus Eeimers. M. le Vice-Admiral Le Bris, G.C.V.O., Captain Ottar Vogt, Secretary. K.C.B., Member of the Committee. SWEDEN. M- Granjon de Lepiney, Secretary. The Royal Swedish Government. (Life- boat Service, established 1855.) M. le Commandant Le Verger, Chief Mr. Edvard Lithander, Member of the Inspector of Life-boats.

Photograph by\ [Swaine. THE INTERNATIONAL LIFE-BOAT CONFERENCE. Back Row, from left to light: — Mr. Henry Fargus, Mr. J. J. Crosfield, Engineer Rear-Admiral Charles Rudd, The Hon. George Colville. Sir Godfrey Baring, Bt.. The Worshipful the Mayor of Westminster, Mr. George F. Shee. Brig.-GeneraI Noel M. Lake, Major Sir Maurice Cameron, Commander F. F. Tower. Below Major Sir Maurice Cameron and Commander Tower are : — Vice-Admiral Le Bris and M. Granjon de Lepiney. Front Row : — Vice- Admiral The Marques de Casinas, Commander Harold D. Hinckley, Captain Feliz Bastarreche, Mr. Albert Isakson, Mr. Edvard Lithander, Commander Otto Stenberg. Count Kozo Yoshii, Mr. P. E. Tegeloer?. The Right Hon. A. A. Baron Sweerts de Landos Wyborgh, Captain Jorgen F. Saxild, Mr. H. de Bopy Mr. C. D. Julius, M. le Commandant Le Verger,. Captain D. H. Doeksen. (Captain Sten Isherg, Captain_Reimers, jand Captain Ottar Vogt are not in the Photograph.) Riksdag, and Vice-President of the SPAIN. Swedish Society for the Saving of the Sociedad Espanola de Salvamento de Shipwrecked. Naufragos. (Spanish Society for the Mr. Albert Isakson, M.I.N.A., Chairman Saving of the Shipwrecked. Founded of the Life-boat Committee of the 1880.) Swedish Shipping League. Vice-Admiral the Marques de Casinas. Svenska sallskapet for raddning of Captain Felix Bastarreche. skeppsbrutne. (Swedish Society for the JAPAN. Saving of the Shipwrecked. Founded Teikoku Suinan Kinsaikai. (The 1904.) Imperial Japanese Life-boat Institu- Commander Otto Stenberg, President. tion. Founded 1889.) Captain Sten Isberg^ Secretary. Count Kozo Yoshii, President. NOVEMBER, 1924.] THE LIFEBOAT. 177 The Life-boat Societies of German us the utmost help and support in your (founded 1865) and Portugal (founde capacity as Mayor of the City of West- 1892) were unable to send representa minster, and, indeed, in your private tives, and the Breton Life-saving Societ capacity as a citizen of this country. (founded 1873) and the Humane Societ We feel that the Conference is opening of the Commonwealth of Massachusett under most auspicious circumstances (founded 1785) had both appointed repre when you have given us a few minutes sentatives who, at the last momenl of your valuable time to welcome the were unfortunately prevented from com delegates, and when you have allowed ing to .* us to meet in this beautiful hall under Of these Life-boat Services, all art such very pleasant surroundings. It maintained by voluntary organization is my privilege to offer you the most (in some cases with a grant from the respectful and most cordial thanks of State), except those of the United State this Conference for your great kindness and Dsnmark, where the Life-boats are and courtesy to it. (Cheers.) a State Service, while in Sweden there Sir Godfrey Baring, Bt., Chairman of is both a State Service and a Voluntary the Royal National Life-boat Institu- Service. tion, then took the chair, and read a The Mayor of the City of Westminster «legram which had been received from (Mr. EDGAR HORNE), by whose courtesy 3.R.H. the Prince of Wales, K.G., the the Council Chamber had been placed ai Institution's President :— the disposal of the Conference, greetec the delegates in the following speech :— " Please convey to those present at Sir Godfrey Baring and Gentlemen the International Conference which I am here as Mayor of the City of West- opens to-day my best wishes for a very minster to welcome you to the hall, and successful meeting. to say how delighted we are, the citizens " EDWARD P." of Westminster, that you should have To this telegram the following reply honoured us by coming here, and how was sent:— much pleasure it has given us to put " The representatives of the Life- our Council Chamber at your disposal. boat Services of Great Britain, United I think all of us in Westminster realize States, France, Spain, Japan, Holland, the wonderful work which is done by Denmark, Sweden and Norway most the Life-boat Institution, and many of us, gratefully and respectfully acknow- who have travelled thousands of miles by ledge the telegram of welcome received sea, recognize the perils that you struggle from Your Royal Highness. They re- to alleviate. I know that you have the cognize the deep personal interest support and the good wishes of all in which Your Royal Highness, as Presi- the splendid work which you have done dent of the Royal National Life-boat for so many years. You have a long Institution, takes in this great work programme to deal with now, 'and I will which is done by the Life-boat Ser- not take up more of your time except vices of the world for humanity and the formally to express the delight it has amity of nations, and we would assure given us to have you here, and our best Your Royal Highness that we, in this wishes for all good fortune in the future. Conference, encouraged by your (Cheers.) gracious interest, will leave nothing Sir GODFEEY BARING, Bt.: I am sure undone, which the exchange of ideas I am expressing the universal feeling of can do, to make the Life-boat Service the Conference when I say how deeply of the world more perfect than it is. we appreciate Your Worship's presence " GODFREY BARING, Chairman." here at the commencement of our pro- ceedings on this unique occasion. Mr. The CHAIRMAN : I should then like Mayor, if I may say so very respectfully, o read a telegram which I propose to you are an old friend of the Life-boat end to H.M. the King on behalf of this Institution. You have always afforded onference. It runs as follows :— " The representatives of the Life- * For particulars of the Belgian Life-boat Service, see page 186. boat Services of Great Britain, United

rl 178 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1924. States, France, Spain, Japan, Holland, •heir grace if we had not been privileged Denmark, Sweden and Norway, as- jo welcome the representatives of foreign sembled in conference for the further- life-boat Societies and foreign Govern- ance of the efficiency of the Life- ment Life-boat Services. We, have saving Service which they carry out ooked forward to this week with great for the seafarers of the world, send nterest, and the special point of interest respectful greeting to H.M. the King, las been that we were going to have the Patron of the Royal National ;his Conference, and have the great Life-boat Institution/in the knowledge jenefit of your advice and help and that the work on which they are experience in discussing and determining engaged has his warm sympathy and matters which affect the efficiency of support." ;he Life-boat Service. We know, and The delegates unanimously expressed ;his makes our gratitude all the more their pleasure at this proposal, and the sincere, that many of you gentlemen telegram was despatched. Shortly after- lave come here at very great personal wards the following reply was received nconvenience, and have travelled many from Buckingham Palace :— miles to be present. May I just mention in this connexion that Count Yoshii, " As Patron of the Royal National representing the Japanese Life-boat Life^boat Institution, I have received Service, has travelled 11,000 miles to with much pleasure the message from t>e here with us on this occasion, and we the Chairman and foreign delegates are deeply grateful for this most wonder- assembled to celebrate the Centenary ful exhibition of his sympathy, and his of the Institution. desire to assist the Life-boat work " It must be a matter of satisfaction throughout the world. to all who are interested in this impor- I could not help feeling yesterday, tant movement that representatives when I had the privilege of going with from so many countries are meeting in Admiral Sturdee round the splendid conference to promote the noble work Life-boats moored on the Thames, what of life-saving at sea. a wonderful display that was of the " I rejoice that the Prince of Wales International Life-boat Service. I am, succeeded me • in the position of of course, only a humble layman, but President of a Society, of which I am to my inexperienced eye it seemed that proud to be Patron, and which has, each boat was a model of what a Life-boat for upwards of one hundred years, should be. Each seemed designed to provided, through voluntary support, make the Life-boat Service in each a Service honoured by every maritime particular country as efficient as it people and linking all nations in the possibly could be. chivalry of the sea. During the course of this Conference " May all success attend your there is to be submitted by Count Yoshii deliberations ; and I pray that God's a suggestion that we should do our blessing may be vouchsafed to all utmost at this Conference to impress brave men who risk their lives in the upon the world the urgent necessity of humane and heroic work of the Life- providing Life-boats where there is any boat Services of the world. considerable traffic on the sea. I think " GEORGE R.I." our aims, as representing the Life-boat Services of the various countries, ought The CHAIRMAN : I should wish my to be to secure the establishment of a first words at this very important Life-boat Service at each point of danger, Conference—I do not propose to detain as far as this can be done, in the world, you with a long opening speech— so that under any circumstances sailors to be of the most cordial welcome of all countries may take heart from the to those gentlemen whom we are knowledge that there are in close prox- privileged to see here to-day. Our imity to them Life-boatmen with strong celebrations, and they are very impor- h-.nds and warm hearts who are willing tant as far as we are concerned, woulc t > risk their own lives to help those in have lost half their significance and al] danger on the sea. (Cheers.) NOVEMBER, 1924.] THE LIFEBOAT. 179 There were received by the King at tions. A ship of country " A " is Buckingham Palace yesterday (June wrecked on the coast of country " B," 30th) seven of our Gold Medallists. All I and very soon the whole country had been awarded the medal for parti-1 resounds with what has been done, and cular deeds of valour. This medal is j the gallantry displayed in that saving our supreme decoration, and it is only j of life. The rescued men and their awarded for conspicuous gallantry. If I relatives are sure to talk about the work may so express it, it is the Victoria Cross of the Life-boatmen of country " B " of the Life-boat Service. But while who, they will say, " Can't be such a I dwell with pleasure on the honour bad lot of fellows." Surely this sort of done to these men, I hope, gentle- thing must have a remarkable effect on men, that you will not think that I am international relations. (Cheers.) claiming any pre-eminence in gallantry I want now to thank you once again for our own Life-boatmen. I am sure most warmly for your presence, to wel- that in every maritime country in the come you most sincerely to our country, world there are a number of men who to solicit your advice and assistance have rendered heroic services in saving in this Conference which we are now life at sea. The whole of our Services commencing, and finally to assure you depend upon the personnel of our Crews. that when these celebrations are over If we cannot rely upon the bravery and we in this country shall return to our skill of our Life-boatmen, all our work encouraged, inspired and Societies, Committees, Sub-Committees strengthened by your sympathy, by and organizations would be a hollow your good wishes and by your prayers. sham. It all comes down to the bedrock (Cheers.) fact that we have to rely upon the seamanship, gallantry and devotion of! Mr- EDVARD LITHANDER (Member of the Life-boatmen of the world. And that |tlle Riksdag, and Vice-President of the gallantry has never failed. Even we, who j Swedish Society for Saving the Ship- are so closely associated with the Life-1 wrecked) : As a representative at this boat Service, I wonder if we realize the I Conference of the Royal Swedish Govern- conditions under which its work has to \ ment I nave tne honour and pleasure be performed, while the public, I think, \to present an Address from the Govern- sometimes loses sight of what is | ment, and, Mr. Chairman, will you kindly demanded of a Life-boatman. He is allow me to read out the text:— asked, perhaps in the middle of the To the Royal National Life-boat night, in the face of a frightful gale of Institution. wind or other awful climatic conditions, | « Gentlemen,—On the occasion of the at a moment s notice, to leave every-1 ceiebration this year of the centenary thing he holds dear m the world to go of the Ro j National Life-boat Institu- out and rescue those who are in peril; ^on and perhaps lay down his life in the cause of humanity. He is moreover not! THE RoYAL SWEDISH GOVERNMENT asked to save the lives of his relations representing a nation, seafaring as well or friends, but of absolute strangers, as Great Britain, desires to transmit a (Cheers.) i cordial message of sincere congratula- I wonder if we ever reflect upon the j tion. remarkable international aspect of the " During the course of time a very Life-boat Service. Our men have saved large number of Swedish sailors have the lives of foreign sailors, and foreign j been rescued from mortal danger through Life-boatmen have many times saved j the intervention of the Institution. English lives. What a remarkable effect Profoundly conscious of the indebted- that must have on the relations between ness in which Sweden remains to all the people of the various countries. those Britishers, whose courage and self- Suppose, for instance, that country " A " sacrifice have saved the lives of Swedish has had strained relations with country j men, thus preserving them for their " B." Politicians have perhaps been country and their families, the Royal responsible for international complica- Swedish Government rejoices to seize 180 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1924. the opportunity, which now presents nations who, in inclement weather, have itseli, of expressing its own and the approached the shores of Britain. nation's high appreciation of and grati- " In ever-increasing numbers and in tude for the inestimable services ren- Boats which are constantly being im- dered by the Institution to humanity. proved; the Institution's Life-boatmen " The Royal Swedish Government carry on their ceaseless struggle with the ventures to express the hope that the elements in the service of humanity. Institution will long continue to carry " The energy and determination, the out its humane work for the benefit of sound judgment and good seamanship all seafaring nations. of these Crews have been, in the majority " I have the honour, Gentlemen, to of instances, crowned with success. be your obedient servant, " We gratefully salute your noble " NILS WOHLIN, Institution and your brave Crews. Minister of Commerce." Swedish seamen bear ungrudging wit- ness to' your self-sacrificing efforts, your Will you allow me, Mr. Chairman, to invincible heroism and your beneficent add to these words an expression of the activities. pleasure and gratitude which I felt " GOTHENBURG, 2(M June, 1924. yesterday, when as a representative of a nation expressing its thanks for the SVENSKA SALLSKAPET FOR RADDNING services rendered, I had the privilege of AF SKEPPSBRUTNE meeting and shaking hands with, the Gold " OTTO STENBERG, Chairman. Medallists the Chairman has referred to, " STEN ISBERG, Secretary." and I am sure those feelings are shared (Cheers.) by my colleagues. (Cheers.) Mr. Lithander then handed the Ad- Commander Stenbeig then handed the dress to the Chairman. Address to the Chairman. The CHAIRMAN : May I say on behalf The CHAIRMAN : May I offer the of the Committee of Management how Swedish Society for the Saving of the deeply we appreciate this presentation, Shipwrecked also OUT, most sincere and that we shall ever keep it and thanks for this beautiful presentation. cherish it amongst our most valued We shall place it amongst our treasures, possessions. The presentation has and we deeply appreciate your kindness acquired additional grace by the charm- in making it. ing words which have been addressed Mr. P. B. TEGELBERG (President of to us by the Swedish Government. We the North and South Holland Life- thank you most sincerely. saving Society): It is not a very remarkable coincidence that the same Commander OTTO STENBERG (Presi- bright idea is borne in the brains of dent of the Swedish Society for the different minds at the same time. We Saving of the Shipwrecked) : The in Holland had the same idea. Swedish Life-boat Society presents its We have just heard from the Chair- compliments to the Royal National Life- man that your Gold Medal is only given boat Institution, and has the honour of in cases of very exceptional valour. In presenting an Address in humble recogni- Holland we thought that the British tion of the services rendered to humanity Life-boat Institution had done such and as an expression of its admiration splendid work for 100 years, and that for the work done by the Institution. the deed was so remarkable that we were entitled to hand to the Royal Commander Stenberg then read the National Life-boat Institution our Gold following Address :—• Medal which we give to people who " Founded by men trained in the have done great service to our country. strenuous School of Life, by them It is not an easy matter to keep up the gradually developed, and by them main- standard of an organization during 100 tained, the Royal National Life-boat years, always in first-rate condition, and Institution has for a century constituted as a token of our admiration of the work a sure safeguard for seafarers of all done by the British Life-boat Institution NOVEMBER, 1924.] THE LIFEBOAT. 181 I herewith present the President of the The South Holland Society was also Institution with our Gold Medal. founded in 1824, about nine months (Cheers.) after your Institution, and we have always been in the most friendly contact Mr. Tegelberg then handed the Gold with your Institution. Whenever we Medal to the Chairman. have wanted to know what your experi- The CHAIRMAN : We are really over- ence was of a certain class of boats, whelmed by the kindness of these your Committee have always given us presentations. We had no idea that we the most complete information. When should be privileged to receive this much our Society had decided to build a Steam prized Gold Medal. We have our critics Life-boat, it was again the Committee in this country, and I wish that the of your Institution who gave us parti- speech which has just been made could culars, with the result that the boat was be circulated throughout the country. built in England to our perfect satis- It would do us more good than anything faction, and has saved hundreds and that has been said for many years past. hundreds of lives. I profit from this We thank you most cordially. occasion to thank your Committee for your everlasting and cordial friendship. The Eight Hon. A. A. BARON SWEERTS The South Holland Society has four DE LANDAS WYBORGH (Vice-President medals to award to those singled out for of the South Holland Society for the special distinction, one of bronze, one of Saving of the Shipwrecked) : Honour- silver, a small golden medal, and the able President, Gentlemen. As repre- large golden medal, which, up to the sentative of the South Holland Society present, has only been awarded twice. for the Saving of the Shipwrecked it is At the last meeting of the Board of for me, as Vice-President, indeed, a great Directors it was unanimously decided honour to congratulate your Institution to offer, on the day of the celebration of on the completion of its first century—a your Centenary, to your Institution this hundred years wherein numberless lives golden medal and diploma, in order to of every nation have been saved from a pay homage to the brilliant way in which certain death ; wherein men have been the Institution accomplishes the humane given back to their wives, children have and world-wide task of providing and been spared from becoming orphans. maintaining the Life-boat Service for the As a matter of fact such an extra- benefit of the seafarers of all nations. ordinary Centenary is worthy to be celebrated. Baron Sweerts then read the Diploma. In the beginning of the marvellous and " de Zuidhollandsche Maatschappij highly interesting book by Major A. J. Tot Redding Van Dawson, " The Story of a Century of SCHIPBREUKELINGEN Heroic Service," there is a captain that Rotterdam says, " Is there any more" splendid organization in the world than the Royal deems it an honour to award its Life-boat Institution ? " and I myself—as GOLDEN MEDAL belonging to the Committee of Manage- to the ment of a foreign Life-boat Society—I am very pleased to state I fully agree Royal National Life-boat Institution herewith, not knowing, indeed, any on the occasion of the hundredth anni- benevolent society that has done such versary of its foundation, in order to pay work, has done so much for our fellow homage to the brilliant way in which the creatures as your Institution. Institution accomplishes the humane But, besides this, I wish to point out and world-wide task of providing and another great merit of your Institution, maintaining the Life-boat Service for that your Committee of Management the benefit of the seafarers of all nations. have always been prepared to assist your sister societies by placing your great " Rotterdam, 2nd July, 1924. experience in saving the shipwrecked at " SWEERTS, Vice-President. their disposal. "C. D. JULIUS, Secretary." 182 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1924. May I present these in the name of my ing your boats without at once in- Society. (Cheers.) forming us. Many a time have we thus The CHAIRMAN ; May I most grate- been enabled to make use of your fully accept this beautiful presentation designs for the improving of our on behalf "of the Royal National Life-: own apparatus. Therefore, in a truly boat Institution. Our Committee Room : brotherly spirit and with the utmost will be enriched with these presentations, joy, do I convey to the Royal National and I hope they will remain there long Life-boat Institution my most heartfelt after we have ceased our work, and that homage, wishing a long and prosperous for many hundreds of years they will be life to the great work of maritime succoTar, regarded with pride and real esteem. which you carry on with such magni- We thank you most gratefully. ficent success. On behalf of the Societe Centrale de At the opening of the afternoon Sauvetage de France and of its President, session on the first day Vice-Admiral LE Vice-Admiral Touchard, who was deeply BEIS, of La Societe Centrale de Sauvetage j sorry to find himself unable to be here des Naufrages, made the following to-day among you, and entrusted me speech: "Whoever deals with life-saving, j with the great honour of representing and wishes to do so to good purpose him, I beg to thank Sir Godfrey Baring, should consider before anything the the Hon. George Colville, the distin- wonderful spectacle offered us by the guished Secretary, George Shee, and the coasts of Great Britain." Thus spoke, Committee of the Royal National Life- in 1866, one of the founders of the< boat Institution, for calling upon us to Societe Centrale de Sauvetage de France, partake in the celebration of this glorious I wish to repeat the selfsame words Centenary. (Cheers.) to-day, because they are as true and as The CHAIEMAN : I am sure my col- much to the point as ever. eagues on the Committee of Manage- During the festivities of the Centenary ment will very much appreciate and be of your Institution, to which you were deeply touched by the kind words which so considerate as to invite us, another the Admiral has used in that address than myself must have enlarged upon which he has read to us, and in thanking the course of your glorious history. I lim for what he has said, I should like wish to admire chiefly your steadiness to assure him that the recollection of mind and tenaciousness, both pre- of French co-operation, which we have eminently British qualities, which enable received in our work, will always be one you to pursue your effort in spite of all of our most precious memories, and I drawbacks, until you have reached the hope we shall go on co-operating in our goal you are aiming at. Besides, you work of Life-saving for many years to never forget that making no headway come. is as bad as losing ground; therefore, you never fail to improve your Life- At the opening of the second day of boats, year after year, so as to make them the Conference, Captain JORGEN SAXILD, matchless life-saving engines. of the Danish Ministry of Marine, before Neither can I help mentioning the reading his paper on the financial indomitable bravery of your Crews under arrangements of the Danish Life-boat all circumstances. I remember one case, Service, made the following speech: almost as old as your Institution, and Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen, with your yet never forgotten in France, when the permission I will take the liberty before crew of the Life-boat of St. Ives, twice I commence the reading of my paper to capsized and yet sticking to their task, say a few words only indirectly con- managed to save the sailors of a French nected with it. schooner stranded on Bar. Before leaving Denmark my people I also would wish to praise very highly, asked me to present the compliments of as it deserves, the liberal spirit with the Danish Life-boat Service to the which you deal with associations similar British Life-boat Service. We are to your own outside Great Britain. You fighting the same enemy, and when we have never made any progress in build- over there stand so well armed for the NOVEMBER, 1924:] THE LIFEBOAT. 183 struggle it is to our British companions j tion we simply cannot find the words, that we have to address our thanks, not Richer and warmer still are the feelings only for what we have learnt, but also in many homes where the activity of the for the gallant proofs of courage and! British Life-boat Service has meant endurance, which have been shining husband, son or brother saved from a examples to us in our work. We have cruel death. Your Institution has not always followed in your track. But we always had an easy task. It has had were slow to start, and not until five difficulties to face, but it has never years after the day when Sir William lacked the right men at the wheel, and H'.llary was brought to his last rest at these men have succeeded in carrying St. George's Cemetery, Isle of Man, did the Institution to such a point of we found our Life-boat Service. Since efficiency that it now stands better then we have carefully watched your armed than ever before to serve the progress. That progress has been set noble task to which it put itself 100 out in your history, now published on years ago. (Cheers.) the occasion of your Centenary, and from this one gets an idea of how During the Conference the following enormous has been the development of telegrams of congratulation were re- your activities. This splendid book not ceived from abroad :— only gives you dry facts about every- " Sincere congratulations on thing relating to the British Life-boat Century. Glad express our goodwill Service. It contains reports more on this occasion.—Officials of Imperial exciting that you can read in the most Japanese Life-boat Institution." thrilling novel, and also tells about " The Humane Society of the tragedies that will bring tears to your 1 eyes. Who will ever forget the account Commonwealth of Massachusetts, of the disaster at Whitby, on 9th Feb- | established in 1785, send to the Eoyal ruary, 1861, when the crew of the Life- j Life-boat Institution their respectful boat, after having saved the men from admiration and congratulations on six wrecked ships, found a heroic death, this the Life-boat's Centennial celebra- not a ship's length from the quay, when tion. trying to save life from a seventh " WILLIAM CALEB LOSING, President." schooner. And who will ever forget the saving of the crew of the Indian Chief, in " We beg you to accept our sin- 1881, by the Eamsgate Life-boat 1 Better cerest congratulations and best wishes men than these to man the Life-boat do on occasion of your century.—Maat- not exist throughout the whole world; schappij tot Redding Van Drenke- and they are the type of the British Life- lingen, founded in 1767. boatman. But all their courage, effici- " Pouw, Chairman. ency and readiness for death would have " VAN EDEN, Secretary." been of little use if they had not had boats they could trust against the " Our heartiest good wishes for powerful surf. And of what use would your Centenary. — German Life-boat it all have been if the Service had not Society." been properly organized so that men and Since the Conference concluded, the boats were ready just at the moment Institution has been presented with the they were needed ? Your Institution Gold Medal of the Spanish Life-boat has performed an enormous task in Society, accompanied by the following procuring this security. It has not only Diploma:—• set at work this tremendous apparatus, but has kept it working for 100 years. " SPANISH LIFE-BOAT SOCIETY. The efficiency and energy that has been (Underthe Patronage of H.M.the Queen.) required cannot be described, it must be left to the imagination. I think, gentle- GOLD MEDAL DIPLOMA men, we have all admired you in silence, awarded to the British Eoya] National and when we now at last have" an Life-boat Institution for the rescue of opportunity of expressing this admira- the crews of all the Spanish vessels 184 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1924. effected by it during the hundred years more or less damaged condition. The which have elapsed since its foundation. Imperial Russian Society, which was founded in 1874, was also a voluntary Madrid, July 20th, 1924. organization, although it received a The President: grant from the State. In this connexion THE DUKE OF T'SEBCLAES. it is of interest to recall that the Central The General Secretary; Life-saving Base of the Soviet Govern- PEDRO DE Novo Y COLSON. ment of Russia approached the Institu- tion in 1921, and was supplied with Since the Conference, the Institution information of the developments made has been approached for help by the in the British Life-boat Service since Latvian Life-saving Society, with its 1914. headquarters at Riga. It is a volun- tary organization, and has taken over The technical papers read at the the Life-boats of the Imperial Eussian Conference, and the discussions which Society. Of nineteen stations which took place on them, are fully reported were maintained by the Russian Society in a separate pamphlet entitled, " Inter- on the 200 miles of the Latvian coast, national Conference on the World's only four now remain, and they are in a Life-boat Service."*

An International Life-boat Organization. AT the International Life-boat Con- With regard to the first point I think ference the proposal was made by Count it is most desirable that every maritime Yoshii, President of the Imperial country in the world should have an Japanese Life-boat Society, that steps organization similar to those repre- should be taken to form an International sented by the members at this Confer- Life-boat Organization. ence. Sea casualties occur on the coasts COUNT YOSHII spoke as follows.: I of every maritime country, and we could suggest that the Conference declare : do much to bring home to those countries (1) That it is desirable to have some which have not a Life-boat Service the organization for saving life from sea necessity of immediately taking up the casualties in all the maritime matter. The very nature of our work countries of the world. is international, and if this Conference (2) That, in order further to improve declares its opinion that all maritime the means and methods of saving countries should have a Life-saving life from sea casualties, an inter- Association, and sends that declaration national association be formed like to the countries concerned, I think the the Red Cross Society, with all the people of those countries would at once Life-boat Institutions or similar organize such an Institution. organizations of each country as its Then as regards the second point, members. This international co- this Conference is already an inter- operation, in this great humane national one. We have such a unique undertaking, will foster better feel- occasion given to us by the British ing and goodwill all over the world, Institution. This is the first, and we and bring peace and happiness to can all see how instructive and how mankind. useful, and almost how necessary, it is (3) That the declarations, resolutions, that we should meet now and then to etc., of the Conference be sent to discuss the questions affecting this Life- the League of Nations at Geneva, saving Service. So with that purpose it the League of Nations Unions of all would be very important to have some countries, and the Governments and the Press Associations, etc., of * Obtainable at Life-boat House, 22, Charing Cross all countries. Boad, W.C.2. Price 18. NOVEMBER, 1924.] THE LIFEBOAT: 185 international association. It would help formed on the lines of the Red Cross to unify the Service in some ways by a Society, with all the National Life- discussion of the system and the methods boat Societies as its members, and of work of all countries. If even in that copies of this resolution be sent certain points we could unify the work to all maritime countries, the headr it would be most valuable. It would quarters of the League of Nations at also be helpful in many other ways. Geneva, and the League of Naiious For instance, if any association discovers Unions of all countries." or invents new means and methods they (The names of the countries in this could be made known to the societies resolution are in the order in which they, of other countries. In this kind of work, respectively, established a Life-boat if we had a central bureau somewhere, Service.) I think it would be very useful and very good for the progress of life-saving. I MR. EDVARD LJTHANDER, representing include in those to be communicated the Swedish Government, seconded the with the League of Nations because this resolution in the following speech : work is essentially a humane work. There lies a lot in the proposal made by The League of Nations is the greatest Count Yoshii. I agree with his desire humane-work bureau of the world, and it to unify—I would not say make uniform would attract]the attention of the world. because it is most necessary that the These are my reasons for submitting individuality of each country and of to the Conference the formation of such each Society should be guided by those an association, and if the Conference conditions under which each one has approves it would, I think, be best to been built up and found suitable to that appoint a committee or ask some particular country. I should not like organization to take up the question, it to be aimed at as being uniform in and to report in, say, one month or six this respect all the world over. But it months' time. It is, however, only a is undoubtedly most desirable that the suggestion. experiences which have been gained by those who are devoting their life to SIE GODFREY BARING, Bt., the Chair- man, said : We have listened with the solving these problems, and that what utmost interest to the speech of Count has been found to be best in one country, should be handed on as knowledge to Yoshii, and it has raised a matter of the other countries. There are sand- first-class international importance. We have ventured to draw up a resolution banks alike, rocks and heavy seas alike, all round the world. What is found in in the hope that it will commend itself one country to be the means of over- to the Conference, and I should like to coming these dangers is bound to be read it, and then to move it, useful to other countries. " That this International Confer- There is one point in the proposal ence on the saving of life-from ship- which makes a special appeal, and that wreck, representing the Life-boat is that the work done by the nations Services of Great Britain, Holland, which already have a system shall be the United States, Denmark, Norway, communicated to those countries which Sweden, France, Spain, and Japan, have not. Personally I believe that desires to urge upon all maritime this proposal for an International Life- countries which have no organized boat Service is a matter on which a real Life-boat Service, the importance of League of Nations could be formed with forming such a Service, both because a practical purpose to the benefit of the of the need for protecting the sea- whole world, and on which, apart from farers and ships which visit or pass all differences and points of view in their shores, and because the countries politics, mankind for once could unite. which already possess such Services I beg, Mr. Chairman, to be allowed to have found in this common task for second the resolution. humanity an enduring link of good- The resolution was carried unani- will and friendship ; that an inter- mously, and copies of it have been sent, national Life-boat organization be to the Ambassador, Minister, or other

F2 186 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1924. chief representative in this country of Copies of the resolution were also sent the following States with a request that to the High Commissioners of the British he should forward it to his Government: Dominions, to the League of Nations Albania, Argentine, Austria, Belgium, Union at Geneva, to the International Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Federation of League of Nations Societies Rica, Cuba, Denmark, Ecuador, at Brussels, with a request that the Esthonia, Finland, France, Germany, Federation would forward it to the Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Italy, individual societies, and to the Under Japan, Latvia, Mexico, The Netherlands, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Nicaragua, Norway, Persia, Peru, Por- with a request that it might be brought tugal, Rumania, Russia, Salvador, officially to the notice of the League Siam, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, The of Nations Council by the British Govern- United States of America, Uruguay, ment, in order to ensure its fullest Venezuela, Yugo-Slavia, possible consideration.

The Belgian Life-boat Society. No invitation had been sent to the been written for us by the Belgian Belgian Life-boat Service to attend the Ministry of Marine. Meanwhile, we are International Conference, because recent very glad to be able to give the. above personal inquiries in Belgium had particulars, and to add to the other unfortunately failed to discover the tributes which the Institution has re- existence of such an organisation, and ceived the following, addressed to because no trace could be found in the the Secretary of the Institution by the records of the Institution (or in The Director-General of the Belgian Service: Lifeboat, which has been published since " I would ask you to believe that I 1852) that we had ever been in com- shall always feel the liveliest satisfaction munication with it, while, on the other in collaborating with those bodies which, hand, the correspondence and inter- like the Royal National Life-boat change of information and official Institution, devote their ceaseless efforts reports with other countries has been to the generous work of saving human carried on almost from the date of the life. It would have been a special establishment of their respective Life- pleasure to me to express to you, on boat Services. As a result of the Con- the recent occasion of the Centenary ference, and the reports of it which of your noble work, the gratitude and appeared in the Press, the Institution is admiration of my fellow-countrymen now in friendly touch with the Belgian in general, and of the Belgian sailors in Ministry of Marine, by which the Life- particular, for the valiant Life-boatmen boat Service in Belgium is maintained. of the British coasts, and of the generous Like the American and Danish, it is a founders and supporters of the Royal State Service. Its fleet consists of nine National Life-boat Institution. The Life-boats of British pattern, two steam expression of these feelings, although tugs, and two motor tugs. In addition, delayed by the want of contact between it is provided with rocket apparatus and our two Services in the past—a contact other life-saving appliances. It has which, like yourself, I should have been 116 Life-boatmen. delighted to maintain, for the mutual We hope, in a later number of The benefit of our common work—is not, Lifeboat, to publish a full account of the believe me, for that reason any less Service, which has, with great courtesy, deep and sincere." NOVEMBER, 1924.] THE LIFEBOAT. 187 The Prince of Wales's Centenary Appeal to the Empire. ST. JAMES'S PALACE, S.W. which we have more right to be proud. May 10th, 1924. We are proud that it was the first in the " THERE is not a country with a sea- world, and has been the example and board whose vessels have not, at some model for all other countries. Most of time during the past century, been all we are proud that it is a voluntary rescued from shipwreck by the British service, provided and maintained, not by Life-boat Service. I would appeal to the State, but by the people themselves. all, to whatever country they belong, to " I appeal to the men and women of remember with gratitude what seafarers our Empire, and, indeed, to all those of their own race owe to British Life-boat who value the practical example of men. heroism and humanity, to give gene- " There is nothing in our long and rously in support of this great service." splendid history as a seafaring race of EDWARD P., President.

Life-boats of Six Countries on the Thames. LIFE-BOATS have already been seen on 12 feet 6 inches by 4 feet, with one the Thames. In the Pageant of the 80 h.p. engine, and a crew of four. Sea Services of the War, which was held HOLLAND. on the Thames, in 1919, with the King The North and South Holland Life- in his Royal Barge at the head, two saving Society: The Twin-screw Motor Life-boats took part, the steam Life-boat Life-boat Brandaris, 60 feet 2 inches by James Stevens No. 3, which is now at 15 feet 7 inches by 4 feet 7 inches, with Holyhead, and the Watson Motor two 45 h.p. engines, and a crew of four. Life-boat Shamrock, which had just been The South Holland Society for Saving built for Baltimore. Last summer the the Shipwrecked. The Steam Life-boat Tenby Motor Life-boat John R. Webb, the Prins der Nederlanden, 55 feet by 16 feet first of the new Watson cabin type, visited by 3 feet 3 inches, with a 250 h.p. engine i the Thames, was inspected by Members and a crew of four. of Parliament off the Terrace of the DENMARK. i House of Commons, and took part in the The Auxiliary Motor Life-boat Anholt meeting of the British Motor-boat Club. Havn, 34 feet by 9 feet 4 inches by 1 foot ': But this year London had such an 6 inches, with a 12 h.p. engine, and a opportunity as it never had before of crew of three. seeing what an intricate and marvellous NORWAY. piece of work a Life-boat is, for six of The Sailing Life-boat, Christian Bb'rs, ' the nine countries taking part in the 46 feet 9 inches by 15 feet 10 inches by i International Conference had Life-boats 7 feet 6 inches, with a crew of four. ] stationed on the Thames. There were SWEDEN. eight Boats in all. Two were British, The Full-sail and Motor Life-boat two were Dutch—one from each of the Life-boat Societies of Holland, while Justus A. Waller, 62 feet by 18 feet by 8 feet, with a 90 h.p. engine, and a crew i France, Denmark, Sweden and Norway of four. _ each sent one. The greater distance FRANCE. i prevented Spain, the United States, and The Twin-screw Motor Life-boat Japan from sending Life-boats, although stationed at Calais, 36 feet by 9 feet 5 they sent delegates to the Conference. inches by 3 feet, with two 10-12 h.p. : These were the Boats:— engines, and a crew of five. GREAT BRITAIN. The numbers of the crews as given is ; The Barnett Twin-screw Motor Life- for the visit to London only, and not for I boat William & Kate Johnston, of New service. Brighton, 60 feet by 15 feet by 4 feet Great Britain, as will have been seen, f 7 inches with two 80 h.p. engines, and was represented by its two latest types a crew of six. of Motor Life-boats; Holland by its The Watson (Cabin) Motor Life-boat, latest and most powerful type of Motor J. W. Archer, of Teesmouth, 45 feet by Life-boat, and by one of the steam Life- 188 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1924. boats from the Hook of Holland, built ion which appeared next day in The | \ by the South Holland Society for Saving Manchester Cfuardian:— the Shipwrecked, on the fines of the " The little international fleet of i Institution's first Steam Life-boat, Duke Life-boats anchored in the river off • of ; France by one of its Temple Steps made a gay picture to-day • latest types of Motor Life-boat, stationed on the dull water and against the heavy at Calais in 1922; Denmark by one of lurtain of cloud. They rode the river ' its light Motor Life-boats, specially built ike gulls come in from stormy waters to be transportable on carriages, and to rest in harbour, but daintier and '. Sweden and Norway by large cruising brighter than any gulls in their holiday Life-boats which patrol the coast to warn rig of flying streamers and new paint. ships of their danger, and accompany The Life-boats had a false air of never thefishin gfleets . laving done a day's work in their lives, The New Brighton Boat came round as they danced, all bright and shining, ; from her station, calling at Fishguard, against-the background of barges and Falmouth, Plymouth, Cowes, and Kams- Warehouses and all the romantic ugliness gate on the way, and the Teesmouth of the south shore. Boat came from Cowes, where she had " There are all types of Life-boats, just finished her trials. All the foreign irom Denmark's crimson Motor-boat, Life-boats, except the Danish, came on little bigger than a ship's Life-boat, to their own bottoms across the sea. the 60 foot long William & Kate The Boats were berthed at East Johnston, of New Brighton, the very Dock, and then came up the Thames to latest thing in the British fleet. There their moorings by the Training Ship are two of our best boats, a couple from President, off the Temple Steps. Here Holland, and one each from Denmark, they took up their position in two lines Sweden, France, and Norway. Life- and dressed over all, rainbow fashion, on boats have never been seen moored at ; the morning of 30th June. In the London's back door before, within a afternoon, Admiral of the Fleet Sir few yards of the indifferent trams, and Doveton Sturdee, Bt., inspected them. there was a great crowd on the Embank- ; He was received on the Embankment, at ment to watch the Admiral paying a the landing stage of the President, by call from Life-boat to Life-boat. I Sir Godfrey Baring, Bt. (Chairman), the "He boarded the sturdy-looking twin i Hon. George Colville (Deputy Chairman) motor-boat from Calais, and chatted j Members of the Committee of Manage- with its well-seasoned skipper, whose | ment, Mr. George F. Shee, M.A. jersey was plastered with medals. The (Secretary), and Captain Rowley, C.B.E., Scandinavian boats, both wooden sailing R.N. (Chief Inspector of Life-boats). ships, the Swedish one with auxiliary There was a crowd of many hundreds motor, were the beauties of the show. along the Embankment, watching the The. snow-white Christian Bars, from ceremony. the Norwegian fjords, cruises in Nor- Admiral Sturdee went round the wegian fishing fields for weeks at a time, " Fleet" in a launch, going on board and the light-blue Swedish boat, painted each Life-boat, on which both the crews the blue of the sky, also leads a roving and the foreign delegates were waiting life instead of the normal peaceful shore to receive him. With him were the existence varied by violent excitement. Chairman and Deputy Chairman, the " The Dutch steam Life-boat, the Secretary and the Chief Inspector famous Prins der Nederland, has saved Members of the Women's Committee many an English sailor from the rough and representatives of the Press then seas round the Hook of Holland. The visited the Life-boats, after which they other Dutch boat, the Brandaris, has a were open to the public, their crews tablet on board recording the gratitude remaining on board while the delegates of the German Government. were taken to see the Institution's " Nothing could be farther from the Storeyard at Poplar. old-fashioned Life-boat picture than the We cannot do better than quote the two brand-new British boats with their description of the Boats and the inspec up-to-date devices. The boat which NOVEMBER, 1924.] THE LIFEBOAT. 189 has come up from the Mersey station Park Steps, where the delegates and has two 90 h.p. engines and has rigged crews landed, and were received by the upon deck a net like the nets which are Mayor and Mayoress of Fulham (Mr. and put under acrobats at the theatre, an Mrs. W. J. Waldron), with whom were arrangement copied from the Dutch, so | the Bishop of London, Sir Henry as to enable sailors on a wreck to jump I Jackson (Mayor of Wandsworth), Colonel straight into the Life-boat. It has a ! K. P. Vaughan Morgan, M.P. for Fulham new B.S.A. Gun which fires a line [East, the Archbishop of Eegina instead of a rocket, and many other i (Canada), and the Bishop of Rangoon. ingenious gadgets, such as a ' wave j The Mayor of Fulham made a speech subduer,' which will squirt twenty I of welcome to the delegates and crews, gallons of oil from the valves on the ! and the Bishop of London spoke of the troubled sea, and a powerful search- Life-boat Services of the world as a light. The J. W. Archer, of Teesmouth, practical example of the spirit of the is the well-equipped infant among League of Nations. The Hon. George British Life-boats, and she and the Colville replied on behalf of the Institu- William & Kate Johnston form an tion and the delegates. After the epitome of Life-boat science." ceremony, which was witnessed by : several thousands of people along the ; During that evening, the following I riverside and on the bridge, the crews ; day, and the morning of the next, the ! of the Life-boats were entertained to ' Boats remained open to the public. tea by the Mayor. The Life-boats then | Crowds lined the Embankment watch- returned to their moorings off the Temple ; ing them, and many went on board. Steps. i On the Wednesday afternoon all the On the following day, the Life-boat i Boats went up the Thames in procession j Fleet dispersed, but the William & to Fulham, with the exception of the Kate Johnston and the Brandaris, the Swedish and the Norwegian, the masts two largest Motor Life-boats in the of which would have had to be un- world, went up first to the House of '• stepped to get under the bridges. All ! Commons, where Captain the Viscount i the delegates were on board, and with [Curzon, E.N.V.R., M.P. (a member of them were the Deputy Chairman and jthe Committee of Management) had other members of the Committee of ] arranged for them to be inspected by i Management, the Secretary, the Chief I Members of Parliament. The Boats | Inspector, and the District Inspectors. Jwere moored alongside the Speaker's The Norwegian and Swedish crews were i Steps, and a number of Members of taken on board the J. W. Archer. [Parliament, including members of the ; The Boats went as far as Bishop's • Government, went on board them. ;

Entertainment of Gold Medallists and Crews. APART from the inspection of the did by loudly cheering them. In enter- Life-boats on the Thames and the visit taining the Gold Medallists in this way to Fulham, everything was done by the the Coliseum was following its very Institution, with much generous help pleasant and generous practice each from others, to give the British and year of inviting to a performance those foreign Life-boatmen a good time while Lifeboatmen who come up to the they were in London. On the first Annual Meeting to receive their decora- night, the seven Gold Medallists attended tions. the performance at the Coliseum, where On the following day the Gold they were the guests of the management. Medallists and the crews of the British They sat in the Royal Box, and during and foreign Life-boats were taken in the the interval were given refreshments in morning to the Houses of Parliament, the Royal Ante-room. A notice was and were shown over them by Captain the also thrown on the screen, telling the Viscount Curzon, C.B.E., R.N.V.R., M.P. audience who they were, and asking it (a member of the Committee of Manage- to welcome them, which the audience ment). 190 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1924. From Westminster, the whole party, We take this opportunity of express- of nearly forty, was taken in a 'bus to the ing the sincere thanks of the Committee British Empire Exhibition, where they of Management to Sir Oswald Stoll, spent the rest of the day, Messrs. Lyons Managing Director of the Coliseum entertaining them at both lunch and Syndicate, and Mr. Arthur Croxton, tea. Manager of the Coliseum; Major Isidore On the following evening the Gold Salmon, C.B.E., M.P., Chairman of Medallists were the guests of the Messrs. Lyons; and Mr. R. H. Gillespie, Institution at the Life-boat Centenary Managing Director of Messrs. Moss Dinner, and the crews of the British and Empires; and Mr. Frank Beer, Manager foreign Life-boats went "to the Hippo- of the Hippodrome, for the generous drome as the guests of the management. help thus given. The Centenary Dinner. A DINNER in celebration of the Institu- BOAT INSTITUTION. I am not quite sure why I have been selected to speak to-night. At tion's Centenary was held at the Hotel first I confess I thought that there might have Cecil, on 2nd July, 1924. H.R.H. the been in the minds of those who were good enough Prince of Wales, K.G. (the Institution's to invite me some sort of idea of the political President) presided, and those present symbolism; I am so often " In distress." numbered 478, among them being There is, for instance, on my right, an old friend of mine (Mr. Winston Churchill) whose Life-boat workers and supporters from function seems to be that of attempting to all over the country. A list of the raise the sea against me, and it sometimes principal guests is given after the appears to me as though the best thing I could report of the speeches. They included do would be to become a great expert in " getting off the rocks " and in " saving the the Prime Minister, the Ambassadors of crew." (Laughter.) But, Your Royal Highness, Spain, Japan and France, the Ministers there is perhaps a more serious and a more real for Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden, reason for my being invited to speak, and it is and Denmark, the representatives of the this : I was born and brought up on the shores of a firth which is frequently lashed into the Life-boat Services of eight foreign wildest furies by north-easterly gales. I have countries, and the seven Gold Medallists. seen again and again the gallant men of the Life-boats in action. In the churchyard where The toast list was as follows :—• our people lie there are long lines of graves, " The King." H.R.H. the Prince of where men lie from all parts of the earth, Wales, K.G., the President of the whose bodies have been washed up on that Institution. shore, and near by them are the bodies of " The Foreign Life-boat Societies, Life-boatmen who, in the course of their glorious work, have lost their lives. The their Life-boatmen, and their Dele- churchyard, the seashore, the rocks in the gates." The Prime Minister. offing, all rise up in my mind to-night, and they Reply by His Excellency the Spanish are associated with the magnificent work of Ambassador (Senor Don A. Merry Del THE ROYAL NATIONAL LITE-BOAT INSTITUTION. I never think of those seas without some Val). memory of that extraordinarily romantic blue "The Royal National Life-boat In- and white boat, with the red stripe on it, stitution and the Life-boatmen of Great surrounded by men in oilskins and life-belts. Britain." The Right Hon. Winston (Cheers.) I have seen them battling with and battled by the waves. I have seen them Spencer Churchill, C.H. go out tossing and rolling, and bringing back Reply by Major H. E. Burton, R.E, men, and not only men, but women, whom they Hon. Superintendent of the Motor have rescued from a stricken ship. To-night Life-boat at Tynemouth. in these circumstances, in this hall, my mind wanders back to those sandy shores, to those "The President of the Institution." wild waves, and to those treacherous rocks The Minister for the Netherlands just out in the offing. (JonkheerR.de Marees van Swinderen). The founder of THE ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE- Reply by the President. BOAT INSTITUTION said in 1823 that he proposed to found an institution which " contemplates The Prime Minister. the rescue of thousands of human beings now The PWME MINISTER : Your Royal Highness, in existence and an incalculable number yet Your Excellencies, my Lords, ladies and unborn from one of the most tremendous of all gentlemen, we have met to-night to celebrate perils. It is a cause which extends from the the centenary of THE EOYAL NATIONAL LIFE- palace to the cottage, in which politics and party NOVEMBER, 1924.] THE LIFEBOAT. 191 cannot have any share, and which addresses fully fascinating character. How well I know itself with equal force to all the best feelings them, and how much I love them 1 Those are of every class in the State." Those are very the men who rescue. fine words, and those words were a wonderful I beg of you all to remember this, that prophecy. Your Royal Highness knows how whilst our sympathies go out to the broken, amply that prophecy has been fulfilled during to the old, to the wretched, whilst we are the past century. It has always been a source willing to help to establish institutions of of great satisfaction to me to feel that Great charity in order that their declining years Britain pioneered the Life-boat movement; may be passed in peace, how much more it would be a great disgrace to this country i) important it is that the strong men, men we had not done so. We are the leading in the prime of their life, men still vigorous, maritime power of the world; our history is in the midst of danger, should be rescued the history of ocean adventure; our position by the heroic efforts of the Life-boatmen! is in the seas and on the seas. The sea is in The sailor has to be rescued, the head of our blood. The waves belong to us, not in the the family, the bread winner, the man to narrow and small-minded sense, but in that whom the wife and child look for assistance. mysterious spiritual way—those wild, restless, So that by rescuing those men we do not rescue dashing waves, sometimes sleeping like a child, only individuals, we rescue homes, and it is presently raving like a wild, untomeable beast, of infinite importance that every care should belong to us, in a sense. We share in their be taken that that should be done. (Cheers.) restlessness, and we belong to them in their I am never quite certain that we imagine adventure. Ill enough would it become us if with sufficient accuracy the extraordinary we had not pioneered in this movement. work the mariner does in the life of the world. (Cheers.) There he is, going or coming, from land to During the last day or two the Life-boat land, across sea after sea, binding us all Institution has been celebrating its Centenary ; together, exchanging the products of the has gathered together representatives of all temperate climes for those of the tropical the nations, with two or three exceptions, where climes, helping us in a thousand and one ways similar institutions exist. We welcome here to enjoy standards of life and comfort that to-night the representatives of the United never could be ours but for the dangers which States of America, Japan, Prance, Spain, he is willing to face. The obligations under Holland, Norway, Sweden and Denmark. which he puts us by his services can never (Cheers.) We regret most sincerely that that be adequately recognized, and there is no old-fashioned and much experienced reason in tetter way of recognizing those services than these days, financial difficulties, has kept away by supporting this Institution. (Cheers.) Portugal and Germany; and I venture to hope There is one thing especially that I should that before long, as I understand these inter- ike to refer to, and that is the international national conferences are to be continued, other character of it all. It is a very providential countries will both have established institutions arrangement that the men who face dangers, such as this, and be able to send their ndependent of language, independent of representatives to London. listory, independent of race, are always drawn Your Royal Highness, I add most sincerely ;ogether by the common danger. The Life- my appeal to the public to respond, with the boatman on shore never asks what flag the ship generosity that the Institution deserves, to its in distress is flying; it is enough for him that appeals. (Loud cheers.) It is a great comfort she is in distress; it is enough for him that to feel that when those storms come there are lis fellow-mariners are in jeopardy; he goes vigilant eyes, there are strong and skilled willingly to their rescue. I venture to hope hands, and there are brave hearts watching ;hat as these Institutions increase in number, for the storm-stressed mariner to aid him and as these conferences become more common, to succour him in his need. Indeed, it is an .hey in their turn will contribute something epic, it is one of those great romances of substantial to that great international under- humanity struggling with the wild elements of standing which all true men and women are nature. I never think of those seas, I never doing their best to create at the present think of the little bodies of fishermen standing moment. (Cheers.) in the sheltered corners of houses watching Your Royal Highness, I have the greatest the waves, waiting for orders, without some- pleasure in giving the toast of the "Foreign thing stirring in my heart that makes me feel Life-boat Societies, their Life-boatmen, and akin to the elements of nature themselves. ;heir delegates," and I couple that toast with And the men who man the Life-boats, the men the name of His Excellency the Spanish who go out, the men who with alacrity launch Ambassador. (Loud applause.) them, as I have seen them, run into the sea after them, jump on board and out over the The Spanish Ambassador. tossing waves —who are they ? Men who live His EXCELLENCY THE SPANISH AMBASSADOR: in little, whitewashed, thatched cottages, who Your Royal Highness, Your Excellencies, Mr. go to sea day by day with their lines and with Prime Minister, my Lords, ladies and gentle- their nets, earning by the sweat of their brow men, whether we row stroke, whether we row a small pittance in order to keep body and soul low, whether we are the cox standing in the together, and to keep a watch over the sea. stern sheets and bossing the whole show, or Out at night, in with the dawning. Those men whether we are just one of a bunch tugging at catch from the circumstances of their lives a an oar, we all have our work cut out; we all strangely powerful personality and a wonder- lave our part in the boat of life, and although 192" THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1924. it is not the same thing as a Life-boat, still in sails in heaven, for what can a man do both cases the whole crew, every man jack of more than lay down his life for his brother ? them, must pull his weight and something Here again Britain, the land of Grace more, that is to say, he must do his level best. Darling, leads the van, but not alone. From Every one must row in time ; he must put the Spain and Britannia's iron-bound shores, general interest before his own, and all must from the fog-enshrouded cliffs and sand dunes keep their weather eye on the coxswain, blow and sand spits of the north, from where the high, blow low, ready to carry out his behest Atlantic rollers crash on the coast year in and in the snuffing of a candle. In other words, year out, from the surf-ridden shores of Africa, discipline must be observed, whatever occurs, of South America, of Asia, of Oceania, they otherwise sooner or later over the gunwale we come at Hillary's call, an ever swelling host. go, and unless there is some friendly hand to (Cheers.) I know a little port on the northern give us board and lodging for three days and coast of Spain, nestling at the foot of an elm- three nights, we sink " full fathom five," down covered hill, where lie a few English graves into Davy Jones' bottomless locker, there to looking out towards the bay. There, as in lie and drown. (Laughter and cheers.) I do Longfellow's smithy, year in and year out not know whether it is this similarity between you can hear the clang of the riveter's hammer, the adventure of every man on the surf of life the thud, of the caulker's mallet. There the and the fortunes of the Life-boat, or whether boats, like greyhounds in a line, dance on every it is the compelling spectacle of human pluck ripple of the waves. There the fishwives' and endurance in one of its highest and most wares are garnered from the sea at the price— splendid forms, that makes the saving of life how often—of men's lives and women's tears. at sea dear to every man and every woman Above them, ensconced in the sea-wall, stands too, who has his or her heart in the right place. the bronze bust of a rude fisherman in his We have the greatest respect, sympathy and simple local seafaring dress, and underneath admiration for the Life-boat, for the Life- is this inscription: "To Father Mari," the boat's crew, and for their parent, THE ROYAL man who spent his life saving the lives of NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION. All of us others, until one day, when the Bay of Biscay here to-night, I make bold to say, from His took its revenge, there was one life he could Royal Highness downwards (and the Prince not save, and that was his own. Again, as has shown us time and again where his heart is) this scene fades before my eyes, I see in the —(cheers)—are delighted to find ourselves here distance the statue which Spain reared to one at the table of THE ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE- of her noblest sons, a negro, whose soul was BOAT INSTITUTION. I, for my part, deem it whiter than the whitest, Victor Rojas, the man one of the greatest honours of my life to respond who saved two hundred lives.* (Cheers.) to the toast which has been so eloquently Ladies and gentlemen, I have mentioned proposed by the Prime Minister. (Cheers.) these Spanish names because I am a Spaniard. When we stop and think that 1824 years of I am happy to see that my country appreciates, Christianity rolled over the world before an as it deserves to be appreciated, THE ROYAL obscure Englishman, obscure no longer, and NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, by sending not a very successful one at that•, had the mind here two distinguished officers of our Royal to visualize the idea, and the courage to carry Navy, a Navy, which I may say in passing, it out—although perhaps it had been practised does much in Spain for the Life-boat Service. individually and spasmodically before ; when Still, every country, whether represented here we remember that before that day ship- or not, could say the same, because in this wrecked fishermen, sailors and passengers, work of rescuing life at sea all the world over were left to their own resources, that is to say, we are but one. Thus is expressed in one of its to chance, and that the ghoulish practices of highest and noblest forms the brotherhood of the wrecker were almost a recognized trade, humanity by the brotherhood of the sea. then must we marvel indeed that the establish- (Cheers.) I trust that this may be the means ment of Life-saving Apparatus and Life-boats, of restoring man again to his natural state, the in some form or other, was not considered a state of peace, the peace of a contented world, paramount duty from the moment that the the peace of action, and the gratitude of one Cross was first planted on the shore of any land. people towards another, the peace and good- To his imperishable glory an Englishman it will of the heart. Even if we are disarmed was, Hillary, who first saw this, one of the something will always be left to fight; we brightest, one of the most beautiful and one shall always have to fight the elements, we of the purest jewels in Britannia's crown; shall always have to fight the sea. (Cheers.) honour to the mother, honour to the son. The foreign Life-boat Societies are proud to (Loud cheers.) But hardly had he given this see themselves here in England to-day. They lead than it was taken up the world over, recognize that Britain went before and gave so that to-day states and peoples vie in the the example ; she was the model; she was the establishment of Life-boat stations, in the first to tread the path when, on 4th March, launching of craft, in the recruiting and drilling 1824, in the London Tavern, the first Life-boat of crews, and a thousand hands stretch forth Society was modestly founded by Sir William not only to give without stint, but, better still, Hillary. We recognize in THE ROYAL to grasp an oar ; and this we owe first and last NATIONAL LITE-BOAT INSTITUTION not only to Sir William Hillary. (Cheers.) the model, but also the helper, the adviser, So loaded are our rolls of honour with names that there are enough to man the * For an account of the life of Victor Rojas, see bright, white, shining fleet which certainly THE LIFEBOAT for June, 192 J. NOVEMBER, 1924.] THE LIFEBOAT. 193 which, by its help and advice, has saved man almost equal expense. Whereas the Life-boat thousands of lives beyond the shores o Institution started with thirty-nine boats, ill Britain. We recognize in the Institution on equipped, ill organized, it now has 230— of Britain's noblest glories, and we turn including forty-four of these great and costly towards that Institution as the object of ou Motor Life-boats—which have been over- greatest admiration, our deepest sympathy whelmingly proved to be the most effective and our warmest affection. (Loud cheers.) means of saving life. It is certainly one of Mr. Prime Minister, I thank you for th the glories of our nation that we have been words you have so kindly addressed to th able to achieve the whole of this immense foreign Life-boat Societies. You may b development, and that there are to-day 4,000 certain that your friendly sentiments ar trained Life-boatmen standing ready round reciprocated by one and all, with the sam the coasts of this Island to go at any moment sincerity and the same kindness with whicl on their errand of duty—simply by the exercise you spoke to us just now. (Applause.) of voluntary efforts and goodwill. That is a great achievement. The Prime Minister has Mr. Winston Churchill. pointed out that as the leading maritime Mr. WINSTON CHURCHILL : Your Roya power, as an island people, this was a matter Highness, Your Excellencies, my Lords, ladies in which we should have taken the lead, and and gentlemen, I have been entrusted with the I join myself with him in a tribute to the duty of proposing the toast of " THE ROYAL spontanity and the gallantry with which this NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION and the idea, of which we are entitled to claim the Life-boatmen of Great Britain," but when '. authorship, has been sustained and responded survey the situation at the present moment to and developed by the great seaboard nations it seems to me that the Prime Minister has saic of the world. (Cheers.) almost all that could be said upon the subject The achievements of the Institution have and that his great and eloquent address has been remarkable. In 100 years 60,000 lives been reinforced by the marvellous exhibition iave been saved from the seas. (Cheers.) I of mastery of the English language (louc am told (though I have not made the calcula- cheers) for which we are indebted to the tion, but I am assured on credible authority) Spanish Ambassador. There are, nevertheless, that that works out at eleven lives a-week. a few gleanings from this wide field. One Cn the War 5,300 people were saved by the looks back to Sir William Hillary. He was a British Life-boats. Friend or foe were brought soldier—like General Seely, who has the Gold x> shore and relieved, and delivered from Medal of the French Republic for saving life danger. No call has been unanswered, and no at sea. (Cheers.) Sir William Hillary was a service has been unnoticed by the Life-boat soldier—like Major Burton, who responds to Institution; rewards and recognition have this toast. (Cheers.) He preached a gospel ighted upon those who have done worthy and which is preached to-day; he practised a courageous service, but a great distinction has gospel which is practised to-day. All his life seen observed. The highest reward of the he was a Life-boatman. At the age of sixty he 'nstitution has only been given in 95 cases still went out in the Life-boat. Three hundred during the whole century—only 87 persona and five persons were saved in Life-boat lave received the Gold Medal. Of those 87 efforts in which he took a personal part, and jersons, only eight are alive, and of those eight, three times he received the Gold Medal of the even have accepted the invitation to our Institution. (Cheers.) >anquet to-night, and of those seven, one, It is a remarkable fact that this great ilajor Burton, is to reply to the toast I have Institution has subsisted for 100 years without he honour to propose. He earned his Gold the slightest financial assistance from the tfedal in the rescue of a third—for the rest State. (Cheers.) All the enthusiasm of my >erished—of the survivors of the hospital ship right honourable friend (the Prime Minister), tohitta, which in October, 1914, was cast away. all the vivid and intimate knowledge which le voyaged in his Life-boat through the storm he at this day possesses of the conditions of or fifty miles before he could reach the wreck, life, may be enlisted by me in further eulogy le pushed out again when he reached the port of the self-reliant spirit of this great Institution. which was in the neighbourhood; for hours It has never taken a penny from public funds, and hours they were at sea, and again and this Institution whose brave volunteers earn again they were nearly capsized by the their living in their own way, and only come nonnous waves which broke over the wreck out when they are called, whose funds are and broke over the Life-boat. Fifty survivors maintained entirely by subscriptions, and were brought safely to shore by him and his whose administration is conducted by Com- Coxswain, Robert Smith, and Major Burton is mittees and Honorary Secretaries who work ttingly chosen to reply to the toast of the :or nothing. Is it not a marvellous achieve- jfe-boatmen. (Cheers.) ment ? (Loud cheers.) We live in a valiant age, an age which, When Sir William Hillary started the Life- Ithough peculiarly a nervous age, nevertheless joat Service a Life-boat cost £149, it now costs as proved capacities of daring, of self-abne- ilO.OOO. The Motor Life-boat, fitted with all ation, self-sacrifice, dauntless defiance to the the apparatus that is necessary, with all that rute powers of nature and of death, which no modern science can bestow on the structure, ormer age has excelled, which we may perhaps costs £10,000, and the slipway and the shed easonably contend no former age has equalled; ind appliances which are required for running ut there is something about the work of saving ler, I am credibly informed, are matters of fe which raises it, in certain aspects, above

F3 194 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1924. aii^ form of peril and

Government .Banquet to the Delegates. ON 1st July His Majesty's Government Hugh Tothill (Admiral Commanding gave a dinner at Lancaster House in Reserves, and a member of the Com- honour of the Delegates to the Con- mittee of Management of the Institu- ference. The Right Hon. Sidney Webb, tion), Captain Sir Herbert Acton Blake, M.P., President of the Board of Trade, K.C.M.G. (Deputy Master of Trinity presided, supported by the Right Hon. House, and a member of the Committee F. W. Jowett, M.P., First Commissioner of Management), Sir Sydney Chapman, of Works, and Mr. A. V. Alexander, K.C.B. (Permanent Secretary to the M.P., Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade), Sir Godfrey Baring, Board of Trade. Among the guests, in Bt. (Chairman of the Committee of Man- addition to the Delegates from the agement), the Hon. George Colville foreign Life-boat Societies, were Sir Alan (Deputy Chairman), and other members Garrett Anderson, K.B.E. (President of of the Committee, Sir Arthur Norman the Chamber of Shipping), Sir Ernest Hill, Bt. (Chairman of the Board of Glover, Bt. (President of the Chamber of Trade Advisory Committee on Merchant Shipping in 1923), Vioe-Admiral Sir Shipping), Mr. G. Hipwood, O.B. (Her- 198 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1924. cantile Marine Department, Board of work without Government assistance. Trade), Captain J. D. Daintree, C.B.E., One of the advantages of voluntary R.N. (Inspector-General of Coast Guard), organization is that it can initiate and Mr. George F. Shee, M.A. (Secretary of experiment, which is very difficult for a the Institution), and Captain Howard Government Department. But there F. J. Rowley, C.B.E., R.N. (Chief In- are drawbacks. It is difficult for a volun- spector of Life-boats). tary association to have continuity— In addition to the toasts of " The but the Institution has managed to do King" and " The Sovereigns of the it. It is another of the drawbacks of Kingdoms and Presidents of the Repub- voluntary associations that they seldom lics Represented," the only toast was manage to be equal to the whole of their " Our Guests," which was proposed by tasks—but here again the Institution Mr. Sidney Webb. In the course of his has succeeded." speech Mr. Webb paid the following tribute to the Institution, which is all The-toast was responded to by Mr. the more interesting when it is remem- P. E. Tegelberg, President of the North bered that Mr. Webb is, and has been and South Holland Life-Saving Society,

Photograph by} [Kamra Prets Studios. THE GOVERNMENT BANQUET AT LANCASTER HOUSE. for many years, one of the most in- who spoke as the representative of the fluential and distinguished intellects in younger brother, though not quite the the Socialist movement:— twin brother, of the Institution, for his " Great Britain happens to be the Society was founded in the same year as oldest in the beneficent enterprise of the British, eight months later. Mr. saving life from the sea, as befits the Tegelberg paid a tribute to the British country which has the largest amount of Service, and acknowledged the readiness shipping, and the largest coastline in which it had always shown to help the proportion to its size, and we have all life-boat Services of other countries. been struck by the enormous increase, Sir Godfrey Baring also replied to the during the past hundred years, in the toast, and Major-General the Right Hon. size of the Institution and the scope of J. E. B. Seeley, C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O., its work. It is one of its glories that it M.P., proposed the health of Mr. Sidney is entirely voluntary, carrying on its Webb. NOVEMBER, 1924.J THE LIFEBOAT. 199 Life-boat Dinner at the Authors' Club. THE first of the Life-boat Centenary was a masterly exposition of the subject, celebrations in London was a dinner at he mentioned the interesting fact that the Authors' Club on 29th January, at his great-grandfather moved one of the which Mr. George F. Shee, M.A., the principal resolutions at the historic Secretary of the Institution, an old mem- meeting held in the City on 4th March, ber of the Club, presided, and at which Sir 1824, which provides the occasion of this Godfrey Baring, Bt., the Chairman of the year's centenary. Mr. George Shee, Committee of Management, was the Secretary of the Institution, made an principal guest. Lloyd's List published excellent Chairman, and among the next day the following account of it:— other speakers were Viscount Curzon, " Nothing could have been more cor- one of the Committee of Management; dial than the welcome given by the Mr. J. R. Barnett, of Glasgow, who is members of the Authors' Club to their responsible for the design of the Institu- principal guest at Monday night's house tion's latest motor-boat; Sir H. Acton dinner, and never did the eloquent ex- Blake, who, as Deputy Master of the ponent of a good cause better deserve Trinity House, had something to say such a welcome; for the subject of the about lightships ; and Mr. Charles Hip- evening's discussion was the Royal wood, of the Marine Department of the National Life-boat Institution, and if Board of Trade, who echoed the pious any man could do justice to such a hope that the Royal National Life-boat theme, that man was assuredly Sir Institution would never become the Godfrey Baring. In his speech, which appanage of a Government Department."

The Help of the Churches. The Presbyterian Church of England and the Society of Friends. IN addition to the numerous thanks- ference, and with the help of the General giving services which were arranged Assembly and the support of their individually by Branches, two Churches, resolution, the 400 Presbyterian churches the Presbyterian Church of England, and of England were asked to give thanks the Society of Friends, gave the Institu- on that day, for the work of the Life- tion the help of their central organiza- boat Service during a hundred years. tion. The Society of Friends, while unable At the meeting of the General Assem- to set aside one Sunday as Life-boat bly of the Presbyterian Church, in May, Sunday, gave the Institution their the following resolution was passed : approval and help in inviting the 400 Meetings of Friends to give thanks for " The Assembly congratulates THEthe work of the Life-boat Service on ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTI- either 2nd March or 9th March, the TUTION on the fine record of valuable Sundays immediately preceding and work which it has achieved on our immediately following the Institution's coast for 100 years, and authorizes a hundredth birthday on 4th March. The special collection to be taken through- Journal of the Society of Friends out the Church on Life-boat Sunday, also published an appeal in February in celebration of the Centenary of the " heartily commending to Friends that Institution." one Sunday might be set apart for re- It was decided to make 29th June membrance of the work of our Life-boat Life-boat Sunday in the Presbyterian organization, and for some practical Churches, as being the Sunday imme- recognition of our appreciation of and diately preceding the International Con- indebtedness to the Life-boat Service." 200 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1924.

Journey up the Thames of the Teesmouth Motor Life-boat. ON the day on which the International never before given except to Eoyalty, Life-boat display on the Thames finished, was granted in honour of " such a and the foreign Life-boats went down I special event and so magnificent a the river and out to sea, the Teesmouth cause." Motor Life-boat started on a six weeks' At Shiplake, where the Boat arrived cruise up the Thames. She was in on 16th July, in heavy rain, a Life-boat charge of an officer with a crew consist- Day was held in connexion' with her ing of a coxswain, a motor mechanic, and visit, and over £40 was raised. On her two men. She went as far as Oxford, a return journey she reached Henley on distance of 113 miles, and among the August 8th, where she was received by

Photograph by} [R. Clement, Maidenhead. THE TEESMOUTH LIFE-BOAT AT. MAIDENHEAD. other places where she stopped were Admiral Sir Martyn Jerram, G.C.M.Gr. Richmond, Kingston, Maidenhead, (a member of the Committee of Manage- Windsor, Staines, Weybridge, Shepper- ment and chairman of the recently- ton, Henley, Wallingford, Pangbourne, formed Henley and District Branch), Great Marlow, and Reading. Alto- the Mayor of Henley (Vice-Chairman), gether, nearly forty different places the members of the Committee and were visited, and a number of collections representatives from many places in were made, the largest sums being the district. The following day the received from Kingston, Maidenhead Town and Visitors' Regatta took place; and Reading. the Life-boat made several trips with At Oxford, the Boat remained for passengers on board, and the day was three days, making a trip one day to held as Life-boat Day, nearly £90 being Iffiey. The Vice-Chancellor of the raised. University (Mr. J. Wells) and the Mayor The navigation of so large a boat on of Oxford visited the Boat together on the Thames was no easy matter, and on the first day, the Dean of Christ Church account of the wash which she made, allowing the car which took them and the inconvenience of it to small and other visitors to the river to go boats and punts, she could only go very down the New Walk. This privilege, slowly. Often she simply drifted, with NOVEMBEB, 1924.] THE LIFEBOAT. 201 two or three occasional revolutions given fifty, so the officer in command reported, to the engine. knew the Boat to be a Life-boat, and There are dangers for a Life-boat even one lady thought she was the Royal in the quiet waters of the Thames. Barge. A small child was overheard to While she lay at Walton, and the crew ask her mother what the Boat was. She were on shore for breakfast, about was told, a Life-boat. " What is a 18 inches of water was let out of the Life-boat for ? " " For saving lives." reach, and the crew returned to find the " Why should they save lives ? " boat aground. A rope was made fast To many on the Thames who evidently

Photograph by] \OxJard Journal. THE TEESMOUTH BOAT AT OXFORD. On board are the Mayor, the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Miss Alice Marshall (Hon. Secretary) and the Rev. Mansell Merry (Hon. Treasurer). to a tree on the opposite bank and knew nothing of the sea, let alone the brought to the capstan, but all efforts Life-boat Service, the visit of this failed to move her, and in the end the " queer-looking boat " will have brought officer in command went down to the some knowledge. We hope, too, that it next lock by taxi, three miles away, and will have awakened a permanent interest got the lock-keeper to shut down some in what is going on round our coasts, in of the weirs. The river rose, and in an their many dangers, and in the work of hour the Life-boat was afloat. the Life-boat service. Many thousands saw the Boat passing As an example of the value of the tour, up and down the river, and many a gentleman who visited the Boat at hundreds visited her. They had never Iffiey, and who had previously informed seen such a queer craft on the river before, the Institution that he intended to l^ave and it was astonishing how many there it £1,000 in his will, was so impressed that were, living on the lower reaches of the he has decided to increase the legacy, and Thames, who had never seen the sea and hopes, should he live long enough, to leave had no idea what it was like. Not one in a sum sufficient to build a Motor Life-boat. 202 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBEK, 1924.

Life-boat House, Wembley. THE Institution took advantage of the Hillary, Bt., and Mr. Thomas Wilson, fortunate coincidence that the British M.P., its founder and first Chairman; Empire Exhibition has been held in its its collection of paintings of Life-boat Centenary Year, to erect its own house scenes ; a moving picture machine with in the. Exhibition grounds. Life-boat a series of coloured pictures, showing a House, Wembley, was very appro- number of Life-boat Stations, different priately placed (when one remembers types of Life-boats, different types of that the Institution was founded in the Life-boat houses, the different methods

LIFE-BOAT HOUSE, WEMBLEY. (Exterior.) City of London), just at the corner of of launching, and famous Coxswains ; a old London Bridge, looking across the scenic model of the service to the gardens to Government Building. Here hospital ship Rohilla at the beginning of was got together as complete an exhibi- the war; a working model showing how tion of Life-boat work as possible, a Life-boat is launched down a slipway ; certainly more complete than has another working model showing a Life- appeared in any previous exhibition. boat taking men off a wreck by means of There were models, some lent by the a breeches buoy, and yet another showing Science Museum, at South Kensington, a Life-boat launched to a steamer in but the majority the Institution's own, distress, the sinking of the steamer, just showing the development of the Life- after the Life-boat reaches her and takes boat, from Wouldhave and Greathead's off the crew, and the Life-boat's return. Original, built in 1789, to the latest type There were wax figures of Life-boat- of Cabin Motor Life-boat. There were men dressed in oilskins and belts, one of the Institution's portraits of Sir William the Institution's D. E. engines, which, NOVEMBER, 1924.] THE LIFEBOAT. 203 for the purpose of the Exhibition, was seen one at close quarters. Many were opened out and made to work by elec- the strange questions asked, and^the tricity ; a line-throwing gun, acetylene strange comments made. and electric searchlights, blocks, different A foreigner, who spoke good English, kinds of ropes, and a pillar of wood, which when he saw the Boat said " What is showed the exact proportions of the it ? " He was told, " a Lifeboat." different kinds of wood—oak, rock-elm, " And what," he said, " is that ? " But Honduras mahogany, teak, Christiania most of the questions were with regard fir, and Norway spars (fir)—used in the to details. None of the others showed construction of a Life-boat. i quite so complete an ignorance. One Finally, in the centre of the house, was old gentleman, seeing the name Grace

LIFE-BOAT HOUSE, WEMBLEY. (Interior.) one of the Institution's latest types of Darling on the bows of the Boat, asked Motor Life-boat—the Watson cabin. if this really was the Boat in which This boat had been specially built for had gone out to the the Exhibition, and is to be stationed . He had always thought at Margate. The Boat was open to that it was quite a small boat. visitors, who were able to walk round The water barricoes, perhaps, caused her deck, see the cabin and engine-room, more confusion than anything else. and inspect the many details of the They were mistaken for various things, equipment of a modern Life-boat. including buoys, life-buoys, fenders and During the six months of the Exhibi- hot-water bottles ! tion something like three-quarters of a A Visitors' Book was kept, and among million people have been over the Boat. the countries beyond the British Isles The majority of them, even if they which were represented in it were Aus- had seen Life-boats, had, of course, tralia, Canada, New Zealand, South never been on board one before, nor Africa, India, Malta, Nigeria, the Gold 204 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1924. Coast, Bermuda, the United States, of Life-boatmen, motor mascots in the France, Italy, Sweden, Finland, Bel- form of life-boatmen, and ash trays with gium, Norway, Switzerland, Portugal, a Life-boatman in the centre. Of these Holland, Spain, China and Japan. souvenirs, in all 11,758 were sold. Not Besides the distribution of literature only did they bring a substantial —leaflets and a short illustrated history contribution to the Institution's of the Service—a number of Life-boat funds, but—more important still— Souvenirs were on sale—metal pin- thousands of houses have, in these cushions, in the form of a Life-boat, souvenirs, daily reminders of the Life- small figures of Life-boatmen, statuettes boat Service.

In Honour of Lionel Lukin. THOUGH the honour of designing and , sea-blood in his veins, being descended building the first Life-boat to be per- from Lionel Lane, one of Blake's manently stationed on our coasts belongs captains. He was born at Dunmow, to William Wouldhave, of South Shields, Essex, in 1742, and was an old man, but and Henry Greathead, and the initiative still with ten years of life before him, of establishing the first Life-boat Station when the Institution was founded, the and getting the first Boat built belongs only one then alive of those who had primarily to Mr. Fairies and Mr. Roch- been concerned in the first Life-boat wood, of South Shields, Lionel Lukin, experiments, nearly forty years earlier. the coachbuilder of London, was the His letter of congratulation to the first Englishman to devote his energies Chairman is still preserved by the systematically to the work of devising Institution. means for increasing the stability and It is right that Lukin's name should be buoyancy of small boats. He was think- remembered with honour in the Cen- ing of all small boats, and not of a tenary Year of the Life-boat Service, special boat for life-saving, but one of his and a special service in memory of him " immersible " boats, as he called them, was held at Little Dunmow Church. was actually the first Life-boat on the " You will like to know," so wrote the 'British coasts. It was a coble, which he Vicar on 4th March, " that yesterday in converted in 1786; and for some years it the ancient Priory Church of Little was used at , on the Northum- Dunmow, Lionel Lukin's birthplace, brian coast, for saving life from ship- special commemorative services were wreck. Though a coachbuilder by held, and thanks duly rendered to profession, and Master of the Coach- Almighty God for the village-boy's builders' Company, Lionel Lukin had invention."

The National Service for Seafarers. THE National Service for Seafarers, century of work, and the Life-boat which is held each autumn, in St. crews were represented, by the Cox- Paul's Cathedral, took place on 15th swain or Second Coxswain, and a October. member of the crew of five of the At this Service the Institution is, of Stations which are nearest London— course, always represented, but this being Southend, Margate, Ramsgate, Deal, the Centenary Year, the Institution was Folkestone and Worthing. represented in a very special way. The Among them were two Silver Medal- Chairman, the Deputy-Chairman and lists : Coxswain Read, of Ramsgate; eleven members of the Committee of and Coxswain Clayson, of Margate. Management, the Secretary and members The Life-boats of these five Stations of the Institution's staff, all attended to have rescued from shipwreck nearly give thanks for the completion of a 3,000 lives. NOVEMBER, 1924.] THE LIFEBOAT. 205

Century Life-boat Day in London. CENTURY Life-boat Day was held on year in succession that he has helped on 20th May, in nearly eighty of the main London Life-boat Day, and, once again, boroughs and urban districts of Greater he collected in his diving dress. London, and the Institution had the In Acton, Chelsea, Paddington, Dept- generous help of both the Duke and ford, Fulham, Greenwich, Shoreditch, Duchess of York and of the Princess j Woolwich, Stepney, Islington, Bermond- Louise, Duchess of Argyll, Patron of sey, Lambeth, Wandsworth, Baling, the Ladies' Life-boat Guild. Last year, Richmond and Stoke Newington, the on Prince of Wales' Day for the Life- appeal was either directly organized by

Photograph by] . [Sport and General. CENTURY LIFE-BOAT DAY: THE COXSWAINS OF WALTON-ON-THE-NAZE AND RAMSGATE COLLECTING IN TRAFALGAR SQUARE. boats, the Prince drove round the the Mayor or Mayoress, or with their East End and South London, visiting active help, and in the West End the the chief dep6ts. This year the Duke theatrical companies appearing at Daly's, and Duchess of York made a tour of the Strand, and the Hippodrome had Kensington, Fulham, the City, and the depots outside their theatres. Among West End, and this year, as last, the the many who helped as organizers or Princess Louise visited the depots in collectors were:—Lady Baring, The Kensington. Dowager Lady Queensberry, The Lady In the City the appeal was organized Florence Pery, The Lady Brownlow, by the Duchess of Norfolk, President of Lady Fisher, The Dowager Lady Raglan, the Ladies' Life-boat Guild, helped by The Hon. Mrs. Seely, Lady Struthers, Mrs. Alington. Among those who col- Mrs. Austin Farleigh, Lady White, Miss lected in the City was Captain Lawson Silvester and Mrs. Cecil Harmsworth. Smith, the diver. This is the second In view of the fact that it was the 206 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBEE, 1924. Centenary Year of the Institution, the the gallant but unsuccessful attempts of First Commissioner of Works gave the Ramsgate Boat to rescue the crew special permission for Life-boats to be of the s.s. Sibiria, of New York—ulti- stationed in public places. Two were mately rescued by the North Deal Life- in Trafalgar Square, one at Finchley, and boat—which was wrecked on the Good- one at Brixton, and on board each boat win Sands in one of the heaviest gales was a Coxswain from a South Coast ever experienced on that stormy coast. Station—all four men with long and The Day raised a sum of £5,675. distinguished records in the Service. At This includes the result of the day at Brixton was Coxswain W. Blann, of Kingston-on-Thames, which took place Worthing, who has served in the on 20th September, and is a slight

Photograph by] [L.N.A. Photos. CENTURY LIFE-BOAT DAY IN LONDON: THE DUCHESS OF NORFOLK AND SOME OF HER HELPERS IN THE CITY. Worthing Boat for thirty years. At increase on the amount collected in Finchley was Coxswain W. Hammond, of the streets on Prince of Wales' Day Walton-on-the-Naze, who was awarded last year ; but a much larger number of the Silver Medal of the Institution during people contributed, for while the total the War when, in December 1917, the was nearly the same, there was a much Walton Life-boat rescued ninety-two greater proportion of copper and small lives from the s.s. Peregrine, of London. silver coins. This interesting fact has Both the Coxswains in Trafalgar been noticeable not in London only, and Square were also Silver Medallists. not only this year. The public support Coxswain Clayson, of Margate, who won on which the Institution is based is the Medal in 1905 for rescuing the crew wider than ever. There have never before of a ketch wrecked in a whole gale been so many contributing to its funds, twenty-three miles away, and Coxswain but everywhere the effect of post-war T. W. Read, of Ramsgate, who won his conditions is noticeable in smaller con- medal as Second Coxswain in 1916, for tributions. NOVEMBER, 1924.] THE LIFEBOAT. 207

The Ladies' Life-boat Guild. H.R.H. the Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll, Patron. AT the end of 1923, H.R.H. the Princess father, husband, brother or son almost Louise, Duchess of Argyll, who had in every family of our nation associated already shown her personal interest in with the sea ? It is close and it is the Life-boat Service by becoming Pre- perilous. sident of the Kensington Branch on its " We can indeed be proud to know formation in 1922, accepted the invita- that our women often take an active part tion of the Committee of Management in the actual work of the launching of to become Patron of the Ladies' Life- Life-boats. We are rather used to boat Guild. At the same time the thinking of the Life-boat Service as Duchess of Portland, who had been the being the province of men, and it is Guild's President since its formation in delightful to realize that we can be of 1921, and taken a most kind and active such practical use. part in its work, became Vice-Patron, " It is with sincere pleasure and deep the Duchess of Norfolk accepted the appreciation that I recognize the great Presidency, and the Marchioness of Mil- work which our women have done, and ford Haven the Vice-Presidency. In can do, for this great cause, and I know spite of the many other claims on them, that their interest and devotion to this both the Patron and the President took splendid Institution will never flag." an active part in Centenary Life-boat Up to the present no attempt has been Day in London, of which an account is made to give the Guild any central given elsewhere in this issue, and the organization. While there has been a Princess Louise had already taken the President of the whole Guild, each earliest opportunity to become person- Branch has formed its own Guild, elect- ally acquainted with Life-boat workers ing its own President and officers. This by attending the Conference of Life-boat autonomous arrangement has worked so workers of London and the South- well, and is so fully in accord with the Eastern District—one of the Conferences, whole spirit of the Institution's work, preliminary to the Centenary celebra- that the Committee of Management tions, held at a dozen of the chief centres consider that it should be permanent. of Life-boat work—which took place in At the same time they feel that the work London on 22nd November, 1923. At of the Guild would be strengthened, and this Conference the Princess made the the feeling of co-operation between Life- following speech :— boat workers increased, if there were a " I have the greatest pleasure in meet- General Council of the Guild, in addition ing so many of the ladies who are work- to the present Women's Committee in ing for the Ladies' Guild of THE ROYAL London and the local Guild Committees NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, one throughout the country. It has there- of the finest, I might say the finest, fore been decided to form a General Institutions which exist. I am indeed Council of the Ladies' Life-boat Guild, proud to meet so many workers and to and to elect to it the principal Guild know that I am personally identified workers of the Branches. with them, for I have had the great The Ladies' Life-boat Guild has pleasure and distinction of being nomi- already proved of great value as a means nated as Patron of the Ladies' Life-boat of bringing together in a spirit of en- Guild, an honour, I assure you, of which thusiastic service to the Life-boat cause I am deeply sensible. the thousands of women of all classes " No Institution has the same common who have so generously devoted their interest. Its aims are the same to all time, energies and talents to the work nations, all creeds, to all, no matter in of the Institution during the past what station of life they may be. No century, and especially during the last Institution can go nearer the hearts of twenty years. Everywhere there' are our women with more penetrating signs that the Guild is taking root and interest, love and sympathy. Are not flourishing, so that an ever-increasing 203 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1924. number of women are becoming linked the Princess Louise, and of the Duchess to a Service in which their sisters have of Portland, the Duchess of North- many a time rendered actual personal umberland and the Marchioness of help by acting as Launchers of the Boats Milford Haven, the Guild will steadily in which their husbands, brothers or increase both in numbers and in influence sons have gone forth on their errand of and thus carry the ideals of the Life- mercy. The Committee of Management boat Service and its claims on our feel confident that under the distin- fellow-countrymen and women into guished leadership of its Royal Patron, ever-widening circles.

Life-boat in the Lord Mayor's Show. THE Institution was represented in the the self-righting type, 54 feet by 8 feet Lord Mayor's Show, on 10th November, 6 inches, mounted on a launching car- by a Life-boat and crew drawn by a riage, manned by Coxswain Read (a

Photograph by] [Central Newt. LIFE-BOAT IN THE LORD MAYOR'S SHOW PASSING ST. PAUL'S. tractor. The description as it appeared Silver Medallist of the Institution) and in the programme of the show was :—• twelve men of the Ramsgate crew, and " The Ellen & Margaret of Seattle drawn by a 35 h.p. motor caterpillar Life-boat, at one time at the Hornsea tractor, as used for launching Life-boats Station, and now a reserve Life-boat, of on flat sandy beaches." ^holograph by\ [Keystone View Co. ADMIRAL OF THE FLEET, SIR DOVETON STURDEE, BT., ON BOARD THE FRENCH LIFE-BOAT.

Photograph by] [Central Press. LIFE-BOATS GOING UP THE THAMES TO FULHAM. THE LIFE-BOAT CENTENARY PINNER AT THE HOTEL CECIL,

\-\ :\ .-.=rc,,i .. i I."] I i<"iT"l'[ ("] if l'i\( V'i i W.'.l.. T '' " ". ' 'i ' '"' lUI « I ••!" K.:mi'' i .-, •, .'-, >., \ :, i, A,:,I ,!...• ii ;; i!,,. i " i;.,;.,.i' '\ , ,11,.-, R . - IfTt -ir.-. . I he t>r; Pi , !, - t Will i.»< <-"! <-'•-*<'* <>- M' -: l!, './o"'L/l'. KM.KM ,T V.'r >i!',,i!"'.%!'''.\l .^'-' i'i.'l'.'V, -nn^^siMer' Photograph by] [L.N.A. Photos THE INTERNATIONAL LIFE-BOAT FLEET ON THE THAMES.

Photograph by] [Central News THE DUTCH "BRANDARIS" AND THE ENGLISH "WILLIAM & KATE JOHNSTON," LYING AT THE SPEAKER'S STEPS.

NOVEMBEB, 1924.] THE LIFEBOAT. 209 given in the course of the evening. The St. Albans. total result of the Day was £413, or a St. Albans made a very special effort trifle over 3fd. a head of the entire to make Century Life-boat Day, which population. was held on 19th July, an outstanding success. A Life-boat was stationed in the Market Square during the forenoon, Other Celebrations in Greater and it toured the outer areas of the city London. during the afternoon and evening. In connexion with the Day, a Query Ashford held a Concert. Election was organized, in which the Barnes held a series of Dances, which nominators of candidates had to pay a were a great success. East Sheen held small fee for their nomination, and a Dance, and a Dance was organized at those who voted for a candidate had to Erith by the local sea scouts. pay a penny for each vote recorded. Greenwich held a Whist Drive and This election, for which there were Dance, at which H.R.H. Prince George several prizes, turned out to be a very presented the prizes. great success, and produced over £200. Appeals to the churches were made at Besides this, Lady Grimston, the Presi- Dulwich and Hounslow, and at Houns- dent of the Branch, organized a stall in low a Dance was also held. the Market, where garden produce was Hendon and Kingston had Garden sold just as on other stalls. A The Fetes; the fete at Kingston being opened Dansant was held in the Town Hall, a by the Bishop. theatrical performance was given, which At Highgate, the North London consisted of the trial of a leading Group of the British Drama League councillor on a charge of sedition, and gave a performance of " Twelfth Night." a special paper, called " The Life-boat Whist Drives were held at Surbiton News," was published and sold during and Woodford; and Chingford held an the afternoon. Another Dance was open-air Whist and Bridge Drive.

Foreign Decorations for British Life-boatmen.

Longhope ends, with a destroyer standing by her. IN Kirkwall Town Hall, in the Orkneys, Fifteen of the crew hadalready attempted on 22nd July, with the Provost in the to make for land in the ship's boat, chair, Captain J. D. Daintree, C.B.E., but she had capsized and six of the men R.N. (Inspector-General of Coast Guard), were drowned, nine being rescued by the presented to Second Coxswain W. destroyer. The remaining eight of the Mowat and the Crew of the Longhope crew were still on board and were taken Life-boat inscribed Silver Cups of off by the Life-boat. Honour, which had been awarded them After the presentation of the cups, the by the King of Sweden and the Swedish Rev. L. C. D. Douglas, Chairman of the Government, in recognition of their Branch, presented a Barometer to courage and seamanship in rescuing the Coxswain Swanson, from the members of master and seven members of the crew the Committee, to mark their apprecia- of the s.s. Citos, of Helsingborg, on 12th tion of his forty years of service with the September, 1923. The Citos had lost Longhope Life-boat, and their great her propeller, and was helpless in a whole regret that he did not share in the west gale with a very heavy sea, drifting honour which the Swedish King and towards a dangerous reef which she Government had conferred on his Crew. actually touched. When the Life-boat He had been asked by the District arrived she found the vessel on her beam Inspector of Life-boats if he would like 210 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1924.

Photograph by] [Gibson, Penzance. THE LAUNCH OF THE LIFE-BOAT AT THE LIZARD TO THE S.S. " BARDIC."

Photograph by] [Gibson, Penzance. THE LIFE-BOAT RETURNING FROM THE "BARDIC." NOVEMBER, 1924.] THE LIFEBOAT. 211 to accompany him to Stromness in the when the gale was at its height, an New Brighton Motor Life-boat, then Italian steamer, the Val Salice, ran on on her tour round the British Isles and the Goodwins. The Deal Life-boat was was away on this Boat on the day of launched at ten at night, and reached the service to the Citos. the steamer at midnight. There were blinding rain storms, and the seas were North Deal. so tremendous that at times the Life- At Deal Town Hall, on 9th August, in boat was lifted as high as the steamer's the presence of a large gathering, Mr. mastheads. Yet the whole crew of thirty Arthur J. Matthews, J.P., Chairman of were got safely into the Life-boat and the Branch, presiding, Captain Gr. A. brought ashore. It was described at the Raineri-Biscia, Naval Attache to the time as a rescue " little short of miracu- Italian Embassy, presented the Italian lous." Silver Medal for bravery at sea, to ex- In making the presentation, Captain Coxswain William Adams, and the Biscia said that his Government had Bronze Medal to each of the fourteen asked him to express its heartfelt members of the North Deal crew, who appreciation of the services of the Royal took part in the service to the Italian National Life-boat Institution, and its steamer Val Salice, in November, 1916. gratitude to the Life-boatmen of Deal, These medals had been conferred on who, by saving these Italian lives had Coxswain Adams and his crew by the added another link to the golden chain Superior Council of the Italian Navy. of friendship which had long connected Great Britain and Italy. On 17th November, 1916, a terrible Altogether since 1873, on sixty-eight gale sprang up on the Kentish coast, occasions decorations or special records which lasted for four days, with moun- of thanks have been received by our tainous seas breaking on the Goodwin Life-boat crews from foreign Govern- Sands. On the evening of the third day, ments or Life-Saving Societies.

Ninety-three Lives Rescued from a White Star Vessel. About 1.30 in the morning of 31st Captain, officers, and engine-room staff, August, in very thick weather, with a reaching shore again at 10.45 in the moderate sea, the White Star cargo morning. The whole of the crew of vessel, the Bardic, of 7,000 tons, ran on ninety-three had been brought safely the Maenheck Rock, about half a mile ashore. south-west of the Life-boat Station at This part of the coast is unlucky The Lizard. The vessel was going at for the White Star line. The Bardic half-speed at the time, but when she went ashore only a few hundred yards struck she was so badly holed that the from the spot where, in March 1907, the stoke-hold and engine-room were flooded. Life-boats of the Institution took off She sent out a wireless SOS, and fired 456 persons from the stranded White rockets of distress, which were seen Star liner Suevic. ashore, and at 2.10 the Lizard Motor Life-boat was launched. When she The thanks of the White Star Line reached the Bardic, two of the ship's were sent in the following letter, signed boats had been launched and were by Colonel Concanon, one of the Joint alongside her with part of the crew on Managers, to the Hon. Secretary of the board. A member of the Life-boat's Station at The Lizard :— crew was put on board each of these " Captain Graeme, the commander of boats, and the Life-boat piloted them the Bardic, has written to us an account into Polfoar Cove. The Life-boat then of the valuable assistance given to him returned to the vessel, and took off the on the night of 31st August by the 212 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1924.

Lizard Life-boat, whereby the crew were heroic way. He was in the express landed and, later, the Life-boat placed train from Liverpool to Lytham and at the commander's disposal to enable Blackpool, which was wrecked at Moss communication to be maintained with Side on 3rd November. Commander the steamer. We feel that the prompt Graeme was very severely injured, action taken, which was in keeping with both his feet being nearly cut off, but the highest tradition of the Life-boat he refused all aid until the other Service, was the means of removing any injured had been attended to. All he possibility of a disaster of greater magni- asked for was a cup of tea, and to be tude, and we desire, on behalf of the remembered to his people in Blackpool. White Star Line and Commander Six hours later he died in Lytham Graeme, to tender to you and to all con- Hospital, after having one foot ampu- cerned our thanks for services so efficiently rendered." tated. One of the witnesses of the Only two months after this mis- scene at Moss Side said afterwards, " If fortune, Commander Graeme met his ever there was a brave man, that man death on land in a tragic but most was Commander Graeme."

Silver Medal for a Shore-boat Case. ON 30th May, at Whitby, five boys, He then swam out to the second boy> from eight to seventeen years of age, brought him in, and swam out for the were coming into the harbour, just before third time to the last boy, the youngest, seven in the evening, in a small pleasure who by this time was nearly dro ned. boat. There was a light breeze blowing He brought him also safely to the pier, and the sea was smooth, but there was a and then got hold of a line which had swell on the Bar. As she was crossing been lowered to him. Twisting this the Bar the boat put her nose under, round his arm he held up the three boys, began to fill, and then turned over, all the who, but for his help would have been boys being thrown into the water from swept off by the waves, until help should 10 to 15 yards from the end of the Old come. The men on the pier meanwhile West Pier End. John William Storry, a had signalled to a fishing coble which fisherman, and three other men •were was -working off the West Beach, and a on the pier at the time. Mr. Storry at quarter of an hour later it crossed the once climbed down the pier side and, from Bar and reached the pier. Mr. Storry 20 feet above the water, jumped in, fully and the boys were taken on board and dressed. Two of the boys were able to brought to shore. Mr. Storry was not swim, and safely reached the pier-side, only exhausted, but he had sprained the where they held on to life-buoys fastened muscles of the arm which had held on to to ropes which the three men had thrown the rope. He had carried out the rescue to them. Mr. Storry meanwhile struck at great risk to himself, and but for his out for the other three who were prompt heroism there is no doubt that struggling in the water, being unable to the three boys would have been drowned. hold on to the upturned boat as it had no keel. He got one boy in his In recognition of this very gallant arms, and swam back with him to the rescue the Institution has awarded him pier, where he left him clinging to a ledge. its Silver Medal. NOVEMBER, 1924] THE LIFEBOAT. 213

Heroic Women of Boulmer. ON the morning of 24th March, a very the Boat was launched, but two of the cold morning, with a heavy sea running, women had to be carried home, over- the Boulmer Life-boat was launched to come with cold and exhaustion. The stand by seven returning fishing boats of Life-boat arrived off Craster to find that Craster, which, owing to the heavy seas two of the seven fishing boats had made breaking right across the Bar, would find the harbour, and four more were being it very dangerous to make their harbour. helped to land in Embleton Bay by Many of the Boulmer men were out in people ashore with ropes. The seventh. their boats, and the ex-Coxswain took had made a desperate effort to get across charge of the launch. With the sea the Bar, but had been forced to put out breaking, and the spring ebb tide nearly to sea again. This boat was ultimately at low water, the launching of the Boat got safely into Boulmer, the Life-boat was extremely difficult. The crew and all the women that Boulmer could mus- taking her in tow at the most difficult ter went into the mud up to their knees, place. Besides special awards, a Letter and many of them into the water up to of Thanks was sent to the men and their waists. By their courageous efforts women of Boulmer.

Launching Ceremonies of New Motor Life-boats. Scarborough, Bomber (Spurn Point), Hartlepool, Selsey and Bognor, Sennen Cove, New Brighton. DURING the summer of this year the 4. The Selsey and Bognor Boat, of the launching ceremonies have taken place self-righting type (40 feet by 10 feet of six Motor Life-boats. 6 inches, with a 45 h.p. engine), built 1. The Humber (Spurn Point) Boat, of out of a legacy from the late Mr. W. H. the Watson type (45 feet by 12 feet Clarke, of London, and named Jane 6 inches, with an 80 h.p. engine), built Holland. out of a special fund of £10,000 raised by 5. The Sennen Cove (Land's End) Boat the Institution's friends in Bradford, of the self-righting type (40 feet by and named City of Bradford. This is the 10 feet 6 inches, with a 45 h.p. engine), fourth Life-boat to be built out of special built and endowed out of a legacy from funds raised in Bradford, and the fifth the late Mr. R. A. Newbon, of Islington, to bear the city's name. The other four, commemorating Ann, Betsy, Lucy of which the last was built out of the and Nancy Newbon, and named The general funds of the Institution and Newborn. named City of Bradford in recognition of 6. The New Brighton Boat, the first of the city's generosity, were stationed at the Barnett twin-screw type (60 feet by Ramsgate. 15 feet, with two 80 h.p. engines), built 2. The Scarborough Boat, of the new out of a gift from Mr. W. .Stewart light type of self-righting Motor Life- Johnston, and his sister, Mrs. W. H. boat, designed for launching from a Kendall, of Liverpool, the balance being carriage (35 feet by 8 feet 9 inches, with defrayed from the special Motor Life- a 35 h.p. engine), built out of a gift from boat Fund raised by the Chairman and Mr. Alexander 0. Joy, of London, in Committee and the Ladies' Life-boat memory of his brother who was drowned Guild of the Port of Liverpool Branch, at Scarborough, and named Herbert Joy. and the citizens of Liverpool, and named 3. The Hartlepool Boat of the Watson William & Kate Johnston. type (45 feet by 12 feet 6 inches, with Scarborough, Humber (Spurn Point). an 80 h.p. engine) built out of a gift Owing to the remoteness of the Hum- from the late Mr. B. Newton, of Darling- ber Station at Spurn, the launching ton, and named Elizabeth Newton. ceremony of the City of Bradford took 214 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBEE, 1924.

place at Scarborough on the same day, fund which the city was raising, to pro- 25th May, as the launching of the Herbert vide the Boat-house and Slipway at the Joy. The Motor Life-boat from Whitby Humber Station. The Right Rev. the and the Filey Pulling and Sailing Boat Lord Bishop of Bradford (Dr. Perowne) were present. A special train was run then dedicated the Boat, and she was with visitors from Bradford, and the named City of Bradford by Lady Institution was represented by one of its Priestley. Vice-Presidents, the Marquess of Graham, After the two launches there was a Naval A.D.C. to the King. " rescue " from a ship lying in the bay. The two ceremonies were held at the She was manned by Scarborough Sea- West Pier, the first being the naming of Scouts, and as the Bradford ceremony the Scarborough Boat. The Mayor of concluded a rocket went up from her, Scarborough (Councillor G-eorge Whit- and then dense clouds of smoke. All field) presided, and the Boat was form- four Boats dashed ofi to her help, and ally presented by Mr. Alexander Joy, the rescue was watched by a great crowd the donor, to the Marquess of Graham, on the shore, the promenade and the who received her, in the name of the piers. Conspicuous in the Spurn Boat Institution, and presented her to Captain was Dr. Perowne, wearing his Bishop's J. Helm Wilson, the Chairman of the robes, the only civilian to take part in Scarborough Branch. The Boat was the service. then dedicated by the Vicar of Scar- Hartlepool borough (the Rev. J. Wynyard Capron), The ceremony at Hartlepool took place and named Herbert Joy by Mrs. Alexander on 2nd August, in the presence of a very Joy. large gathering, on the quayside oppo- At the Bradford ceremony the Right site the Life-boat House. The naming Hon. the Lord Mayor of Bradford ceremony was performed by the Mar- (Alderman H. M. Trotter), President of chioness of Londonderry, and not only the Branch, presided. Sir Henry White- the two Hartlepools, but the towns of head, a Vice-President of the Branch, Darlington and were delivered an address on Bradford's officially represented. Among those long connexion with the life-boat present was Mrs. Newton, the widow of Service and on the distinguished record the donor of the Boat. The ceremony of the Bradford Life-boats at Ramsgate opened with a procession from the which, between them had saved nearly Borough Buildings to the quayside. It 900 lives ; and he described how the was headed by a band and the Life-boat present City of Bradford was the result crew. Then came the choir of St. Hilda's of the visit of the Secretary of the Branch Church in their robes, members of the to the launching ceremony of the Whitby police force, under the Chief Constable, Motor Life-boat. It was after that visit and the mace bearers, preceding the that the Bradford Branch determined Mayors of Hartlepool, West Hartlepool, that their city should provide a similar Middlesbrough and Darlington. After Boat, and that it should bear their city's the Mayors, came the Chaplains, the name. Aldermen, Councillors, and Town Clerks Sir William Priestley, Chairman of the and other officials of the two Hartlepools, Branch, formally presented the Boat to the Justices of the Peace of both the Marquess of Graham, and in doing so, boroughs, the Life-boat Committee, and said : " We of Bradford seldom see the the clergy and ministers of the various sea, but we can raise £10,000 in three denominations. years for a Life-boat, a proof that we The Mayor of Hartlepool and other of have great imagination, and great sym- the principal guests then crossed the pathy with the magnificent men who channel to the Boat-house, and the firing are manning the Boats." of a rocket announced that Lady In accepting the gift on behalf of the Londonderry had named the Boat Institution, the Marquess of Graham said Elizabeth Newton. A moment later the that Bradford stood out pre-eminently Boat glided into the water, and the among all cities for its generosity to the Mayor and his party returned across the Life-boat cause, and spoke of the second channel. The rest of the ceremony was NOVBMBES, 1924.] THE LIFEBOAT. 215 then performed. Mr. W. Adamson, one won in the Centenary Life-boat Essay of the executors of the late Mr. Newton, Competition. presented the Boat to the Institution, and in doing so said that Mr. Newton, Selsey and Bognor. who was well known in the Hartlepools, The ceremony at Selsey and Bognor knew the hardships which seafarers had took place on 2nd August, the naming to undergo, and that was why he and of the Life-boat being performed by the Mrs. Newton had chosen a Life-boat Duchess of Norfolk, President of the when they decided that they wanted Ladies' Life boat Guild, while the Insti- to show their gratitude for mercies tution was represented by Mr. Harry which they had received. Hargood, O.B.E., one of its Vice- Captain Carver, R.D., R.N.R., In- Presidents, a member of the Committee spector of Life-boats for the East Coast, of Management, and for many years received the Boat on behalf of the President of the Worthing Branch. The

Photograph by] [Malcolm McNeille, Chwhester. THE LAUNCH OF THE SELSEY MOTOR LIFE-BOAT. (Note the Trolley, at the Head of die Slipway, by means of which the Boat is run along on Rail; from the Boat-house.) Institution, and presented her to Alder- Boat was formally presented to the man J. R. Butterwick, J.P., who Institution by Mr. G. Bracey on behalf of received her on behalf of the Hartlepool the executors of the donor. Mr. E. G. Committee. The Boat was then for- Arnell, J.P., Chairman of the Selsey mally dedicated by the Rector of Hart- section of the Branch, presided, and Mr. lepool (the Rev. F. T. Salter, B.A.) and W. H. B. Fletcher, J.P., Chairman of a prayer was said by the Rev. C. L. the Bognor Section, accepted the Boat Wilson, B.D., of the Hartlepool Inde- on behalf of the Station. She was pendent Church. dedicated by the Rev. K. H. McDermott, The Mayor of Hartlepool proposed, Honorary Secretary of Selsey. In ac- and the Mayor of West Hartlepool cepting the Boat, and entrusting her to seconded the vote of thanks to Lady the Branch, Mr. Hargood said that Mr. Londonderry, and Lord Londonderry Clarke had given £10,000 to the Institu- replied. Lady Londonderry then pre- tion. This legacy had not only provided sented to Miss Jenny Angus, of Galley's the Boat, but had left a sum ovsr, which Field School, the prize which she had would go to the cost of the Slipway, the 216 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1924. construction of which had been a long Launching Slipway. It was expensive, and difficult business, owing to the en- but there was one item in the Institu- croachments of the sea. These had tioH's expenditure which was never cur- made it impossible to have the Boat- tailed—the money spent on the Boats house at the top of the Slipway, and the and their gear. The Institution asked two had to be connected by rails, along its men to face the sea at its worst and which the Boat was drawn on a steel cruellest moments, and because of that trolley. it was not content to give them anything Sennen Cove. less than the best that care and money The ceremony at Sennen Cove took could provide. place on 28th August, the Boat being The Boat was received on behalf of presented to the Branch, on behalf of the the Branch by Mr. G. B. Hicks, J.P., Institution, by the Hon. George Colville, and after she had been dedicated by the

Photograph by] [Sutcliffe, Bootte. LIFE-SAVING DISPLAY BY THE "WILLIAM & KATE JOHNSTON" AT THE INAUGURAL CEREMONY. Deputy Chairman of the Committee of Rev. Trevor Lewis, Sub-Dean of Truro Management. In making the presenta- Cathedral, she was launched. tion Mr. Colville said that, through the New Brighton. generosity of the late Mr. R. A. Newton, The Inaugural Ceremony of the New no fewer than five Pulling and Sailing Brighton Boat took place at Prince's Life-boats had been built and endowed, Landing Stage, Liverpool, on 24th Sep- each bearing the name of a member of tember. Mr. Stewart Johnston himself his family. One of them for many years presented the boat to the Institution, had been stationed at Sennen Cove. All which was represented by the Hon. these five Boats had now been with- George Colville (Deputy Chairman), drawn, and one Motor Life-boat had Mr. George F. Shee, M.A., (Secretary) been built and endowed in place of four and Captain Howard F. J. Rowley, of them. This was the Boat now C.B.E., R.N. (Chief Inspector of Life- stationed at Sennen Cove, and named boats) ; and the naming ceremony was The Newborn. Besides the cost of the performed by Mrs. Stewart Johnston. Boat, built out of Mr. Newbon's legacy, Mr. Samuel S. Jerrett (Chairman of it had cost the Institution £11,000 to the New Brighton Station) who presided, provide a suitable Boathouse and spoke of the twenty-five years' of service NOVEMBKR, 1924.] THE LIFEBOAT. 217 of the Steam Life-boat Queen, now particulars of the Boat, Mrs. Stewart replaced by a Motor Life-boat; of the Johnston named her William & Kate generosity of Mr. Stewart Johnston and Johnston. Mrs. Kendall, whose gift, five years ago, The vote of thanks to Mrs. Johnston had been invested so that, when the was proposed by Mr. H. D. Bateson boat was built, it amounted to over (Chairman of the Port of Liverpool £9,000; and of the steps which the Port Branch), and seconded by Mr. J. F. of Liverpool took to add to this sum, Jellico, its Hon. Secretary. Mr. Shee so that the Mersey had now been pro- then proposed a vote of thanks to the vided with the most powerful Motor Officers, Committee and Crew of the New Life-boat in the world, without costing Brighton Station. In doing so he said the Institution a penny. that no county in Great Britain gave Mr. Stewart Johnston then formally the Institution more generous help than presented the Boat to the Institution. Lancashire. From the earliest days of In receiving her and handing her over the Service Lancashire had shown its to the New Brighton Station, Mr. Col- interest in the work, and in the past ten ville expressed the deep gratitude of years had contributed to it over £40,000. the Life-boat Service to Mr. Johnston, Mr. W. E. Mounsey (Honorary Treasurer Mrs. Kendall, and the citizens of Liver- of the Port of Liverpool Branch) pool. It was a Boat, he said, worthy seconded this vote of thanks, to which of that great port—the latest and most Mr. B. J. Kirkham (Honorary Secre- powerful type which the Institution tary of the New Brighton Station) had designed, and it would, he knew, replied. Mr. Charles Livingston (Presi- carry on the fine tradition of the New dent of the New Brighton Station) Brighton Station with its record, since proposed the vote of thanks to the it was established in 1863, of 219 Chairman. launches, and 543 lives rescued from After the ceremony the William & ! shipwreck. Kate Johnston went for a short trip ! Mr. Jerrett accepted the Boat, and with over eighty people on board, and she was dedicated by the Kev. C. then with the help of the steam tug, Hodge (Hon. Chaplain of the New Flying Breeze, gave a life-saving display, Brighton Station). in which both the line-throwing gun After Captain Rowley had given full and the jumping net were used.

Three Examples of Practical Gratitude. ON 3rd October, 1923, in a whole and his crew received additional mone- N.N.W. gale with a terrific sea, the tary awards. The pilots ofj^ trawlers of Brixham, were in danger in sent a donation to the Branch as a mark the harbour from a steamer, the of their appreciation of the skilful Tuscarora, of Sunderland, which had handling of the Life-boat when they come into collision with another steamer, Were put on board the two steamers, and the Torvald, of Sweden, and was a letter of thanks for the " valuable drifting on to them. The Motor services " rendered by the Life-boat to Life-boat went out at mid-day to their the trawlers was received from the help, landed men from a number of Brixham Fishing Vessels Insurance them, put pilots on both steamers, and Society. The Society has now made a finally went to the help of a ketch, some donation to the Coxswain and crew in way out, which was believed to be in gratitude for their services. distreils. It was not until 6.30 that her On 17th August last the Hoylake crew were able to return for food and Life-boat was launched, late at night, dry clothing, and they then stood by to the yacht Dart, anchored off Hilbre. until eleven at night in case they should A gale was blowing, with a heavy sea, again be required. Coxswain W. G. the weather showed every sign of getting Sanders was awarded the Thanks of the worse; and the yacht, unable to slip Institution inscribed on Vellum, and he her anchor, and run for a safer place 218 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1924. in the dark, was in grave danger. At stranded near Teesmouth. She was the second attempt the Life-boat badly damaged; one of her holds was succeeded in taking off the two young full of water, and her crew got ready men who were on board. One of the to abandon her. When the Teesmouth young men, his father and mother and Life-boat arrived on the scene she found an uncle, have all shown their gratitude the Kalix being towed away stern first, by donations, or by becoming regular and stood by with the Hartlepool Motor subscribers to the Hoylake Branch. Life-boat until the vessel was beached just inside the breakwater. The Tees- On 7th September, the Swedish mouth Branch has since received a letter steamer Kalix, of Stockholm, on her of thanks and a cheque for £5 from the way from Norvic to Middlesbrough, owners.

A Grateful German Skipper. IN The Lifeboat for March, 1923, Correspondent records that " the cap- appeared an account of the wreck of the tain, named Miiller, has now been given Adolf Vinnen, a German five-masted command of a sister ship to the Adolf sailing ship, which ran ashore near The Vinnen, and has since frequently passed Lizard on 9th February of that year, the scene of his earlier disaster. On such and of thegallant^attemptstojcescue her occasons he brings his ship as close crew made by the Life-boat at The Lizard, inshore as possible, and dips his flag in which persevered, at imminent risk of being flung on the deck of the wreck and appreciation of the warm-hearted hospi- smashed to pieces, until the Life-Saving tality and kindliness of the Cornish folk Apparatus got to work from the shore. to men who were their enemies a short The Westminster Gazette's Falmouth time before."

Gifts from Crews. WHEN Century Life-boat Day was Century Life-boat Day was held on held at Montrose the crews of the two 4th August, the Crew and Helpers con- Boats presented £8, and in addition to tributed £12 5s. These are two more this returned the sum of £5 13s., which of the many examples of the generosity was due to them as payment for a of the crews, examples which should practice launch, thus contributing nearly make others, whose only way of serving £14 to the funds of the Institution. the Life-boat Cause is by contributions, Again, at Palling, Norfolk, where still more generous in their help.

A Launching Accident. ON August 16th, a Centenary Demon- wards. At the inquest, a verdict of stration was to be held at Whitby, the accidental death was returned. Har- Motor Life-boat and one of the Pulling land has left a widow and four children, and Sailing Life-boats to be launched, one only three months old. A fund was and an exhibition of Life-boat models to immediately opened and has raised be held in the Life-boat House, but it nearly £400, and Mrs. Harland has been was brought to a sudden and early close granted a pension by the Institution, of by an accident which caused the death 22s. 6d. a week, on the same scale as if of the Shore Signalman of the Station, she were the widow of a Bowman, with James Harland. Harland was with the extra allowances for each of her four No. 2 Life-boat, when she was being children, of whom the oldest is eleven taken down the shore to be launched. He and the youngest was born this year. slipped and fell beneath the carriage, and These allowances will be continued until before it could be stopped a wheel had the two boys are fourteen and the two passed over him. He died shortly after- girls sixteen. NOVEMBEE, 1924.] THE LIFEBOAT. 219 The Centenary: In the North of England. CHESHIRE. nearing the vessel fired a life line to her. With the Life-boat close to the vessel in Century Life-boat Days were held at distress, rescue work was immediately Crewe, Hollingworth, Nantwich, Sand- started. Some of the crew were ordered bach and Whaley Bridge. to jump from the deck of their boat to a Poynton had a House-to-House Col- jumping net on the Life-boat. Then lection. the Life-boat backed some distance, and Congleton had a Garden Party. a few others were rescued by means of Hyde a Swimming Gala and Dance. the breeches buoy, a cone-shaped canvas bag, in which the men were hauled across CUMBERLAND AND WEST- a life-line. The remainder of the crew, MORLAND. equipped with lifebelts, jumped into the Carlisle and Maryport held Thanks- water, and were picked up by the Black- giving Services and Century Life-boat pool, Lytham and St. Anne's Life-boats, Days. which were standing by. But actually Kendal, Kirkby-Stephen and Seascale the boat, which was the James Fletcher, held Century Life-boat Days. of Preston, was never in distress. The At Penrith the President of the ' rescue ' was a side-show to help Black- Branch issued a special appeal. pool's Life-boat Day, but at any rate, if it had not the ' catch in the throat' DURHAM. tenseness of an orthodox rescue at sea, it gave one, by this close up, a better The principal Life-boat event was the idea of how the thing is done when lives launch of the Hartlepool Motor Life- really are at stake." boat, Elizabeth Newton, which is described In the evening the Mayor of Blackpool elsewhere. Hartlepool and West Hartle- entertained the crews to dinner. pool both held Century Life-boat Days, as also did South Shields and Sunder- Thanksgiving Service. land. On August 31st a Thanksgiving Ser- Eyton-on-Tyne carried out a collec- vice was held at the Palace Theatre, tion in the Picture Houses. attended by the Mayor and members of the Town Council, special collections LANCASHIRE. were made in the churches, and 200 Blackpool. collecting boxes were distributed to the hotels and boarding houses. Blackpool's A Life-boat "Rescue." aim was to raise £1,000 as a special On September 6th, Blackpool held its centenary gift, and this aim was achieved. Century Life-boat Day, and a demonstra- tion in life-saving at sea was given by four Life-boats—the new Motor Life-boat Manchester, Salford and District from New Brighton and the Pulling and Branch. Sailing Life-boats stationed at Black- pool, Lytham and St. Anne's. The The Thanksgiving Service. following account of the demonstration THE Manchester and Salford Thanks- appeared next day in the Manchester giving Service was held on 4th May. It Sunday Chronicle: " Thousands of was held in the Royal Exchange, because visitors to Blackpool to-day saw the there was no other building in Man- exciting spectacle of life-saving at sea. chester large enough for the great Some distance out from North Shore, a congregation which the occasion brought boat was seen to send out with her flags together. Manchester has had a Cotton the message: ' In distress; want Exchange for the past two hundred assistance.' New Brighton Life-boat, years, but it had never before been used which was cruising in the distance, at for a religious service, for a public meet- once raced to her assistance, and when ing, or for anything but the business for 220 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1924. which it was built; and when it was commercial correctitude gleam in letters first proposed that it should be the scene of gold." of a great Life-boat Thanksgiving Ser- And the Manchester Evening News : vice, the idea was laughed at as im- " A vast congregation ; thin uniformed possible. But the service was held lines of colour—blue and scarlet, yellow there, and Manchester was struck first and white and gold, interspersed with by surprise, and then by a feeling of its serried ranks of khaki—with a ten- singular appropriateness. thousand-pieced kaleidoscope of hu- The Manchester Guardian wrote on manity standing reverently in between. the day after : " That great expanse of High up, near the roof, the prices board floor which Lancashire business men caught the eye—' Alexandria ; Last tread so confidently every Tuesday and close : First report: May, June, July,

Photograph by] [Blackpool Gazette and BertM. LIFE-SAVING DISPLAY BY THE NEW BRIGHTON MOTOR LIFE-BOAT AT BLACKPOOL.

Friday in the very mundane cause of i October—45-25, 43-90, 44-23'—telling cotton was trodden yesterday by a great ' mutely of a miracle ; the miracle of the multitude of folk gathered for a religious largest congregation Manchester has service in commemoration of the Cen- probably ever known, of all creeds and tenary of the Royal National Life-boat beliefs, drawn into this Temple of Institution. It might have struck one Finance to thank the God of All and of of the confident business men as a very all things—yes, Finance included—for novel sight, but to one who knows the strong saving arm He has extended, nothing of the bi-weekly mysteries per- through these gallant Life-boatmen, to formed within its walls this use of the His shipwrecked ; to give thanks for the great building did not appear in the bounty of sixty thousand lives saved in least odd. Prayers and hymns ascended the course of a hundred years." appropriately enough into the high The whole of the many-sided life of domes where scriptural exhortations to Manchester was represented. The Lord NOVEMBER, 1924.] THE LIFEBOAT. 221 Mayor of Manchester and the Mayor of this unique occasion was the congrega- Salford attended in state, and all re- tion. There were no seats. Fifteen ligious denominations took part in the thousand people had come to the service. service except the Roman Catholic The doors were open to them at 2.30; Church, which does not see its way to the service concluded at 4. During participate in such joint services, but that time the congregation stood, close- which held, instead, a special High Mass packed, on the great floor of the Ex- in Salford Cathedral on the same day. change, which was divided into four Addresses were delivered in the Ex- parts by Boy Scouts forming a light change by the Very Rev. Dr. Joseph barricade with their poles. Loud

Photograph by] [Manchester Guardian. THE LIFE-BOAT THANKSGIVING SERVICE IN THE ROYAL EXCHANGE, MANCHESTER.

Gough McCormick, the Dean of Man- speakers and amplifiers carried the chester ; by the Rev. Dr. J. E. Roberts, ! voices of the speakers throughout the one of the leading Nonconformist minis- | hall. They carried them beyond to a ters, and by Miss Mary B. Booth, C.B.E., j great crowd which filled the street out- Divisional Commander, Salvation Army;I side, and which stood during the whole while the Rev. Dr. Berendt Salomon, ! service in a downpour of rain, joining in the Chief Rabbi, read as the lesson the : the hymns as the loud speakers brought 107th Psalm. the sound of the singing to them from The singing was led by the Halle the hall. Choir. The Manchester Police Band and " I do not know," writes one who was the Blackpool Life-boat Silver Band, the I present, " which was most impressive— members of which are the Life-boat the sight of the crowd outside in the crew, provided the instrumental music. rain taking a reverent part in a ceremony But the most remarkable feature of which they could not see, or the scene 222 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1924. in the hall itself when the conductor of been four City of Manchester Life-boats, the Halle Choir lead that vast audience all stationed at Carmarthen Bay, and in the singing of ' 0 God our help in a Manchester & Salford Sunday School ages past.' " No appeal for money was Life-boat, stationed at Douglas, Isle of made, but purely voluntary contri- Man. In addition the Institution has butions amounted, to £100. owed a number of Life-boats to the There have, this year, been many generosity of individual citizens of great tributes to the universal appeal of Manchester. the Life-boat cause, but none so pro- The Bazaar was held in the Free Trade foundly impressive as this great gather- Hall, and was designed as an old English ing of all who make up the life and village. The Lady Sheffield, C.B.E., activity of one of the greatest cities and J.P., Honorary Secretary of the Man- sea ports of the Empire. chester and Salford Ladies' Life-boat

Photograph by] [Lafayette. THE "OLD ENGLISH VILLAGE" BAZAAR AT MANCHESTER. Guild, was President of the Bazaar The Centenary Bazaar. Committee, with Sir William Milligan, The Thanksgiving Service was fol- M.D., J.P., Chairman of the Branch, as lowed, on 15th, 16th and 17th May, by its Chairman, Sir Percy Woodhouse, a Centenary Bazaar, at which the Man- J.P., as its Honorary Treasurer, and chester and Salford Branch achieved its Mrs. H. J. Wilson as its Honorary Secre- aim of raising, in addition to the ordinary tary. On the Committee sat, among contribution of the Branch to the others, all the civic and religious leaders general funds of the Institution, a of Manchester and Salford: the Lord special Centenary gift of £10,000, for Mayor and the Lady Mayoress of Man- the building of a Motor Life-boat. This chester, the Mayor and the Mayoress of Boat is being built for Ramsey, Isle of Salford, the Very Rev. the Dean of Man. She will be of the latest type—the Manchester, the Very Rev. Mgr. Canon Watson Cabin, with an 80-h.p. engine, A. Poock, D.D., R.D., the Rev. Dr. and she will be named The Manchester Roberts, M.A., and the Rev. Dr. Berendt and Salford. In the past there have Salomon. NOVEMBER, 1924.] THE LIFEBOAT. 223 On the first day the Bazaar was enterprise and tragedy, cannot fail to opened by Field-Marshal Sir William stir the imagination of an island people. Kobertson, Bt., G.C.B., G.C.M.G.; on The traffic of the sea has made our the second day by His Excellency the history. Up and down our coasts our Governor of the Isle of Man, Major- ife-boats have watched our sea-folk in General Sir William Fry, K.C.V.O., danger, and have rescued them. I, who C.B.; and on the third by Mr. Robert have seen the boats in action, know Smith, Coxswain of the Tynemouth Life- what it means. Every citizen who feels boat from 1910-1920, and one of the pride in reading the record of shipwreck Institution's Gold Medallists. and rescue should respond to this new A Centenary Souvenir Handbook was appeal and feel that, in whatever published, in which appeared messages measure it may be, he has some share of goodwill and congratulation from "n the launching and in the work of the H.R.H. the Prince of Wales, E.G. Boat which Manchester is sending to (President of the Institution), the Prime oin this gallant company." Minister (the Right Hon. J. Ramsay Two days after the Bazaar the cost MacDonald, M.P.), the Right Hon. David of the Life-boat, £10,000, was sent to Lloyd George, O.M., M.P., Admiral of the Institution, and a further cheque for the Fleet the Earl Beatty, G.C.B., O.M. £1,003 16s. 8d. has since been added to (First Lord of the Admiralty), and the the Branch receipts! Earl of Derby, E.G. The Prince of Wales had telegraphed Other Celebrations. to the Lord Mayor of Manchester, in Liverpool held a Centenary Meeting response to a message sent him when he at which the Lord Mayor presided, was presiding at the Centenary Meeting and Sir Godfrey Baring, Bt., Chairman in the Mansion House, on March 4th:— of the Committee of Management, " Your telegram of congratulation on delivered an address. Liverpool also the Centenary of the Life-boat Service iarried out a Century Life-boat Day. and splendid offer to mark Manchester At nearly all the other Lancashire and Salford's long and intimate asso- Branches Centenary Meetings were held, ciation with this national and heroic and the following other celebrations cause by gift of best and most modern took place:— Motor Life-boat was received and read Colne, Lytham, Newton-in-Makerfield, by me to meeting at Mansion House, Preston, Southport and St. Anne's held Lord Mayor presiding. Announcement Thanksgiving Services and Century Life- warmly appreciated. On behalf of the boat Days. Institution and all its hundreds of thou- Hoylake held a Carnival and a sands of supporters, I thank you, the Century Life-boat Day. Mayor of Salford, and the Chairman of Lancaster and Stockport held Thanks- our Manchester Branch for this new and giving Services and House-to-House striking proof of Manchester and Collections. Salford's proverbial generosity towards Bury, Bacup, Carnforth, Farnworth, good and noble objects." Fleetwood, Haslingden, Heywood, Hind- ley, Irlam and Little Hulton, Middleton, The Prime Minister wrote :— Morecambe, Rishton, Turton, Ulverston and Warrington held Century Life-boat " I am glad to hear that Manchester— Days. so sensitive to the appeal of all great Ramsbottom, Rawtenstall and Widnes causes—has identified itself with the made House-to-House Collections. Centenary of-the Royal National Life- Stalybridge had an American Tea. boat Institution. For one hundred Grange-over-Sands had a Sale of years the National Life-boat Institution Work. has pursued its mission to help those who, within sight of our shores, were in NORTHUMBERLAND. danger of shipwreck and disaster Alnmouth held a most successful Though many of us live in towns far Garden Party. more remote than Manchester from its Blyth held a Thanksgiving Service dangers, yet the sea, with its tale of and a Century Life-boat Day. 224 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1924. Holy Island had a Collection. and the fifth to bear the city's name. Newcastle-on-Tyne keld a Centenary The others have all been stationed at Meeting and a House-to-House Collec- Ramsgate. tion. Cullercoats, Cresswell, Hauxley, New- Thanksgiving Service. biggin and Tynemouth held Century A Thanksgiving Service was held on Life-boat Days. May 25th in the " Alhambra," lent for the occasion by Mr. Francis Laidler, who YORKSHIRE. for many years past has held there an Bradford. annual Life-boat Matinee in aid of the Bradford Branch. Sir William Priestley, A Centenary Gift of a Motor Chairman of the Branch, presided in Life-boat. the absence of the Lord Mayor. The Before the Centenaiy Year opened, Service was conducted by the Rev. Bradford, as a special centenary gift, Gilbert Nair, and addresses were de-

Photograph by] [Topical Press Agency. THE SCARBOROUGH THANKSGIVING SERVICE. had already raised a fund of £10,000 to livered by the Bishop of Bradford (Dr. provide a Motor Life-boat, to be stationed Perowne), the Rev. Sam Rowley (Presi- on the Humber, and had started a dent of the Bradford Free Church second fund to pay for the Boat-house Council), the Rev. J. W. Hind and the and Slipway. The Inaugural Ceremony Rev. W. Bowker. In the course of his of this Boat, which, owing to the address the Bishop said: " True courage, remoteness of Spurn, took place at true comradeship, and true discipline, Scarborough, is described elsewhere. are God-given, and this great trinity This is the fourth Life-boat to be finds expression in the Life-boat Service. presented to the Institution by Bradford, The oourage which braves death for NOVEMBER, 1924.] THE LIFEBOAT. 225 people unknown, the comradeship which j Century Life-boat Days were held at may involve the supreme sacrifice, the j Barnsley, Castleford, Dewsbury, Harro> discipline which subordinates selfish i gate, Hull, Keighley, Mytholmroyd, interests for a self-imposed task ofj Mirfield," Mareden, Slaithwaite, North' heroism and danger, spring from the j allerton, ^Noiton, Rotherham, Robin spirit of Christ." ! Hood's^ Bay, .Saltburn, Sedburgh, Bradford also held a Century Life- j Sheffield, Saddleworth, Staithes and boat Day. | Runswick, Settle, Sowerby Bridge, I Trawden, Thirsk, Todmorden, Whitby. Scarborough. ISLE OF MAN. Thanksgiving Service. Douglas. A Thanksgiving Service was held on j August 25th, from the new Motor Life- j Concert and Thanksgiving boat, Herbert Joy, which was taken on} Service. its carriage to Peasholm Gap. The j The Centenary Celebrations in Douglas Service was conducted by the Rev. I were held on Saturday and Sunday, George Carver, representing the Inter- [ May 22nd and 23rd, the Chairman of the denominational Union, and he was i Committee of Management, Sir Godfrey supported by the Vicar of Scarborough j Baring, Bt., going to Douglas specially (the Rev. J. W. Capron), who delivered to take part in them. On the Saturday the address, ministers of the Primitive afternoon the Life-boat was launched, Methodist Church, and a representative and in the evening an entertainment of the Free Church Council. was held in Villa Manna. His Excellency At Scarborough there was a double the Lieutenant-Governor, who had just launching ceremony on May 25th, returned from opening the third day of described elsewhere, of the new Scar- the Manchester Life-boat Bazaar, was borough Motor Life-boat, Herbert Joy, present, and Sir Godfrey Baring delivered and the new Motor Life-boat for the an address. Humber Station at Spurn Point, City of On the Sunday afternoon there was a Bradford. Scarborough also held a procession to St. George's Church, in Century Life-boat Day. the graveyard of which Colonel Sir William Hillary, Bt., the founder of the Institution, is buried. A number of Other Celebrations. wreaths were laid on his grave, among In most of the Yorkshire Branches, them wreaths from the Norwegian Centenary Meetings were held. Government, and the Life-boat Stations Bridlington, Darlington, Flam- of Douglas, Ramsey and Peel. Hundreds borough, Filey, Goole and Redcar, all watched the procession from the road- held Thanksgiving Services and Century side, and the church was filled to over- Life-boat Days. flowing for the Thanksgiving Service. In Sheffield, Major-General the Right Among those present were representa- Hon. J. E. B. Seely, C.B., C.M.G., tives of the House of Keys, the Mayor D.S.O. (a member of the Com- and Corporation of Douglas, and mittee of Management), attended the representatives of various public bodies, Annual Meeting and on the same day and of the Isle of Man Life-boat a special meeting of the Chamber of i Stations. The sermon was preached by Commerce. j the late Bishop of Sodor and Man Leeds had a special appeal issued by (Dr. Denton-Thompson), who paid a Lord Airedale, and a Century Life-boat tribute to the memory of Sir William Day. Hillary—a man who sought first, not Middlesbrough's Centenary Meeting jwhat many are first seeking, wealth or was addressed by the Lord Lieutenant ease, pleasure or comfort, but to do his of the County (Sir Hugh Bell) and a duty to please God, to serve his country, Century Life-boat Day was held. and, especially, to save the shipwrecked Normanton held a Carnival. sailor. In the course of the sermon he York had' a Garden Party. said : " There is no experience in life 226 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1924. which demonstrates more fully human and shipwrecks disclose undreamed of weakness than a ship in a storm. All courage, endurance, resourcefulness, that science and skill can do—and they sacrifice and heroism which we could are doing more and more—cannot never see but for these tragedies on the subdue the winds and the waves. Yet sea." let it be remembered that as darkness Thanksgiving Services and Century reveals some things which the light Life-boat Days were held at Ramsey, conceals, and millions of stars, that are Peel and Port Erin, and a Century Life- hid by day, are seen at night, so storms boat Day was held at Port St. Mary.

The Centenary: In North Wales. ANGLESEY AND CARNARVON- over her.' Her passengers were drenched, SHIRE. and were hurried back to Colwyn Bay in motor cars. The Lord Mayor went Colwyn Bay. to the Theatre the same evening, and made a Life-boat speech between the Colwyn Bay had a Life-boat Proces- acts, saying that now he had real first- sion and Carnival on 24th August, when hand information of the perils of the the town was full of visitors. The Life- Life-boat Service. boat from Llanddulas, drawn by a tractor, took part in the procession, and Other Celebrations. was launched in the presence of many In Anglesey, Llandudno and South thousands of spectators. She returned Carnarvonshire excellent work was done to her Station by sea, taking on board during the year by the Ladies' Life-boat the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of Guild, and Century Life-boat Days were Liverpool (Alderman and Mrs. Rushton), held at Flint and Connah's Quay, and the King and Queen of the Carnival. Prestatyn, Llanddulas, Pensarn, Aber- When the Boat reached Llanddulas a gele and Rhyl. Menai Bridge, Beaumaris, heavy sea was breaking on the beach, Cemaes and Amlwch had Life-boat and the Boat, in landing, was swept Collections, and Llandudno both a Day broadside on, with waves breaking right and a Collection.

The Centenary: In the Midlands and South Wales. A Life-boat Tour Through Sixteen Counties. IN the Midlands and Wales the Cen- The Institution was fortunate in tenary was celebrated by a road tour of being able to carry out this tour at one of the Institution's reserve Life- small cost to itself, as the firm of Messrs. boats, the Robert & Catherine, which Foden, Ltd., of Sandbach, Cheshire, for a number of years was stationed at generously undertook the whole cost of Appledore. The tour lasted five and a transport, providing a tractor to draw half months, and in that time the Boat the Boat, paying the wages and ex- travelled 2,400 miles, and visited 160 penses of the driver, and supplying cities and towns and hundreds of vil- the fuel for the whole tour. This they lages in sixteen counties—the shires of did as their Centenary Gift. The tour Leicester, Lincoln. Nottingham, Derby, was carried out with the approval and Northampton, Rutland, Warwick, Staf- help of the local authorities, and in a ford, Worcester, Salop, Hereford, Mont- very large number of the places visited gomery, Radnor, Gloucester, Monmouth, the Boat was given an official wel- and Glamorgan. come. Among those who welcomed the NOVEMBER, 1924.] THE LIFEBOAT. 227 Boat in this way, and made speeches wreck, and the public taken for trips in on behalf of the Life-boat cause, were the Boat, she was manned by the Cox- the Lord Mayors of Birmingham and swain and the Crew of Rhyl. The Bristol. carnival was opened by the Rt. Hon. The tour began on 12th April at F. 0. Roberts, M.P., the Minister of Pen- Leicester, Sir Godfrey Baring, Bt. sions, and presided over by the Lord (Chairman of the Committee of Manage-1 Mayor. The visit of the Life-boat and the ment), being present to inaugurate it.: Carnival inaugurated the special effort The Annual Life-boat Day was held on; which is being made to raise £10,000 for the same day, and a record sum was' a City of Birmingham Motor Life-boat. raised. The tour concluded at Cardiff' At other towns, where a launch was on 24th September. impossible, street processions were or- In five places the Boat was not only ganized, and Life-boat Days and Life-

Photograph by] IF. Lumbers, Leicester. THE LIFE-BOAT SETTING OUT FROM LEICESTER ON HER 2000-MILE ROAD TOUR. taken in procession through the streets, boat Thanksgiving Services were held but was launched—at Northampton, on in connexion with the Boat's visit. In the River Nen; at Stratford, on the these services the clergy of all denomina- Avon ; at Worcester, on the Severn ; at tions took part, among them the Bishops Cheltenham, on the Pittville Lake ; and of Lichfield and Peterborough. at Birmingham, on the Edgbaston In thus touring the Midlands the Reservoir. The Boat herself, during Robert & Catherine visited those parts the tour, was in charge of one of the of England most remote from the sea. riggers from the Institution's Store- Probably the majority of the tens of yard, and at the first four places he had thousands of people who saw the Life- amateur crews to man the Boat. But boat had never before seen one, and of at Birmingham, where a water carnival the thousands who went over her, few, was held, and a Life-boat display was if any, can ever have been in a Life- given with a rescue from a burning boat. 228 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1924. At Cheltenham one young man, who A number of towns had illustrated had'come in from a village four miles : lectures in place of the Centenary away, asked what the fare was, and Meeting, and also held Thanksgiving when told that no passengers were car- • Services and Century Life-boat Days :— ried said that he thought the Boat was Oakham, Brigg, Long Eaton, Welling- a new kind of charabanc ! ton (Salop), and Tewkesbury, while So much for the ignorance in the | Sutton Coldfield had a Drawing-room inland villages of the Life-boat Service j Meeting in place of it, and Lichfield a and qf the sea, which this tour may have ' Whist Drive. helped to dispel. Centenary Meetings and Century Life- The following places, visited by the i boat Days were held at:— Life-boat, held Centenary Meetings, Peterborough, Nottingham, Rugby,

Photograph by] [F. Lumbers, Leicester. LIFE-BOAT COLLECTING IN THE STREETS OF. LEICESTER. Century Life-boat Days and Thanks- Rushden, Hereford, Kidderminster giving Services :— (which also "held a Ball), Stourbridge, Leicester, Sleaford, Spalding, Melton Gloucester (which also held a Ball and Mowbray, Lincoln, Retford, Worksop, Whist Drive), Cardiff, Aberdare, Moun- Chesterfield, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Ilkes- tain Ash. ton, Derby, ;Loughborough, Burton-on- Centenary Meetings and Thanksgiving Trent, Stafford, Coventry, Northampton, Services were held at:— Hinckley (where there was also an illus- Tamworth and Oldbury (which also trated Lecture), Kettering, Birmingham, held two Whist Drives). Warwick, Leamington, Wolverhampton, Thanksgiving Services and Century Bilston, West Bromwich.^Walsall, Leo- Life-boat Days were held at:— minster, Droitwich, Worcester, Broms- Woodhall Spa, Alfreton (where a Sale grove,! Evesham, Cheltenham, Bristol of Work and Dance were also held), and Newport (Mon.). A number of these Belper, Etwall (where a Garden Party places also had Life-boat films shown was also held), Ashby-de-la-Zouch, at the Picture Houses. Uttoxeter, Stone, Wellingborough, Soli- NOVEMBER, 1924.] THE LIFEBOAT. 229 hull, Knowle, Oswestry, Shrewsbury, Shropshire. Ludlow (where there was also a Dance), Bridgnorth held a Century Life-boat Bewdley, Stratford-on-Avon, Cirencester, Day. Stroud, Earl Shilton. Centenary Meetings were held at:— Staffordshire. Market Harborough, Mansfield, Cradley Heath held a Century Life-boat Smethwick, Newark. Day. A Thanksgiving Service and Lecture Brecknockshire. was held at Church Stretton. Llanwrtyd Wells held a Century Life- Shifnal had an illustrated Lecture. boat Day. Century Life-boat Days were held at :— Cardiganshire. Horncastle, Louth, Grantham, Boston, Lampeter held a Thanksgiving Service, Radclifieon-Trent, Stamford, Bed- a Centenary Meeting and a Century Life- worth, Weedon, Raunds, Goleshill, boat Day. Welshpool, Newtown, Montgomery, Aberystwyth, Cardigan, and New Llandrindod Wells, New Radnor, King- Quay held Century Life-boat Days. ton, Redditch, Alcester, Pontypool, Carmarthenshire. Maesteg, Dowlais, Atherstone, Burton Llanelly and Ferryside held Century Latimer, Rothwell, Desborough, New- Life-boat Days. port (Salop) Bishop's Cleeve. Glamorganshire. Other Celebrations. Swansea held Thanksgiving Services, Centenary Celebrations in the Mid- a Lifeboat Day, and a Ball. lands and South Wales were also held Abercynon, Barry, Penrhiwceiber and at a number of places not visited by the Porthcawl held Century Life-boat Life-boat. Derbyshire. Days. Century Life-boat Days were held at Merionethshire. Buxton, South Nomianton and Ripley. Aberdovey and Barmouth held Cen- Lincolnshire. tury Life-boat Days. Grimsby held a Centenary Meeting, Pembrokeshire. a Life-boat Day, and a Ball. Mablethorpe and Skegness held Cen- Fishguard, Haverfordwest, Pembroke tury Life-boat Days. and Tenby held Century Life-boat Days. Monmouthshire. Radnorshire. Ebbw Vale held a Century Life-boat Knighton held a Century Life-boat Day. Day.

The Centenary: In the South-East of England.

BEDFORDSHIRE. a Garden Party, at which Sir Godfrey Baring, Bt., Chairman of the Committee Hitchin held a Centenary Meeting, of Management, spoke. which was addressed by Major Sir | Maurice Cameron, K.C.M.G., a member BUCKINGHAMSHIRE. of the Committee of Management. Century Life-boat Days were held at Bedford held a successful Century Gerrard's Cross, and at Slough, Windsor Life-boat Day in October. and Eton, where a record sum was At Luton, Lady Helen Cassel gave raised. 230 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1924. CAMBRIDGESHIRE. j HERTFORDSHIRE. Century Life-boat Days were held at A Century Life-boat Day was held at Ely and Wisbech. Hertford.

ESSEX. HUNTINGDONSHIRE. Brightlingsea. A Century Life-boat Day was held at Brightlingsea organized a most suc- St. Ives. cessful Carnival on 2nd August, in which . very diverse characters took part, from " Grace Darling" to a company of Canterbury. pirates, but all were united on this occasion in helping only the Life-boat Canterbury held a Centenary Meeting cause. The Carnival was followed by a in May, at which the Mayor presided, Dance. Previous to this, on 2nd March, and Sir Godfrey Baring, Bt., Chairman a Thanksgiving Service was held at the of the Committee of Management of the Wesleyan Church. Altogether Bright- Institution, delivered an address. This lingsea, where a Branch of the Institu- was followed in June by a Century Life- tion was formed only this year, raised boat Day. £121-—-a magnificent sum for so small a Folkestone. place, and equivalent to over 6d. a head of the population. Folkestone held its Life-boat Day on 16th August, in connexion with a Clacton-on-Sea. Festival of the Sea which was taking Clacton-on-Sea held an open-air place during the same week at Calais. Thanksgiving Service on 17th August, on At this festival a number of Kentish the Greensward, Marine Parade, which Life-boatmen were among the English was conducted from the Boarding-boat representatives. They returned from by the Rev. C. R. S. Finch, the Vicar of Calais on the 16th, and with them St. James's Church. The address was came some hundreds of the French and delivered by the Rev. W. H. Roseveare, Belgian visitors to the festival, who of St. Catherine's, Mitcham, S.E. Be- were given a civic reception on arriving fore the Service there was a procession at Folkestone. In the morning the Life- from the Life-boat House. A Century boat was launched, and in the afternoon Life-boat Day was also held on 2nd there was a procession through the town, August. in which Kentish, French and Belgian Life-boatmen took part. A record sum Colchester. was raised. Colchester held a Centenary Meeting, Margate. at which the Mayor (Mrs. C. B. Alderton) presided, and Sir Godfrey Baring, Bt., Margate held a Centenary Meeting in Chairman of the Committee of Manage- March, at which the Mayor presided, ment, delivered an address. and Sir Godfrey Baring, Bt., delivered an address. This was followed by a Century Life- Other Celebrations. boat Day in August. Walton-on-the-Naze held a Life-boat- men's Procession on 16th August, and Other Celebrations. raised by it over £230. The procession also visited Frinton, which made an Cranbrook and Hawkhurst, Deal and appeal on the same day. Walmer, Dover, Gravesend, Lydd, Pens- Chelmsford, Southend-on-Sea, Leigh- hurst, Ramsgate, Rochester, Sevenoaks, on-Sea, and Rochford and district (in- Sittingbourne and Milton Regis, Ton- cluding Hadleigh, Shoeburyness, Hawks- bridge, Tunbridge Wells, Westgate and well, Ashingdon, and Canvey Island) Whitstable all held Century Life-boat held Century Life-boat Days. Days. NOVEMBER, 1924.] THE LIFEBOAT. 231 NORFOLK. as described elsewhere, and Century Life-boat Days were held at Farnham, Cromer. Guildford—where a record sum was A Century Life-boat Day was held at raised—Haslemere, Redhill, Reigate, Cromer on 21st August. Both the Life- Walton-on-Thames, and Weybridge and boats of the Station were launched, the Oatlands Park. new Motor Life-boat, H. F. Bailey, and the Pulling and Sailing Life-boat, Louisa SUSSEX. Heartwdl, and a record sum was raised. Eastbourne. Other Celebrations. Eastbourne celebrated the Centenary Century Lif e-boat^ Days were held at with a Ball, a Meeting, a Thanksgiving Brancaster, Diss, , Service, and a Century Life-boat Day.

Ptotograph by} [Frederic* A. Bownt. THE 1824 LIFE-BOAT BALL AT DEVONSHIRE PARK, EASTBOURNE. King's Lynn, Hunstanton, Norwich, Centenary Ball. Palling, Sheringham and Wells. The Ball was the first function, and SUFFOLK. was held on 4th March, at Devonshire Park. It was organized by Mrs. Astley Century Life-boat Days were held at Aldeburgh, Bury St. Edmunds, Felix- Roberts, the President of the Eastbourne stowe, Lowestoft, Southwold and Ladies' Life-boat Guild, and Mrs. Edgar Sudbury. Allan Brown, and was a great success. One of its most attractive features was SURREY. the dancing of the quadrille by ladies A number of places on the Thames and gentlemen in the costumes of were visited by the Teesmouth Life-boat, 1824. 232 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1924. Centenary Meeting. and the Hippodrome. The Deputy The Centenary Meeting was held in Mayor and members of the Eastbourne the Town Hall on the afternoon ofj Council were among the congregation. 18th March, and the Mayor and Corpora- Outside the grounds was stationed the tion attended it in state. The Mayor Eastbourne Pulling and Sailing Life- presided, and paid a tribute to the boat. splendid work of the Ladies' Life-boat Century Life-boat Day. Guild in Eastbourne. Sir Godfrey A Century Life-boat Day was held on Baring, Bt., Chairman of the Committee 2nd August, and raised nearly £500. of Management of the Institution, de- livered an address, in the course of which i Hastings. he said that women not only gave the Hastings held a Centenary Meeting Institution invaluable help in raising on 28th March, at which the Mayor

Photograph by] [Douglas Went. "PIRATES" HELP THE LIFE-BOATS AT BRIGHTLINGSEA. money, but did magnificent and cour- j presided, and Sir Godfrey Baring, Bt., ageous work as launchers on the coast. Chairman of the Committee of Manage- In the morning there was a launch of ment, delivered an address. » the Motor Life-boat. A Century Life-boat Day was also Thanksgiving Service. held. The Thanksgiving Service was held in Worthing. the grounds of Devonshire Park on Sun- Worthing had a special ceremonial day, 13th July, and nearly 3,000 people launch of the Life-boat on 2nd August, were present. The service was con- preceded by a procession through the ducted by Canon Streatfeild, R.D., town, in which three bands and detach- Vicar of Eastbourne, supported by ments of Territorials took part. Many ministers of other denominations. The hundreds of visitors on the front singing was led by a choir of several watched the launch, and as the Boat hundred voices, and the orchestra was took the water the troopa presented composed of players from the Municipal arms, and the National Anthem was Orchestra, the Devonshire Park Theatre, played. NOVEMBER, 1924.] THE LIFEBOAT. 233 Other Celebrations. Lewes, Littlehampton, Newhaven, Rye, Seaford, Selsey and Shoreham. Arundel, Bexhill—where a record sum Altogether, Century Life-boat Days was raised—Brighton and Hove, Bognor, in the south-east of England raised a Chichester, East Grinstead, Horsham, record sum. The Centenary: In the South-West of England. BERKSHIRE. tury Life-boat Day, and at a number of outlying places it was decided to form Reading. sub-guilds of the Ladies' Life-boat A ROYAL CENTENARY MATINEE was held Guild. on 10th May, which was a great success, Bude held a Century Life-boat Day, and was attended by H.R.H. the Prin- with competitions and a display of Life- cess Louise, Duchess of Argyll, Patron boat films ; and days were held also at of the Ladies' Life-boat Guild, Sir God- Looe, Port Isaac, St. Ives and Truro. frey Baring, Bt. (Chairman of the Com- mittee of Management), and Lady The Isles of Scilly. Baring and Sir Stewart and Lady Abram. Reading, also held a Tennis Tournament, A Century Life-boat Day was held in and was visited (as described elsewhere) August, with a Concert and Dance, by the Teesmouth Motor Life-boat. and a Life-boat Demonstration by the Maidenhead held a Century Life-boat St. Mary's Motor Life-boat. It was Day, and was visited by the Teesmouth well described by the Western Morning Motor Life-boat, as described elsewhere. News and Mercury: " This year the Newbury held a Century Life-boat Isles of Scilly kept half-holiday on Life- Day. boat Day to witness a series of manoeuvres to display methods for saving life from . a wreck at sea. A vessel was moored as Newquay's Life-boat Week. a wreck a little way off the pier, and some lads were to be seen further off floating Newquay held a Centenary Life-boat on a raft. Another shipwrecked wretch week in August which included a launch was to be se-m on a movable rock. of the Life-boat and a Life-boat Proces- Alarm guns called the ever-ready crew sion, special collections, and entertain- to boat, and ten minutes later the craft ments by local concert parties, and which was breasting the waves to the scene of concluded on the Sunday afternoon with the' disaster.' She proceeded to negotiate an open-air Thanksgiving Service. The the supposedly dangerous Bacon Ledge service was conducted from the Life- and some unknown and invisible reefs, boat, ministers of the different Churches and to steady her in such a gale as never taking part in it, and was attended by blew on land or sea she hoisted masts a large congregation of residents and and sails and made a couple of tacks in visitors. In his address, the Rev. a vain endeavour to approach safely the James Ninnis spoke of his pleasure at fast sinking wreck. The whole of the seeing the Churches united to bless the idle inhabitants of St. Mary's and others great work of the Life-boat Service, and from the off islands were congregated on described that work as a strong support the shore watching. The boat lowered to the idea of a League of Nations. sail and, under motor power only, care- fully approached the doomed ship. As Other Celebrations. the ocean shallowed sufficiently at this Century Life-boat Days, with a unknown ledge, the Lifeboat dropped launch of the Life-boat, were held at The anchor and veered down cautiously on Lizard and Penzance. The Lizard also the wreck. As such a sea as was never had a Life-boat Concert. seen was running over the battered and Padstow held a Century Life-boat shattered craft, getting alongside was Day with Aquatic Sports and an open- impossible, so a line and' breeches buoy' air Concert. was fired correctly well over her, and Falmouth held a Meeting and a Cen- several men were successfully got aboard 234 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1934. the Lifeboat. But one poor fellow was great energy that they were such a seen to be badly injured, and he had to success. be helped down into the water and held up as he was drawn across to the Life- Other Celebrations. boat. After this the Boat went out to discover the raft which had floated away j Axminster held a Century Life-boat to sea. Finally, the man on the floating Day and a Ball. rock was pulled to safety with a hand , Barnstaple held two Centenary Balls. line." Brixham held a Century Life-boat Day and a Concert. DEVONSHIRE. Budleigh Salterton and Dawlish both held Century Life-boat Days. Appledore. At Cullompton a new branch was established, and a Life-boat Day and Thanksgiving Meeting and Fete, and a Life-boat Ball were held. Service. Dartmouth held an open-air Centenary A Thanksgiving Meeting and Service Meeting and a Century Life-boat Day, at was held on Bideford Quay, close to the which a record sum was raised. Kingsley Memorial, on the evening of Exeter held a Century Life-boat Day. 19th June, and there were upwards of Exmouth held a Century Life-boat 2,000 people present, although rain was Day which was a great success. falling almost continuously during the Ilfracombe held a Century Life-boat ceremony. The Appledore Life-boat Day and a Concert. was lying in the river, and among those | Lynmouth celebrated the Centenary present were the Rev. J. B. White, j for two consecutive days, with sports on President of the Branch, who presided ; | tne first day and a launch of the Life- the Mayors of Bideford, Barnstaple j boat( an(i a Ball on the second, and Torrington, the Chairman of the Salcombe held a Century Life-boat Northam Urban District Council, the Day, a Dance, and issued a special Rector of Bideford, the Vicar of Apple- appeal. dore, and the President of the Bideford Seaton and Beer held Century Life- Free Church Council. The civic party boat Days, and a Dancing Display at marched from the Town Hall, headed the Town Hall. by the Bideford Town Band, and accom- j Sidmouth held a Century Life-boat panied by the Police,_the Fire Brigade, Day, an open-air Whist Drive, three the Church Lads' Brigade, the Dances and two Theatrical Performances. Scouts and the Girl Guides. Teignmouth held a Century Life-boat Day, supplemented by a Carnival, at Plymouth. which a record sum was raised. Plymouth celebrated the Centenary and Paignton both held in a number of ways. Several Centenary ] Century Life-boat Days. Meetings, arranged by the Mayor, were

held. Century Life-boat Day took DORSETSHIRE«^^^A^I***«* * t _"" ~".".T.~ ". place on May 17th and included a Pageant, witnessed by thousands of Dorchester held a Century Life-boat people, through the streets of Plymouth, Day, at which a record sum was raised, Devonport and Stonehouse. A Cen- and a Whist Drive and Dance in the tenary Service was held in St. Andrew's spring, followed by another in the Church with the Mayor and Corporation autumn ; and the Lord Lieutenant of attending in state. On 10th September Dorsetshire issued a special appeal. there was a Life-boat Fete and Gala, Lyme Regis held a Century Life-boat during which the Life-boat went up the Day and a special demonstration of life- Laira for the first time, and gave a saving. demonstration of rescue by means of Poole and held Cen- the Line-throwing Gun, and in November tenary Meetings and a Century Life-boat there was a Life-boat Ball. These special Day, and special appeals were made attractions were organized by Mr. in the churches. Sydney Clarke, and it was due to his Shaftesbury held a Centenary Meeting, NOVEMBER, 1924.] THE LIFEBOAT. 235 a Whist Drive and Dance and a Century : special gift which the Institution owes Life-boat Day. jto the Cinema, and for this it is Sherborne had a Life-boat Lecture indebted to Mr. Albany Ward (unfor- and a Century Life-boat Day. tunately prevented by illness from being Swanage held a Century Life-boat present at the ceremony). The record of Day, a Life-boat Demonstration and a his help is inscribed on a tablet on the Whist Drive. wall of the house : " This Life-boat House has been Weymouth. presented to the Royal National Life- The new Life-boat House, built for boat Institution through the generous the Motor Life-boat, which has been ' initiative of Albany Ward, Esq., in

THE LIFE-BOAT HOUSE AT WEYMOUTH. Presented to the Institution by the help of Mr. Albany Ward in appealing to the patrons of Picture Palaces under his control.

stationed at Weymouth, was opened on bringing the claims of the Life-boat 10th September by Lady Ilchester, and j Service before the Patrons of the the Boat was launched. Among those Albany Ward Theatres, Ltd., Jersey present were the Mayor and Mayoress,; and Guernsey Amusements Company, Mr. A. E. Newbold, of the Albany Ward! Ltd., and Albany Ward's Theatres." Theatres, and Mr. Norris, the Hon. Secretary of the Branch, and the chair HAMPSHIRE. was taken by Major J. H. C. Devenish, Portsmouth. J.P., the President of the Branch. On The Navy joined very heartily in the many occasions the cinemas have helped celebration of the Centenary at Ports- the Institution by allowing collections to mouth. Several Centenary Meetings be made during their performances, by were held, a Centenary Dance arranged showing films of Life-boat work, and by by the wife of the Commodore, and a announcing Life-boat Days. But the Century Life-boat Day, which was an Weymouth Life-boat House is the first immense success^ There was a. special 236 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1924. pageant and procession, which travelled Andover held a Century Life-boat Day. five miles through the streets, and was Basingstoke held a Centenary Meeting, witnessed by thousands of people. For a Century Life-boat Day and a Bazaar, this procession one of the Institution's and a Special Appeal was issued by the reserve Life-boats was sent down, and Mayor. the Naval Authorities supplied the Fareham held several meetings and a bands and arranged cars with special Century Life-boat Day with a procession, tableaux. and a Century Life-boat Day was held In Havant a special appeal was made in the neighbouring villages. and a Century Life-boat Day was held. Lymington held a Centenary Meeting, Emsworth held its first Life-boat a lecture with films at the theatre and a Day. Century Life-boat Day.

Photograph by} [Stephen Cribb, Smtthsea. THE NAVY HELPS THE LIFE-BOATS AT PORTSMOUTH.

Southampton. Ringwood held a Bazaar and a Dance. Southampton, like Portsmouth, cele- Romsey held a Century Life-boat Day brated the Centenary in a variety of and a Centenary Fete, which was a great ways—a Century Life-boat Day, a success. Dance Matinee at the Grand Theatre, Winchester held a Century Life-boat which was given to a crowded house, an Day, and a Special Centenary Appeal was Invitation Concert at the Palace Theatre, issued by the Mayor, resulting in £100 a Sale of Work and a Life-boat Fete at being raised. Rownhams. Isle of Wight. Other Celebrations. Cowes, Ventnor, Shanklin, Sandown and Newport all held Century Life-boat Aldershot held a Centenary Ball, •Days, which were a great success. In under the patronage of the Commander- addition, Cowes had a Children's Party in-Chief, and a Grand Assault at Arms. and Entertainment, and a Centenary NOVEMBER, 1924.] THE LIFEBOAT. 237 Ball organized by the Ladies' Life-boat Sir Herbert Acton-Blake, in moving Guild. the Centenary resolution of gratitude Shanklin held a Centenary Meeting to Coxswains, Crews and Honorary and special services in the churches. Workers, said that it was sometimes Ventnor held a Centenary Dance. asked why the Life-boat Service was not Lake held a Century Life-boat Day charged on the national fnnds. In his which raised a record sum for villages opinion, the work would be efficiently in the South-West of England. done by the State, but it could not be done so economically, and to hand the OXFORDSHIRE. service over to the State would effec- tively stifle the magnificent gratuitous Centenary Meeting. effort of the people who at present Oxford. manned and maintained the Service. The Centenary Meeting was held, in That in itself would be a tremendous loss. the Hall of Wadham College, on 8th In seconding the resolution, Mr. February, with the Vice-Chancellor (Mr. George F. Shee described how the J. Wells) in the Chair, and the meeting Institution came to be founded, spoke was attended by the Mayor and members of the enormous developments made in of the Corporation, the Member of Parlia- the course of a century, and paid a ment for the city of Oxford (Mr. Frank tribute to the immense services of the Gray), the High Sheriff of Oxfordshire, Honorary Workers of the Institution. the Warden of New College, the Presi- Father Martindale, in moving the dent of Magdalen, the Provost of resolution pledging support for the Worcester, the Rev. Dr. Sherwood (Vice- future, said:— President of the Branch), the Rev. W. M. " The very existence of the Life-boat Merry (Hon. Treasurer), and Miss Alice Institution is an element in our national Marshall (Hon. Secretary). education. Small children, living no- The speakers were Captain Sir Herbert where near the sea, hear about it in Acton-Blake, K.C.M.G., K.C.V.O. (De- their thousands, and are captivated by puty-Master of Trinity House, and a its romance. Children respond naturally member of the Committee of Manage- to the gallant and chivalrous. I heard ment), Mr. George F. Shee, M.A. (Secre- lately of a little girl, not educated in tary of the Institution), Father C. C. Christian traditions, who saw a crucifix. Martindale, S.J., Captain W. B. Bruce, ' Who,' she said, ' is that man ? Is it C.B.E., R.N.R. (ret.) and the Mayor. St. George 1 ' And she kissed its feet. The Vice-Chancellor, in opening the Defrauded of any knowledge of the meeting, said that no more appropriate Master, she had heard of and had been place could have been found in Oxford inspired by the servant; the narrower for a Life-boat celebration, for Wadham example had captivated her when the was the only college that had'on its infinite romance, the divine love story, books one of the great names of the had been forbidden to exercise its spell. English Navy—Admiral Blake. Their I notice those fine, robust Nonconformist colleges were, in a very real sense, hymns—that I hope are still sung in national institutions, and it was one of many parts of the country—use by the chief glories of Oxford that it had preference Life-boat and railway symbol- always reflected the mind of a very large ism to stimulate those who sing them. section of the English people. It was Thus, from childhood the imagination is only right, therefore, that the University taught that self-sacrifice is possible, and should give its help to another so truly that hero'ism is taken for granted, even, English and national an institution as at due hours, in ourselves. This nation- the Life-boat Service. ally educative role of the Life-boat would Miss Alice Marshall, in making hei be halved if the Institution ceased to be annual report, said that for nearly a at once national and voluntary. Here, quarter of its century the Life-boat at" any rate, is something which must Service had had the support of Oxford, remain national, and not be nationalised, and in that time Oxford's contribution nor ever sink into being a mere depart- had amounted to over £11,000. ment. 238 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1924. " In the romance of the Life-boat above the common average of our race. two elements do not change—one, the They represent the spirit which made eternal yet incalculable sea, and the our race great. They carry on with all other, that magnificent type of man that their might, striving against the brutal, this Service not only claims, but pro- hostile forces of Nature. It is in that duces. Portraits and photographs dis- kind of striving that races get the be- played during these one hundred years ginning of their greatness, and it is in show that the type has remained true to their willingness to maintain the struggle itself, not only the fine oaken physique, that they continue to be great. These the build of man who does not refuse to are precious people. Would that we face winds, as one of them said, ' that had more of them in England to-day.' gnaw at your face,'' or icy seas that make We are weaker than we should have the very tears seem to warm the cheeks been, for hundreds of thousands of such they trickle down—but also the same lives were lost in the war. Let us take open, cheery, good and spiritual ex- care of the brave men and women who pression to be found in men who ap- remain, and those who are served by preciate home and all that it stands for, the Life-boat. . . . May there never but will risk it all for the sake of their fail to be in this old England of ours a fellow-men. What do they know of spirit that thrusts forth human life upon those they go to rescue ? Nothing, save adventure in a great cause . . . and let that they are their fellow-men, made in those who live more sheltered lives keep God's image. Therefore, for the sake of the courage and adventure and the the preservation and multiplication of generosity of our fathers." so fine a breed of man, for the sake of our children and their training in un- Other Celebrations. selfishness, for our own sake—that we may keep alive our belief in the existence Oxford was visited by the Teesmouth of unselfishness and our readiness to Motor Life-boat as described elsewhere. supply some of it in our own persons— On 10th October a Century Life-boat for the sake of the noblest part of human Ball was held in the Town Hall, and on nature all the world over, and in grati- 18th October Century Life-boat Day, tude for the divine act that saved a which raised nearly £160. shipwrecked world, I ask you whole- Banbury held a Century Life-boat heartedly to support the Life-boat Day. Institution." SOMERSET. Thanksgiving Service. Burnham-on-Sea. A Thanksgiving Service was held in On March 4th there was a Masked the Cathedral on 3rd March, arranged Fancy Dress Ball, and this was followed by the Dean of Christ Church. The by a Century Life-boat Day in August Mayor, accompanied by the Deputy with a launch of the Life-boat and a Mayor, the Member of Parliament for procession through the streets. The the city of Oxford, the Sheriff and Day was concluded with a Dance at the members of the City Council, attended Town Hall, and the Roundabouts and in state, and the University was repre- Fun Fair on the Front gave a part of sented by the Vice-Chancellor (Mr. J. their takings to the Institution. Wells). The service was conducted by the Precentor (the Rev. Claude Wil- liams), and the sermon was preached by Watchet. the Rev. A. W. Gough, Prebendary of A Life-boat Week was organized at St. Paul's. Taking as his text, " Love Watchet with a sale of badges, a concert, endureth all things: Love never faileth," a Life-boat Display, and numerous Prebendary Gough said: " We are competitions. Part of the proceeds of thankful for the work of the Life-boat the Fun Fair on the Front was given to Service because the lives saved are lives the Institution, and collections were of a special worth. Those that go down made at Dunster Show and Wivelis-' to the sea in ships are, in some respects, combe Sports. NOVEMBER, 1924.] THE LIFEBOAT. 239 Other Celebrations. j WILTSHIRE. _ _., At Bradford-on-Avon the Chairman Bath raised a record sum by its Life- of the eouncil organized the celebrations boat Day, and made a number of smaller which consisted oi an entertainment efforts including an appeal for 5s. with Life-boat Films at the Alexandra subscribers and a small Bazaar. Picture Theatre, and a Century Life-boat At Bridgewater, a Ladies' Life-boat | Day. This was the first Day held at Guild was formed, and a Centenary Bradford-on-Avon, and, as a result, the Meeting was held, followed by a Whist Branch has raised a record sum. Drive. Chippenham held a Centenary Meet- Chard issued a special appeal, and ing and a Century Life-boat Day, which held a Century Life-boat Day. not only raised a record sum, but was Glastonbury held a Centenary Meet- the only street appeal made for a charity ing, at which the Countess Waldegrave which showed an increase on previous spoke, and twenty-seven new members years. were enrolled for the Ladies' Life-boat Salisbury held a Centenary Meeting Guild, and a Century Life-boat Day. 1 which was addressed by Sir Godfrey Taunton had a meeting and a special Ba?-nS> Bt' (Chalrman of the Committee of Management). A special appeal was appeal. made for subscriptions. A Century Wells had a meeting, addressed by Life-boat Day was held, and a Dance the Countess Waldegrave; sent out and a Whist Drive in outlying districts. a special appeal; and held a Life-boat Devizes, Swindon and Warminster all Day. held Century Life-boat Days, and Yeovil issued a special appeal. A Trowbridge a football match. Century Life-boat Day was held which raised a record sum. A concert, a Channel Isles. lantern lecture and a Century Life-boat At Guernsey, Century Life-boat Day Day with a procession, were held in the was held in conjunction with the neighbouring villages. Regatta, and the St. Peter Port Life- Clevedon, Frome and Minehead held boat was launched. Collections were Century Life-boat Days. also made in the places of amusement.

The Centenary : In Scotland. ABERDEENSfflRE. Aberdeen and the surrounding dis- Aberdeen. tricts, later on, held a Century Life-boat Aberdeen held a Centenary Meeting Day. on 23rd January, at which Lord Provost Peterhead held a Century Life- Meff presided, and the Marquess of Aber- boat Day. deen and Temair, K.T., a Vice-President ARGYLLSHIRE. of the Institution, delivered an address. Campbeltown and Southend, and The Lord Provost expressed his great Dunoon and Cowal and the surrounding pleasure at the fact that at last, what he places held Century Life-boat Days. and some of his colleagues had urged for years, was being generally realized, the advantage of getting the Harbour Com- AYRSHIRE. missioners to place their Life-boats Girvan held a Century Life-boat Day, under the control of the Institution. with a procession of the Life-boat crew, They had a stormy coast to protect, and bands, and a Fancy Dress Parade. they needed a Life-boat of the most Largs also had a Procession and powerful type. Knowing, too, how much Fancy Dress Parade, organized by the they depended on their sailors and Tennis Club. fishermen, the people of Aberdeen should Century Life-boat Days were held at do every thing to help the Institution in Ayr and the surrounding villages, and at its work. Troon. 240 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1924. BANFFSHIRE. CAITHNESS-SHIRE. Banff. Thurso held a Century Life-boat Day, A Centenary Meeting was held on 8th with a Life-boat Procession, and a July, at which the Duke of Richmond Concert. and Gordon, E.G., Lord Lieutenant of Wick and Ackergill held a Century the county, presided. Representatives Life-boat Day with a Life-boat Proces- were present from the County Council of sion, and Life-boat Films were shown in Banffshire, the Royal Burgh of Banff, all the Picture Houses. the Burghs of Macduff, Buckie, Keith, Huna held a Century Life-boat Day. Dufftown and Portknockie. The Duke of Richmond and Gordon delivered an address on the work of the Life-boat CLACKMANNANSfflRE. Service during a hundred years, and Alloa held a Century Life-boat Day.

LIFE-BOAT PROCESSION AT WICK. Colonel John James George, Deputy DUMBARTONSHIRE. Lieutenant of the county, moved a Helensburgh held a Concert and resolution, which was carried, that a Century Life-boat Day, and a Special Century Life-boat Day should be held in Appeal was issued by the Provost. all the towns and villages of the county. Century Life-boat Days were held at As a result of this meeting, Century Dumbarton and Kirkintilloch. Life-boat Days were held in Aber- DUMFRIES-SHIRE. chirder, Buckie, Banff, Cornhill, Cul- len, Deskford, Dufftown, Inverkeithny, Dumfries held a Life-boat Week, and Keith, Kirkmichael, Macduff, Newton of films were shown at all the Picture Carnousie, Turrifi, Portsoy, Portknockie, Houses. and Whitehilk Sanquhar held a Century Life-boat Day. EDINBURGHSHERE. BUTESHIRE. Edinburgh held a Century Life-boat Rothesay held a Century Life-boat Day which raised a record sum of nearly Day. £950. NOVEMBER, 1924.] THE LIFEBOAT. 241 ELGINSHIRE. LANARKSHIRE. Findhorn held a Century Life-boat Glasgow. Day. In Glasgow a Thanksgiving Service FIFESHIRE. was held in the Cathedral, an appeal was A Centenary Meeting was held in issued by the Lord Provost, and the Anstruther, at which Sir Ralph Ans- British Broadcasting Company had a truther, Bt., the Lord Lieutenant of the special Nautical Programme on 4th county, an & Honorary President of the March, in celebration of the Institution's Branch, presided, and representatives hundredth birthday, in the course of were present from the towns and villages which the late Sir William Martin made of Fifeshire. an appeal. A Century Life-boat Day was also held. Dunfermline held a Century Life-boat Other Celebrations. Day, a Dance and a Whist Drive. Buckhaven held a Concert. Airdrie held a Century Life-boat Day Kirkcaldy held a Century Life-boat and a special collection at a Football Day. Match. FORFARSHIRE. Coatbridge, Motherwell, Rutherglen and Wishaw held Century Life-boat Montrose. Days. Montrose held a Life-boat Week in LINLITHGOWSHIRE. August. The celebrations included a launch of one of the Life-boats; a Bathgate held a Century Life-boat Concert in the Burgh Hall, which was Day, the first Day held here for many attended by Lord Carnegie and H.R.H. years. Princess Maud, Lady Carnegie, and at NAIRNSHIRE. which Lord Carnegie spoke on behalf of Nairn held a Century Life-boat Day. the Life-boat Service; a Fancy Dress Carnival, in which the two Montrose ORKNEY ISLANDS. Life-boats, the Town Band, and the Montrose Pipe Band took part; a Longhope held a Century Life-boat Tennis Tournament; a Putting Com- Day. petition, and a display of a Life-boat PEEBLES-SHIRE. Film. Century Life-boat Days were held Other Celebrations. throughout the county. Arbroath held a Thanksgiving Service and a Century Life-boat Day. PERTHSHIRE. At Dundee a Centenary Appeal was issued by the Lord Provost, and a Perth and District. Century Life-boat Day was held. • A Centenary Meeting was held in May, at which, the Rev. P. R. Landreth HADDINGTONSHERE. presided, and an address was delivered Dunbar and Skateraw and North on the Life-boat Service by the Mar- Berwick both held Century Life-boat quess of Graham, C.B., C.V.O., Naval Days with launches of the Life-boats. A.D.C. to the King and a Vice- President of the Institution. Bailie INVERNESS-SHIRE. Hunter, who moved the adoption of the Inverness held a Century Life-boat report, in the absence of the Lord Day. Provost, said that the Branch was KINCARDINESHIRE. appealing, and appealing with success, Stonehaven held a Century Life-boat in every corner of the county, and they Day, which raised a record sum. were very proud that although an inland county, Perthshire was fourth in KIRKCUDBRIGHTSHIRE. the list of Scottish towns and counties In Kirkcudbright and Balcary Life- in supporting the Life-boat cause. The boat Films were shown and special Marquess of Graham, in the course of his collections made in the Picture Houses. address, said that if Perthshire, with its 242 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1924. population of 125,000, would subscribe ROXBURGHSHIRE. only one shilling a head each year for A Century Life-boat Day was held at three years the county could present Melrose, the first Life-boat appeal made to the Institution a modern Motor Life- there for many years. boat, to be stationed on the coast of Kelso held a Century Life-boat Day, Scotland, and to be called The County of the first Day ever held there. Perth. A Special Appeal was issued, signed by SELKIRKSHIRE. the Earl of Moray, and Century Life- Selkirk held a Centenary Life-boat boat Day was held in Perth and in Day, the first Day ever held there. thirty-six towns and villages throughout STIRLINGSHIRE. the county. At Falkirk a Thanksgiving Service was held in the Parish Church, at which Mr. RENFREWSHIRE. James Kidd, M.P. for Linlithgowshire, Paisley held a Thanksgiving Service delivered an address. A Century Life- in the Abbey, and raised during the year boat Day was also held. a considerably larger sum than last Grangemouth, Stirling and Larbert year. held Century Life-boat Days. Barrhead, Gourock, Greenock and Port Glasgow, and Johnstone held WIGTOWNSHIRE. Century Life-boat Days, the Barrhead Stranraer held a Century Life-boat Day, Day being a record. and Portpatrick made a special effort. The Centenary: In Ireland Dublin. Christian people of Ireland it was the heroic story of the Life-boat Service. Centenary Meeting. The resolution, expressing gratitude for THE Centenary Meeting was held on the work of the Life-boat Service, and 24th March. The Eight Hon. Andrew pledging support for the future, was then Jameson, P.C., D.L., the Chairman of passed, and it was decided that a special the Branch, presided, and, in the course Centenary Appeal should be made in of his speech moving the adoption of the Dublin. report for the previous year, he said : In a leading article next day the Irish " This is the Institution's Centenary Times said : "At present twenty-five year, and everybody should ddo his Life-boats are stationed around the utmost to get all possible support. On coasts of this island, and two others are the other side of the Channel a greater under construction. It is a national effort will surely be made, and it is in- need of first importance that their effi- cumbent on-us in Ireland to show that 1 ciency shall not be impaired through we'- " appreciate the work which the lack of funds. The Dublin Branch has Institution has done in the last hundred recorded its hearty appreciation of the years. gallantry of the Coxswains and"" Crews, "The Institution spends annually and has paid a tribute of respect and about £250,000, raised entirely by admiration to those who have sacrificed voluntary subscriptions. On the Irish their lives in attempting to serve others. Coast, during the last twenty-five years, It pledges itself to advocate the Insti- £187,331 have been spent, an average tute's claims unceasingly, and the coun- of £7,500 a year. We have a chance this try must not fail to give it the help and year to increase the Institution's income encouragement which its -work deserves." in Ireland, and, so far as the Committee are concerned, everything possible will Thanksgiving Services. be done to that end." Following on the decision at the Cen- Sir Maurice Dochrell seconded the tenary Meeting to make a special Cen- report, and the Rev. J. Penhaus Osborne, tenary Appeal, deputations from the D.D., in supporting it, said that if there Committee called on the heads of the was anything which should appeal to the different Churches, asking for their NOVEMBER, 1924.] THE LIFEBOAT. 243 support in organizing Thanksgiving dist Conference (Rev. J. W. Parkhill), Services. As a result of this, Thanks- the Speaker, House of Commons, Nor- giving Services were held, and appeals thern Ireland (Right Hon. R. W. Hugh were made, in between thirty and forty O'Neill, D.L., M.P., LL.D.), the Minister churches of the different denominations of Finance (Right Hon. H. M. Pollock, in the dioceses of Dublin, Glendalough, M.P., D.L.), the Minister of Home Affairs and Kildare. (Right Hon. Sir Dawson Bates, M.P.), the Minister of Labour (Right Hon. J. M. Century Life-boat Day. Andrews, M.P., D.L.), the Minister of Century Life-boat Day was held in Agriculture (Right Hon. B. M. Arch- Dublin on 25th and 26th June. For the dale, D.L.), the Chairman of the Har- greater part of the week a Life-boat was bour Commissioners (Mr. W. B. Wil- stationed on College Green, and on each liames, D.L.), the Mayor of Deny (Alder- of the two days the Kingstown Motor man Maxwell Scott Moore), Sir William Life-boat, decorated with flags and Coates, Bt., D.L. (President Chamber of manned by Sea Scouts and members of Commerce), the City Chamberlain (Sir the Boys' Brigade, with their buglers, Frederick Moneypenny, C.V.O., C.B.E.), came up the Liffey. the Vice-Chancellor of Queen's Univer- sity (Mr. R. W. Livingstone, M.A.), the Other Appeals. High. Sheriff of (Mr. Wil- The Chairman of the Branch made an liam S. Kingan), and Mr. Charles Payne, appeal in the Press to the merchants C.B.E., D.L. (Messrs. Harland & Wolff). and traders of the city, and an appeal There were also present many mem- by letter was made to professional and bers of the North of Ireland Parliament, business men and to the chief works, representatives of the professions and factories, hotels and restaurants. The ! commerce, of the Red Cross, and of the Ladies' Life-boat Guild carried out a British and Foreign Sailors' Society. successful house-to-house collection in A message of congratulation was sent several of the suburban districts. by the meeting to the Prince of Wales, (as President of the Institution, and a . | reply was received. I After reviewing the development of Centenary Meeting. j the Life-boat Service during a hundred AT the Centenary Meeting in Belfast on ; years, the Lord Mayor said : " Belfast 3rd April, held in the Banqueting Cham- is a maritime town, with a great shipping ber of the City Hall, the people and the industry, and as the chief port in Ireland Government of Northern Ireland were I it holds front rank among the ports of fully represented. The Lord Mayor of (the . It is incumbent Belfast (Sir William G. Turner, J.P.), I upon us to come out strong on the occa- who is President of the Belfast Lough sion of the Institution's Centenary. I Branch, was in the chair. The Institu- j propose to open a subscription list to- tion was represented by Captain the ) day, and I shall be grateful for contri- Viscount Curzon, R.N.V.R., M.P., a jbutions from any of those present. I member of the Committee of Manage- hope that the resolutions to be adopted ment, and among those who supported will be the means of attracting the sup- the Lord Mayor were : The Governor port and assistance which the Institution of Northern Ireland (the Duke of Aber- so worthily merits." corn, K.P.), the High Sheriff of Belfast The Governor said that he wished to (Councillor M'Laurin, J.P.), the Modera- associate himself with everything that tor of the General Assembly (Eight. Rev. the Lord Mayor had said, and expressed Dr. George Thompson), the Most Hon. the hope that Belfast would do its best the Marquess of Londonderry, K.G., in support of so admirable an Insti- H.M.L. (Minister of Education), the tution. Most Hon. the Marquess of Duflerin and The Governor then presented to Ava, D.S.O. (Vice-Admiral of Ulster), Andrew Young, Acting Coxswain of the the Lord Bishop of Down (Right Rev. Cloughey Life-boat, the Thanks of the Dr. Grierson), the President of the Metho- Institution inscribed on Vellum for his 244 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1924. services last January to the Helgoland, on the Life-boat service. The Northern of Plymouth. Andrew Young had Whig said: also been awarded the Bronze Medal, " It is to be hoped that the day is far and this had been presented to him by distant when that familiar statement— the Prince of Wales at the Centenary so laconic, yet having such potent appeal Meeting in London, on 4th March. to the sympathies of British-born men Lord Curzon then delivered an ad- and women—' supported entirely by dress on the work of the Institution, and, voluntary contributions,' will disappear on behalf of the Committee of Manage- from the reports and other documents ment, offered the Institution's thanks to issued by the Institution. If it were the Lord Mayor and Sir Frederick Money- eliminated one would feel that the chief penny, and the Belfast Lough Branch glory of the world's premier Life-boat and its Ladies' Life-boat Guild, for all Service had departed."

.

Photoaraphby] [Topical Prets Agcnc*. THE BELFAST CENTENARY MEETING. Front row, left to right:—The Marquess of Londonderry, K.G., Captain the Viscount .Curzon, R.N.V.R., M.P., the Lord Mayor (Sir William Turner) the Governor (the Duke of Abercprn) Councillor H.M Launn (High Sheriff), the Marquess of Dufferin and Ava. the Right Hon. Hugh O'Neill (Speaker). Back row, Mr. W. E. Williams, D.L., Sir Frederick Moneypenny, C.V.O., Sir Crawford M Cullagh, the Rt. Hon. E. M. Archdale. (Minister of Agriculture), the Rijht Hon Thomas Moles, M.P., Mr. H. L. Garrett, Mr. H. G. Solomon, F.C.I.S. (Organizing Secretary), Sir William Coates, Bart.. D.L.. Colonel J. K. M Clmtock. Commander Oscar Henderson, D.S.O., R.N. that they had done for the Life-boat The Belfast News-Letter said : Service. In his address he spoke in " The peculiar glory of the Service is particular of the value of the voluntary that it is voluntary, and therein lies not principle, which was the basis of the only the secret of the splendid efficiency whole work of the Service. of the rescue work, but the high interest The resolution, expressing gratitude and the long-continued support which .for the work of the Life-boats and the people as a whole have given the pledging support for the future, was organization. Take away the volun- moved by Lord Londonderry, seconded tarism of the Service, and it at once by the Right Hon. E. M. Archdale, D.L., drops to a lower plane; it no longer M.P., and carried with enthusiasm. inspires, it becomes a mere machine ; In the evening the Lord Mayor gave and, while there may remain the courage a concert in the Ulster Hall. Next day and endurance required for rescue, the both the Northern Whig and the Belfast spirit that urges and sustains in the News-Letter published leading articles direst straits is not there." NOVEMBER, 1924.] THE LIFEBOAT. 245 Centenary Lifeboat Day and Kingstown (co. Dublin) held a Thanks- Carnival. giving Service and a Century Life-boat Day. Century Life-boat Day was held on Portrush (co. Antrim) held a Cen- 3rd and 4th May. On the first day the tenary Meeting. Lady Mayoress had a stall for the sale Century Life-boat Days were held at of Life-boat souvenirs outside the City Skerries (co. Dublin), Ballycotton and Hall, and in the evening there was a Youghal, in co. Cork, Donaghadee and Fancy Dress Parade through the streets, Newcastle, in co. Down, and Bray and organized by the Turf Guardian Asso- Greystones (co. Wicklow). ciation, and watched by thousands of people. On the second day there were NOTE.—While every effort has been 400 collectors in the streets ; a proces- made to include in the account of the sion in which one of the Institution's Centenary Celebrations all that the reserve Life-boats took part, and a Car- Branches have done, there may well be nival at Alexandra Park. As a result of omissions among the so many hundreds these celebrations, Belfast has raised a of functions which were held. The record sum this year. Secretary will be very glad to be in- formed of any functions to which no Other Celebrations in reference is made, and they will be mentioned in the next issue. A number Ireland. have also been arranged to take place Larne (co. Antrim) held a Centenary during the winter. These also will be Meeting and a Century Life-boat Day. dealt with in the next issue. Obituary. Mr. Rowland Berkeley, Deputy Secretary of the Institution, Sir William Martin, J.P., F.S.A. (Scot.), late Organizing Secretary for Scotland, and Commander M. A. Regan, O.B.E., Honorary Secretary of the Hull Branch. Mr. Rowland Berkeley. Committee of the Garrick Club, of which WE deeply regret to announce the he was a prominent member. sudden death on 14th October, after an At the memorial service which was operation, of Mr. Rowland Berkeley, held at St. Martin's-in-the-Field, the who was appointed Deputy Secretary Queen was represented by her Treasurer, of the Institution at the beginning of Sir Edward Wallington, and the Insti- 1923. Mr. Berkeley, who was 57 years tution by Sir Godfrey Baring, Bt. of age, was a barrister-at-law, was (Chairman of the Committee of Manage- called to the Bar by Lincoln's Inn in ment), the Hon. George Colville (Deputy 1892, and before the War practised at Chairman), several members of the the Parliamentary Bar. During the Committee, and Mr. George F. Shee, War he was Honorary Secretary of M.A. (Secretary). Among others who Princess Mary's Fund, and a leading were present were Mr. Berkeley's cousin, member of the Central Prisoners of War the Earl of Berkeley, and Lord Buck- Committee which carried on the des- master, Sir Squire Bancroft, Sir Gerald patch three times a fortnight, of food- du Maurier, Sir Anthony Hope Hawkins, parcels to all British prisoners of war. Sir Arthur Pinero and Mr. Henry Later in the War he joined the firm of Ainley, all representing the Garrick Messrs. Morgan, Grenfell & Co., in their Club. work of obtaining supplies from the Sir Will'""' Martin. United States, and after the Armistice The Committee of Management, the was appointed Director of Imports at Staff of the Institution and the many the Food Ministry, but almost imme- friends of the Life-boat Service in Scot- diately his health broke down, and he land, learnt with very deep regret of the was compelled to give up this work. death of Sir William Martin, on Septem- Mr. Berkeley was the Hon. Treasurer of ber 12th, at the age of sixty-eight. It Queen Mary's Maternity Home at was only last year that he retired from Hampstead, and Chairman of the House his position as the Institution's Organiz. 246 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1924. ing Secretary in Scotland, and so brought one time Chairman of the Scottish Society to an end a work of thirty years for the of Literature and Art; and it was in 1919, Life-boat Service. It began in 1893, in recognition of his many public services when he carried out, with great success, in Glasgow, that he was knighted. At the first Life-boat demonstration in his funeral, the Institution was repre- Glasgow, for the Life-boat Saturday sented by Mr. P. W. Gidney (Assistant Fund. The procession which passed Secretary) and Sir Godfrey Baring, Bt., through Glasgow that day, and which Chairman of the Committee of Manage- included two Life-boats, was nearly two ment, by Commander Drury, O.B.E., miles long, and the demonstration raised B.N.R., the Inspector of Life-boats for a sum of nearly £3,700. Out of this Scotland, while the Glasgow Branch was sum was built the Steam Life-boat, City represented by Lord Maclay, its chair- of Glasgow, which was launched in the man, and Mr. Leonard Gow, J.P., its following year. Mr. William Martin honorary secretary and treasurer. then became secretary of the Glasgow Branch of the Institution and of the Comnjander M. A. Regan, O.B.E., J.P. Glasgow Life-boat Saturday Fund, and By the sudden death at the age of then of the Life-boat Saturday Fund for sixty-three, of Commander M. A. Regan, the whole of Scotland. At the end of O.B.E., J.P., the Honorary Secretary 1910 the Institution decided to take of the Branch at Hull, the Institution over the whole of the work of organiza- has lost one of its most indefatigable tion and publicity in connexion with honorary workers. He became the the raising of funds. The Life-boat Honorary Secretary at Hull, in May, Saturday Fund, which had largely 1922, and his energy and influence re- carried out that work since 1891, was sulted at once in an increase in Hull's therefore absorbed, and Mr. Martin support of the Life-boat Service. In was appointed its Organizing Secretary 1922 its contribution was £651, in 1923 for Scotland. In that year the Scottish it was £801, and in 1924 it had risen to Branches numbered 56, and when Sir £820. He was the sole partner in the William Martin retired last year they shipbroking firm of Messrs. W. R. had increased to nearly eighty, Alto- Johnson & Sons, to which he had come gether, in his thirty years of work as manager thirty-five years ago, and he he was responsible for helping to raise was also a director of Messrs. Mathwin & about £150,000 in Scotland for the Life- Son, Ltd., the coal exporting firm, and boat Service. agents for the Admiralty in the Humber Sir William Martin was an admirable district. It was to increase the contri- speaker and lecturer, clear, forcible, butions from shipping that Commander humorous, and it was largely by speak- Regan specially devoted himself, and ing and lecturing that he extended the with great success, appealing to the\!j appeals of the Institution in Scotland. shipping firms to contribute 5s. a ship. After his retirement he spoke occasion- By this appeal he raised £136 in 1923 ally for the Institution, and one of his and £123 in 1924. last, if not his last lecture on the Life- He served his country with distinction boat Service was to an audience of during the War, being appointed Naval 400 boys and girls at the Perth Academy, Transport Officer for the Humber Dis- in the summer of last year. trict, in August, 1917, with the rank of Although his chief work, and the Commander in the R.N.V.R. As such work by which he was widely known in he was responsible for the coaling of all Scotland, was for the Life-boat Service, ships connected with the Admiralty he took an active part in politics, in the which put into Hull (it amounted to over municipal life of Glasgow, and in social six miDion tons of coal), for the salvage and philanthropic work; for six years operations on twenty steamers, the he was a member of the Corporation of repatriation of prisoners of war and Glasgow; and at the General Election civilians (they numbered about 100,000), in 1918, was adopted as Liberal candidate and the multitudinous affairs of a great for Iiinlithgowshire, but later withdrew port in war-time. For these services his candidature. He was a Fellow of the he would accept no payment, being, in Scottish Society of Antiquaries, and at fact, the only unpaid Naval Transport NOVEMBER, 1924.1 THE LIFEBOAT. 247 Officer in the Service, but he received movement. In his case, as in so many the O.B.E. others, it was a man of wide interests He was a member of the Humber and many claims on his energy, who Conservancy Board, and the chairman found time also to devote himself to the of the Vincent Boys' Home. A devout Catholic, he was for many years Master Life-boat Service, and the Institution of Ceremonies at St. Charles Church, can ill spare so generous and successful and always ready to help any charitable a worker.

Awards to Coxswains and Life-boatmen. To THOMAS HENRY OWEN, on his retirement, To PETER GUNN, on his retirement, after after serving 15J years as Bowman, 4J years serving 13 years as Signalman at the as Second Coxswain, and 13J$ years as Cox- Gourdon Life-boat Station, a Pension. swain of the Rhosneigir Life-boat, a Certifi- To CHARLES H. COLE, on his retirement, after cate of Service and a Pension. serving 18£ years as Second Coxswain and To THOMAS ROBERTS, on his retirement, after 5| years as Coxswain of the Hayling Island serving 4J years as Bowman and 13JJ years Life-boat, a Life-boatman's Certificate and as Second Coxswain of the Rhosneigir Life- a Pension. boat, a Pension. To ERNEST COLE, on his retirement, after To JOHN JONES, on his retirement, after serving 18J years as Bowman and 5J years serving nearly 14 years as Bowman of the as Second Coxswain of the Hayling Island Rhosneigir Life-boat, a Pension. Life-boat, a Life-boatman's Certificate and a Pension. To OWEN GRIFFITH OWEN, on his retirement, after serving nearly 20 years as Signalman at Life-boatmen's Certificates of Service have the Rhosneigir Life-boat Station, a Pension. been awarded to the following men who have retired, the figure after their names being their To WILLIAM PURVIS, on his retirement, after years of service :— serving 11 years as Bowman and 4 years as Second Coxswain of the Hornsea Life- ANDREW OWEN (23), Cemaes Life-boat. boat, a Pension. GEORGE JONES (over 20), Hayling Island Life- To JOHN SUTHERLAND, on his retirement, after boat. serving 37 years as Signalman at the Huna GEORGE COLLING (60), a Launcher at Filey. Life-boat Station, a Pension. JOHN NEWBERY (36), THOMAS WILLIAM To JAMES McBuRNiE, on his retirement, after HOOKLY (32), JAMES NEWBERY (35), FRANK serving 12 years as Second Coxswain of the COOKE (30), GEORGE HARRIS (19)—all of the Pa'dstow No. 1 Life-boat, a Pension. Brooke, Isle of Wight, Life-boat. To JOHN DOWNING, on his retirement, after JAMES JAMIESON (19), JOHN BORTHWICK (19), serving 19 years as Second Coxswain of the ALEXANDER BURGON (19), DAVID BORTH- Aldeburgh No. 2 Life-boat, a Pension. WICK (19), PETER DIXON (19), HENRY MANUEL (17), ALEX. BTTRGON, jun. (17), To JOHN BUSHELL, on his retirement, after WM. JAMIESON (17), JAS. JAMIESON, jun. serving nearly 2 years as Second Coxswain, (17), JAMES BURGON (19), DAVID BORTH- • and 23J years as Coxswain of the Blyth Life- WICK, jun. (17), PRIDEAUX EMERY (8), boat, a Special Gratuity. JOHN PATTERSON, sen. (8), ROBERT LAID- To JOSEPH PRICE, on his retirement, after LAW (8), ROBERT TAIT (19), JOHN BURGON serving 27J yea.rs as Signalman at the Fleet- (17), JOHN CROMBIE (17)—all of the Berwick- wood Life-boat Station, a Pension. ou-Tweed Life-boat.

Awards to Honorary Workers. To Mr. H. S. COLE, upon his retirement after Gold Pendants or Brooches and Records of 10J years' tervice as Honorary Secretary of Thanks have been awarded to the following, in the Rhosneigir Branch, the Thanks of the recognition of their valuable co-operation :— Institution inscribed on Vellum. LADY MARTIN, of Glasgow ; Mrs. HEAZELL, of To Mr. B. H. JONES, upon his retirement after Nottingham; Major A. W. WHEWELL, of 18 years' service as Honorary Secretary of Dublin; Mr. A. E. SHAKESBY, of London. the Llanddulas Branch, the Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum. The following awards were made for valuable To Dr. W. ROY JACKSON, upon his retirement co-operation in connexion with the Manchester after 13 years' service as Honorary Secretary Centenary Bazaar :— of the Port Isaac Branch, the Thanks of the To Sir WM. MILLIGAN—a Gold Pendant and Institution inscribed on Vellum. Record of Thanks. 248 THE LIFEBOAT. [NOVEMBER, 1924. To LADY MILUQAN—a Gold Brooch and To Mrs. I/Torus—-a Framed Photograph. Record of Thanks. Framed photographs of the Life-boat going To Mrs. H. J. WILSON—a Gold Brooch and out to a vessel in distress have been presented Record of Thanks. to the following in recognition of their valuable co-operation:— To Mrs. AI/BEBT BBTHBLL—an Aneroid Barometer. Mrs. HABT, of Hornsea; Mrs. WALLGATE, of Hornsea; Mrs. THOMSON, of New Brighton; To Mrs. E. PASSES—aa Aneroid Barometer, Mrs. JACKSON, of Port Isaac; Miss GBEEN- HAM, of New Brighton; Mr. H. FOSTER, of To Mrs. Lisa—a Framed Photograph. Filey ; Mr. J. THOMAS, of Penlee; Mr. C. E. To Mrs. BKONMBF—a Framed Photograph. FIELDING, of Manchester.

A Charity Competition. A CHAKITY competition, in which the sum which goes to the winning charity Committee of Management have given shall not be less than £1,000, and that permission for the Institution's name to the sum which goes to the tenth, shall be included, is to be started at the not be less than £62 10s., the charities beginning of next year by the Nestle in between receiving sums in proportion. and Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Co. Thus, by its inclusion in the list, the Competitors will be asked to select, out Institution is assured of a donation of of sixteen of the Nestle advertisements, at least £62 10s, and we shall be greatly the ten which they like best, and to surprised if this minimum is not greatly arrange them in their order of merit. exceeded. At the same time they will be asked to Messrs. Nestle are issuing with each select, from a list of ten, their favourite of their tins a coupon, and twelve of charity. these coupons, if sent with a stamped Over 1,500 money prizes, to the total addressed envelope, to Nestle's Com- amount of £8,000, are to be awarded, petition, London, B.C. 3, can be ex- the first prize being £2,000, and the changed for an entrance ticket contain- second £1,000. The prizes will be given ing full particulars, reproductions of the by the votes of the competitors them- posters, and the list of charities. There selves, and the judges will be the British is no limit to the number of tickets for Charities Association. * which one may apply, and the competi- For every entry sent in Messrs. Nestle tion will be open during the whole of 1925. propose to set aside one penny, which Full particulars of this competition will be given to the voluntary hospitals, will be published in the Press at the and another penny to a charity donation beginning of 1925, but we ate calling the fund, which will be divided among the attention of Life-boat workers to it now, ten charities on the list, according to in order that they may know that the their place in the voting. Every charity inclusion of the Institution's name in it of the ten will get something. Messrs. is authorized, and that by taking part Nestle also guarantee that the sum and voting for the Institution they may which will go to the voluntary hospitals help to increase the sum which we shall shall not be less than £1,000, that the receive for the Life-boat Service.

Lifeboat Essay Competition: A Correction. IN the article on the Centenary Life- correct. The St. Paul's School, Netley boat Essay Competition in the last issue, Bridge, Bolton, which won the Northern it was stated that none of the schools which had won the Challenge Shields District Shield, held it in 1918, the first had held them before. This was in- year of the competition.

The, Summary of the Meetings of the Committee of Management are held over until the next issue, which will appear in February, 1925.