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

Voi,. XXVI.-No. 283.] FEBRUARY, 1925. [PBICE

Notes and News. By GEORGE F. SHEE, M.A., Secretary of the Institution. 1924 will be remembered as one of the with its account of the very fine ser- wettest years on record. But it was vice of the Newhaven Life-boat, success- not a year of storms, although it ended fully carried out, without loss of life, with great gales all round the coast. although the Boat herself was very It was, in fact, a year much calmer badly damaged. That incident is than the average. It is such years, another signal tribute to the design, perhaps, even more than the years material and construction of the Instita- when there are violent storms, which jtion's fleet, to the meticulous care throw into relief the dangers of our j which is given to every detail, and a coasts and the need of an ever vigilant j justification, if any were needed, of Life-boat Service. j the Institution's rule that in everything In spite of the absence of severe j concerned with the Boats themselves weather there were no fewer than 227 " Only the best will do." launches of the Life-boats on service, The Christmas Gales. leading to the rescue of 349 lives. The The year went out in a fury. Of the Institution also gave rewards for the 227 launches during the year, twenty- rescue of 105 lives by shore-boats and nine took place during the last eleven in other ways. That makes a total of days of the year, and no fewer than ten 454 lives rescued from shipwreck round of these on 27th December. These our coasts, in this year of calm weather, launches were all round the coast from an average of nine lives every week! Swanage to Stornoway. Twenty-nine The total from the foundation of the lives were rescued during these eleven Institution up to the end of 1924 is days. 59,998, including a number of cases of The End of the Centenary. rescues by shore-boats, and in other The Centenary celebrations, which ways, for which the rewards were not opened in London with the Centenary actually made until 1925. The 60,000 Meeting at the Mansion House on figure was actually passed on the first 4th March, the Institution's birthday, day of the year, when the Tenby Motor concluded ^th a Thanksgiving Service Life-boat rescued ten men from thejin London on 14th December, which is steam-trawler Arctic Prince of Shields, j described elsewhere in this issue. There No Loss of Life. , still remained, however, two important If we take into account, besides these I Centenary functions to be held. The 227 launches on service, the practice j first was a four days' Fair at Birming- launches which took place, it means ham, which was opened on the first day, that 12,000 Life-boatmen were out in February 3rd, byH.R.H. Prince Henry, the Boats of the Institution during the the object of it being to raise £10,000 for year. But not a life was lost. It is aja " City of Birmingham " Motor Life- great tribute to the quality of the Boats j boat. The second is the London Cen- of the Institution, and to the skill and tenary Bazaar, which will be held at the discipline of Coxswains and Crews. Hyde Park Hotel, on the 3rd and 4th In this connexion I would draw special March. It will be opened on the first attention to the Chief Inspector's article day by the Duchess of Norfolk, one of in this issue on " Super-Construction," the Vice-Patrons of the Ladies' Life- THE LIFEBOAT. [FEBRUARY,1925. boat Guild, and on the second day by man put it very happily that the men Admiral of the Fleet Sir Doveton | at Camp Hill will feel now that, when a Sturdee, Bt. j gale is raging, they have an added interest in and a very human link with A Gift from Prison. the work of the Life-boatmen in the At the end of last year Sir Godfrey i grand adventure of saving human life Baring, Bt., the Chairman of the Com- '• on our storm-beaten shores. If you mittee of Management, lectured on the i think well you would perhaps find the Life-boat Service to an audience of about I means to acquaint the men with the 200 convicts in Camp Hill Prison, in the j terms of this letter." Isle of Wight. They were all among the '' Gifts from Crews. worst criminals in the country. Not one There are two names to be added to of them had had less than six previous | the growing list of Life-boat Crews convictions for some serious crime. Sir i which have made gifts to the Institution. Godfrey Baring has now received from'; On20th May, 1924, the Cambois Life- them, through the Governor, a cheque boat helped to save the s.s. Solhaug of for nine shillings for the Life-boat '• Haugesund, when she stranded on the Service. In sending it the Governor, Crablaw Rocks, at the same time wrote : I rescuing her crew of twenty-eight. Oat " By good behaviour they are able to | of the sum received from the owners for earn the small sum of Is. 6d. per week, helping to salve the vessel the Life-boat which they can spend on a very few Crew have given £20 to the Institution, luxuries, but they have gladly forgone On 12th June, 1924, the Fraserburgh some of these to subscribe to the Life- Motor Life-boat helped the steam traw- boat Association which does such splen- ier Pdaqos of Granton, and out of the dit* dt work1 . ~rfIf you wil-11l I'lkindll y acceptil thl e salvag. e •'___.which the. y receive.-d th- e _Cre. w subscription {and it is, perhaps, unique have sent the Institution £5 12s. in prison history) the men will feel when On 27th December, 1924, the Swanage a gale is raging that they have an added Life-boat was launched to the help of interest by helping, in even such a small the s.s. Daltington, which was reported way, the glorious work of the Life-boats to be in distress, but when nearing her that may be going on at that moment. the Life-boat found that she no longer The amount is small, but I know you needed help. The weather was very will understand the spirit in which it is severe, and it was an arduous service. given." In recognition of this the Committee in- In reply to the Governor's letter I creased the monetary reward given to the wrote:—" I find it rather difficult to crew. This increase they have returned, express in adequate language my sense as a donation to the funds of the Branch, of the value of this gift to the Institu- as they " were actuated only by a sense tion. I understand that the men at Of duty and not in anticipation of a Camp Hil-r-r-Tli are onliiiy able it o earn thi i e pecuniar.** y reward._.". •*- small sum of Is. 6rf. per week by very good behaviour and hard work, and I A Tribute from an American. that they naturally like to spend this I As recorded in the last issue, one of money on the few luxuries which are j the fortnightly dinners of the Authors' open to them. This being so, it is j Club, at the beginning of 1924, was held proof of a very fine generosity of in honour of the Institution, when I had character that they should have col- the privilege of presiding, and the lected 9s. among them as a free gift principal guest was Sir Godfrey Baring, to the Life-boat cause. It does equal j 3t., the Chairman of the Committee credit to the Life-boat Service (and to the [ of Management. In December the manner in which Sir Godfrey placed that Honorary Secretary of the Club received Service before them) and to the good the following letter from a friend in instincts which these men have, and New York City :— which I believe it is part of the aim of I "I am going to ask a kindness of you : Camp Hill to maintain and develop. to cash the enclosed draft for six pounds, You have in your letter to the Chair- and to send the proceeds to the Royal FEBBUABY, 1925.] THE LIFEBOAT. 3 National Life-boat Institution of followed in Sweden. Mr. Isakson, England. I was deeply impressed withwith. Chairman of the Life-boat Committee the account of the splendid roism of the Swedish League, who was one of and self-sacrifice of tie men of Eng- the representatives of the Swedish lish Life-boat Service, as publisheed in Government at the International Con- one of your London newspapers on ththee f erence in London in July, wrote last occasion of an Authors' Club Mondanday November : "I am also pleased to tell night dinner. I am enclosing the clipelip- you, that, in addition to the ' Svenska ping, although somewhat tattered and Sallskapet for Raddning af Skepps- worn, to -refresh your memory. My brutne ' and to the Life-boat Committee modest gift has been long delayed, bubut of the Swedish Shipping League, a Lady it may not be inopportune to send it aat Society, called the Stockholm ' Life Buoy ' this Christmastide of the year." (Stockholm Lifboj) has just been con- Armistice Memorial Service at Redcarcar. stituted over here, the ' Chairwoman ' An original and very beautiful tributibute being Mrs. Elin Ericson, wife of Commo- was paid at Redcar, on 12th Novembermber, dore Hans Ericson, previously our to the sailors and fishermen who> lost Minister of Marine and now Managing their lives in the War. All the vities Director of the ' Svea ' S.S. Co. (owning of the town ceased, and several thousandsands nearly 100 steamers), the ' Vice-Chair- enade woman ' being my wife, and one of the was most active members in the propaganda conducted by the Vicar of Redcarir,, at being Countess Willaraovitz-Moellen- which a wreath was dedicated too ththe dorf, who is addressing the great dead. The Life-boat was then launchedched, public in lectures on life-saving." and the wreath was taken out to sea I have since heard from Mr. Isakson and placed on the water. At the that on 24th January the ten ladies same moment a flare was lighted in ththe of the Council of the " Life Buoy " held Boat and rockets were fired in salute a dance, cabaret and theatrical per- from the shore. formance at the Grand Hotel, Stock- holm, at which the Crown Prince and Miss Marie Corelli as a. Life-boat Speakereafcer. \lf ' Crown Princess were present. The In its obituary notice of Miss Marinamee Council had hoped to have a copy of Corelli, the novelist, who died oni 21s21st one of the Institution's films to show April, 1924, the Yorkshire Herald recallecalls 77 on this evening, but it could not be got that she was a popular speaker as3 well ready in time. Instead of this copies as writer, and that one of her most of the Centenary Number of The Life- successful speeches was on behaltlff of boat and of the November, 1924, number, the Life-boat Service ia Leeds some with the account of our Centenary years ago. " The crowd overflowed the celebrations, were sent, at Mr. Isakson's Town Hall, and the enthusiasm was request, to be presented to the Grown euch that people pressed forwar-dd to Prince and Princess and the officers of shake her hand, and some women went j the " Life Buoy." The film will be sent so far as to press the edges of her dress later, to be used by the Council of the against their lips—a thing which occurreurred " Life Buoy " at its lectures. when Dickens paid a visit to Yorkfork.. Norway, like Sweden, has been follow- The Lord Mayor of Leeds, rever, ing our example in the same way. Two refused to support the Life-boat meetin,eting years ago the Secretary of its Life-boat because it was held on a Sunday. Yet,' Service, Captain Ottar Vogt, was over was Miss Corelli's comment, ' iEf the here inspecting not only our Life-boats Mayor had been wrecked on a Sundayly, he but our arrangements for Life-boat would not have thought it irreligiouus fofor Days, and was supplied with specimens the life-boat men to risk their livevess iin of our collecting-boxes and badges. coming to his rescue !' " It has always been the policy of the "Life Buoys" Institution to place its inventions and Members of the Ladies' -boat experience in life-saving at the disposal Guild will be very much •ested of other countries, and it will be 1 to hear that their example has been remembered that, at the International THE LIFEBOAT. [FEBRUARY, 1925. Life-boat Conference, Admiral Le Bris, wholesale firm for the supply of general of the French Life-boat Society, paid a stores, for a Mr. A. A. Cudjol wiote, some tribute to the "liberal spirit" in which months ago, from the Roman Catholic this had been done. It is an equal Mission School at Obmassie, asking for pleasure to us to be able to give other our " general illustrated catalongue of Life-boat Services the benefit of our together with price list onenations sample experience in that other and most ect." We are still wondering what important side of the Institution's " onenations " are. organization—the raising of funds. The replies to these mistaken inquirers Tbe Latvian Life-boat Service. are, however, having their effect in West In the article, in the last issue of The Africa, for in December of last year, Lifeboat, on the " International Con- another letter came from the Gold Coast, ference on the World's Life-boat Ser- this time from Mr. J. A. Quanoah, saying vice," it was stated that the Latvian that in a newspaper he had come across Life-boat Society, which was founded the Institution's name and address as at the end of 1923, to take over the " the best dealers in Life-boat Service stations on the Latvian coast formerly in the City of London," and asking us to maintained by the Imperial Russian send him by return " complete cost for Society, was a voluntary organization. subscription to enable me to subscribe This is not entirely correct. " Funds," to same." " Nobody," so the letter went so I am informed, " were supplied by on, " has ever subscribed same before, membership fees, donations, Government neither has come across your name and support, and taxes specially leaned on address in any newspaper than myself." ships entering Latvian ports." Mr. Quanoah has been sent the " com- plete cost for subscription." He is "Life-boat Stores Unlimited." evidently very proud to be first in the Two years ago a paragraph appeared field—and rightly so—and we look in The Lifeboat under this heading, and forward to welcoming him, shortly, as the paragraph itself contained a letter our first Gold Coast subscriber. from a native of the Gold Coast, Mr. This idea prevailing in West Africa V. J. Santo, asking for one of the Institu- that the Institution is in business seems tion's catalogues, and stating that he to have some currency even nearer home. required for his stores samples of such If not, why, when we rang up a large things as " clothes, beads, buttons, silk, London shop some time ago, and gave thread, whistles for scout-boys and the name of the Institution, were we put bottles of lovender." In spite of the through immediately, and without Institution's denial, the idea seems to further inquiry, to the 'wholesale fish persist in West Africa that we are a department ?

Centenary Thanksgiving Service in London. THE Centenary Celebrations which began Lidgett, D.D., Moderator of the Federal in London with the Centenary Meeting Council of the Free Churches, and the at the Mansion House on 4th March, Rev. A. A. Green, of the Hampstead 1924, concluded on 14th December with Synagogue, also took part; and on the a solemn Thanksgiving Service at the platform, supporting the Bishop, were Central Hall, Westminster, which was the Rev. H. D. L. Viener, C.B.E., M.A., kindly lent to the Institution for the K.H.C., Chaplain-in-Chief of the Royal occasion by the Trustees. The Prince of Air Force, the Rev. W. L. Robertson, Wales, our President, and the Princess General Secretary of the Presbyterian Louise,, Duchess of Argyll, President of Church of England, Sir Godfrey Baring, the Ladies' Life-boat Guild, were both Bt., Chairman of the Committee oi present. Management, and the Hon. George The service was conducted by the Colville, Deputy Chairman. Right Rev. W. W. Perrin, D.D., Bishop Although the Roman Catholic Church of Willesden. The Rev. W. Scott does not see its way to participate in FEBRUARY, 1925.] THE LIFEBOAT. such joint services, Cardinal Bourne, the Institution, the first time for the the Archbishop of Westminster, arranged rescue, in 1916, of 110 men from the that references should be made to the transport Empress Queen, and the work of the Life-boat Service at West- second time, in 1919, for rescuing the minster Cathedral on the same day, both! crew of an American steamer, the at High Mass and at the Evening Service.; Wakulla, of Los Angeles; by Robert The musical part of the service was Burgon, ex-Coxswain of Berwick-on- conducted by Mr. Arthur Meale, Tweed, who holds the Silver Medal for F.R.C.O., Organist and Director of the rescue, in 1913, of eleven lives from

THE CENTENARY THANKSGIVING SERVICE. In the front row of the platform, from left to right, are :—Sir Godfrey Baring, Bt. (Chairman of the Committee of Management), the ROT. W. L. Robertson (General Secretary of the Preibr* terian Church of England), the Rev. H. D. L. Viener (Chaplain.io-Chief of the Royal Air Force), Dr. Scott Lidfett (Moderator of the Federal Council of the Free Churchei), the Bishop of Willeiden, the Rev. A. A. Green (of the Hampitead Synagogue), and the Hon. George Colville (Deputy-Chairman of the Committee of Management). Music of the Central Hall, Westminster, a Swedish barque; by John Bensley, and the singing was led by the Central one of the Coxswains of Gorleston; Hall (Westminster) Choral Society. and by George Newman, Second Many distinguished and representative Coxswain of Worthing; Scotland by men and women accepted invitations to Walter Fairbairn, Coxswain of Dunbar attend the Service. and Skateraw, who holds the Silver Medal for the rescue, in 1905, of six The Life-boat Service. lives from the steamer King Ja Ja, of The Life-boat Service itself was repre- Swansea; Ireland by Daniel Murphy, sented by seven Life-boat men from Coxswain of Kingstown; Wales by England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales— John H. Williams, Coxswain of Tenby. England by John Holbrook, ex-Coxswain The Life-boat Service was also repre- iof Bembridge, Isle of Wight, who has sented by the following members of the twice been awarded the Silver Medal of Committee of Management: Sir John THE LIFEBOAT. [FEBRUARY,1925.

Gumming, K.C.I.E., C.S.I., Major Sir The London Boroughs. Maurice Cameron, K.C.M.G., Sir Wood- The municipal life of London was ! burn Kirby, Brigadier-General Noel M. represented by the Mayors of West- ] • Lake, C.B., and Engineer Rear-Admiral minster, Acton, Chelsea, Islington, Lam- Charles Rudd ; by Lady Baring, Chair- beth, Southwark, Wandsworth, Shore- i man of the London Women's Committee, ditch, Greenwich, Stepney, Marylebone and the Lady Cynthia Colville, Lady and Fulham, and the Chairmen of the White and Mrs. Abington, members of Urban District Councils of Chiswick, the Committee ; by General Sir F. R. Finchley, Hanwell, Leyton, Bushey, Wingate, Bt., K.C.B., Vice-President of Mortlake, Chingford, Beckenham and the Dunbar and Skateraw Branch, Miss Southall-Norwood. Alice Marshall, Hon. Secretary of the Oxford and District Branch, and an Lloyd's, Trinity House, and the Port Honorary Life-Governor of the Institu- of London. tion, and Mr. William Bertram, J.P., Lloyd's was represented by Mr. E. E. Hon. Secretary of the Dunbar and Adams, its Chairman, and a number of Skateraw Branch, and an Honorary its members. Life-Governor of the Institution ; and Trinity House by Captain Sir Herbert by Mr. George F. Shee, M.A. (Secretary Acton Blake, K.C.M.G., K.C.V.O., the of the Institution), and Captain Howard Deputy Master. F. J. Rowley, C.B.E., R.N. (Chief In- The Port of London Authority sent spector of Life-boats). representatives.

H.M. Forces. The Merchant Service and Marine Charities. The Navy was represented by the The Merchant Service was represented Right Hon. W. C. Bridgeman, M.P., by members of the Imperial Merchant First Lord of the Admiralty, Captain Service Guild, the National Sailors and H. P. Douglas, R.N., Hydrographer of Firemen's Union, the Shipwrecked the Admiralty, and a contingent of the Mariners' Society, King George's Fund Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. for Sailors, and the British and Foreign The Army by Major-General the Lord Sailors' Society ; by an officer and forty Ruthven, C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O., the boys from the training ship Stork, an General Officer Commanding the London officer and fifty boys from the training District, and by an Officer and twenty ship Exmouth, and an officer and twelve of other ranks of the Coldstream Guards. boys from the Prince of Wales' Sea The Royal Air Force by Wing-Com- Training Hostel of the British and mander Allen, and members of its Foreign Sailors' Society. Meteorological Office. Sea Scouts and Sea Guides. The Board of Trade. The Sea Scouts were represented by The Board of Trade was represented Rear-Admiral Bertram Thesiger, C.B., by Captain Aplin, R.N., Deputy In- C.M.G., Chief Sea Scout Commissioner, spector-General of Coast Guard. and a detachment of a hundred Sea Scouts. Foreign Countries. The Sea Guides by Dame Katherine Foreign countries were represented by Furse, G.B.E., Chief Commissioner for the Norwegian Minister, the Belgian and Sea Guides, four Commissioners, and a Latvian Consuls-General, the Naval detachment of fifty Sea Guides. Attaches of France, Japan, the United Among others who were present were States, Sweden, Italy, Greece and Chile. the Rev. H. Costley White, M.A., Head- master of Westminster School, and a party of boys from the School. The House of Commons. The House of Commons was repre- The Service. sented by the Right Hon. C. W. Bower- Before the service began, Mr. Meale man, M.P. for Deptford, and Mr. Percy gave a recital on the grand organ, which Gates, M.P. for North Kensington. included his dramatic tone poem, " In FEBRUARY, 1925.] THE LIFEBOAT. Peril on the Sea," with its three parts, response to the growing calls which sympathy "Calm Sea," "Portents of Coming I makes upon a good people; a reliance not QA« ~, " „ ^ « nn, a -i ' T> » upon otate enterprise, out upon private and Storm, and The Sailor S Prayer. 1^nevolent endeavour. This new sense of the in opening the bervice, the Bishop of i sacredness and the -worth of human life, how- Willesden said :— ie ver humble and however hitherto unthought " God is everywhere ; He knows all of, became at last part, we may trust, of the permanent endowment of our race. our shortcomings. We are gathered " _And aialil vui thias wur worK km o f sympathya, BBIlsa sense OeI of here to-day to ofiei our thanksgiving to social obligation and a realization of the Him for all that has been done in the preciousness of human life, followed in the wake hundred years and to pray for the °,f. and though it was not created, was at least *' * , _ .-'-*' (1PC>npnAdeepenedn V»\by7 +.1-1the0 Tolii-M/vi-iCreligiousj T"*vi?i*j-arevival] /-iof -frVithen continuance of His blessing upon THE eighteenth century, the effects of which lasted ROYAL NATIONAL LlFE-BOAT INSTITU- j on throughout the nineteenth century with all TION. I ask you to take your part in the I its activities of thought and enterprise. We Service, and to join in the responses." aj* h ere' therefore, in the presence of a work " m i T? A. i i " whicuh was created by faith and hope and love Eternal Father strong to save t Mowing, as we-believe, the guiding of the •was then sung, and was followed by: High Spirit of God. prayers; "The waves of the sea are] " At the same time this Institution, whiie it mighty and rage horribly. But yet the Iis.the outcome of a great religious impulse, is T J v. j 11 j-i T-- t- • • i j.- i " also a characteristic monument of British Lord who dwelleth on high is mightier \ temper and geniug The nature and efficiency Mr. Green then read the 107th Psalm, j of its work are part of the characteristics oi and the Choir sang the Hallelujah I our race. Adventure, -which, has sent forth our Chorus from Handel's " Messiah." This seamen for centuries over every sea; the sympathy which is not lavish of words, but of was followed by an address from Dr. practical deeds ; the generosity which does not Scott Lidgett :— like to be organized or directed by the State, but springs spontaneously up and does its own Dr. Scott Lidgett: work, those qualities of devotion, of humanity, " We are here this afternoon to give thanks of practical sense and private endeavour, make to God and to commemorate the history of a up the most characteristic features of the hundred years; to give thanks for those into British mind and temper, of its attitude whose hearts God put it to found this great towards the tasks of life. And as enterprise BOTAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION ; to and adventure have sent our mariners upon thank Him for the generous spirit which He every sea, so the British people have responded inspired, for the wisdom, enterprise and by the enterprise which has created, and the persistence which has guided the counsels of private sense of duty which has sustained, this this Institution during those hundred years. great organization. We have been making We are here to give thanks for the way in what I may venture to call remedial after- \rhich the work has grown and its possibilities thoughts. We have launched out, we have have increased, likewise for the wisdom and ventured upon sea and upon land to our generosity of the Institution which has common good and in the development of our advanced from the humbie and small beginnings industry. In doing so we have exposed men of a century ago to the magnificent results which to risks which sometimes we did not foresee, •we contemplate to-day. Above all, we are and then, following in the wake of the venture here to give thanks to God for the splendid and the risk of danger, we have created courage of those who have manned the Life- remedial agencies by which the danger has boats during this last century, for theirs, after been lessened. However much the State may oil, is the gift without which all our generosity henceforth encroach upon private enterprise and all our wisdom would have been unavail- in many walks of life, God grant that this old ing. Heroic courage, readiness to dare, kindly spirit of humanity, of sympathy, of voluntary humanity at heart. It is brought home to us service, may be preserved during the days to that no storm ever rages round the shores of come. this storm-swept island without men springing " Our thanksgiving is a recognition of our to the call of duty and humanity. Nearly debt and of our duty. If our land owes so 60,000 lives have been rescued from death much to the brave men who have manned our during the century that we commemorate. Life-boats during the past century, how much " This Institution is one of the oldest more does London owe a debt to those men monuments of the great philanthropic inspira- and to the men of the Navy and the Mercantile tion which came to Britain more than a century Marine whose dangers have called into ago. Those who trace the history of the existence this great Society I For it is a higher spiritual and social movements of commonplace to say that London could not preceding generations will not have failed to exist physically without these men of the Navy mark how a new passion of sympathy woke up and of the Mercantile Marine. Still less could •within the hearts of men in the latter part of it be the centre of the far-Hung British Empire, the eighteenth and throughout the nineteenth and the commercial and financial centre of the century, and with that new feeling of the world. Therefore our thanksgiving to-day horrors of some of the social conditions there imposes upon us the great duty of remembering came a new sense of social obligation, a generous our debt. Thank God, as our recent history 8 THE LIFEBOAT. [FEBRUARY, 1925. has shown us in other spheres and in other most earnest and true and godly citizens of : ventures, the English spirit is not dead. our country. Great missionary societies were Courage survives on land, on sea, and in the air, started and this Institution owes its origin to and men are ready to spring to the call of duty that particular period of our history. But I as they have done through the history of our am sure that in those days it would have been country. But it is for us who have this absolutely impossible or hopeless to have splendid force of humane spirit and energy thought of gathering together such an assembly and devotion at hand for every task of our as we have here present with us to-day. commonwealth, it is for us who benefit by the " Your Royal Highness, you will forgive me heroism of our brethren, to see to it that their | if I venture to say how we indeed as an work is not hampered, but that they are Institution appreciate all that you have done supported because we recognize our obligation. ' for our work. Such a thing as members of the So our thanks to God to-day are a pledge i Royal Family being present at a meeting like before Him that this great Institution, which I this a hundred years ago, or, even, perhaps has lived and thriven and developed for a fifty, would have been very difficult to imagine.

SIX OF THE SEVEN LIFE-BOATMEN WHO WERE PRESENT AT THE CENTENARY THANKSGIVING SERVICE.

From left to right:—ex-Coxswain Holbrook, of Bembridge, hie of Wight; ex-Cowwain Robert Burton, of Berwick-on-Tweed i Second-Coxswain Georre Newman, of Worthing j Coxswain Walter Fairbairn, of Dunbar and Skateraw; Coxswain Daniel Murphy, of Kingstown; Coxswain John Williams, of Tenby. century past, shall go on to yet greater And we have with us to-day representatives triumphs and have yet more generous support of the House of Commons, of our municipal in the century that is to come." life, and of the great Services—the Navy, the Army and the Air Force. We also feel the joy After the address the hymn " The of having with us here upon the platform this Life-boat" was sung, and was followed afternoon our brothers who represent the by prayers for the Life-boats and their actual work that is being done by the Life- Crews. The Choir then sang Canon boats on our coast, and I am sure you will agree with me that it •would be well to read Geoffrey Ryley's anthem, " Fierce raged their names. Although, perhaps, Sir, just as the tempest o'er the deep," and prayers you and I would object to such prominence were said for those at sea, and in being given to us, we are right, absolutely remembrance of those who have perished right, in mentioning the names of those who come from England, Scotland, Ireland and at sea. These were followed by an Wales, and who are on the platform this after- address from the Bishop of Willesden. noon. The Bishop of Willesden : The Bishop then read out the names " Dr. Scott Lidgett has brought to our eyes given above, and proceeded: the memory of the past in the hundred years that have gone since this Institution was first " I have before me, my brothers, the records formed. In those days, for the most part, of what you have done, but I forbear to read such Societies were supported by a few of the them, I will only say that we are gathered FEBRUARY, 1925.] THE LIFEBOAT. together to thank Almighty God for what has the rain, the cold, they man the Life-boat, and been done in the past and to pledge ourselves go forth on their mission of saving human lor the time to come to give a more liberal life. rapport than has been given to the work of! " I remember an incident on the Pacific tiife Institution. j coast, where a boat that had left these shores " It has never received any aid from the |was suddenly seized by a squall of wind and State, and I hope and trust that it never will, j foundered. All the passengers were struggling It is of this and some kindred Societies that j for their lives, and four Indians put out in those in authority in Parliament have declared their tiny, fragile eanoe. It was nothing like as that they are carried out better when they are ! good even as those Life-boats in use a hundred the outcome of voluntary effort than when years ago, but they fought their way through maintained by State aid. This applies to our the sea to where the wreck had foundered, and hospitals, as I believe, and to that work in |where there were four or five still struggling which Your Royal Highness Princess Louise for their lives. And those Indians, in that is specially interested—the great work in I tiny canoe, brought them safely to shore, and London of the Police Court Mission. May it! refused to accept one single dollar in reward remain so for this Institution, if only because j for it. Why ? Because they had been it becomes most splendid of all in the volunteer' brought to the knowledge of Christ; because work of those men all round oar coasts. i they had come by the ways of their fore- ; " The way in which the work has spread is ]fathers. They had learned this, and, some _ before you. You will see that the cost ofi year or two afterwards, the Governor-General upkeep has risen from the very, small sum of of Canada pinned on the breasts of those men $10,000 a year in the past to £250,000. at the i a medal which they were proud to wear. ^present time, and that 60,000 men, women and I " It is the uplift of our humanity. It is the children have been saved from the perils of the i end of that which has been said on all sides, ; deep by the work of the Life-boat Institution. I' You cannot help it, human nature is one That is eleven a week through all the hundred nature; everything must go on, we cannot years. It is for that work that we to-day are make things better.' On the contrary, it is thanking God. The first little Life-boat, ; because we believe in the restoration of our i i which had no more than a certain amount of I human nature, it is because we believe in Him cork to keep it afloat, depended upon the oars I who took that nature upon Himself, that we with which the men rowed, and cost perhaps ; here to-day surely will pledge ourselves to see £200. To-day we have Motor Life-boats. that in every way that we possibly can, we will They are provided with everything that can ! help to forward the work of this Institution, ,be done for the preservation of life, and they i and offer our humble and hearty thanks to .coat £10,000 and more. But it makes all the I Almighty God for the blessings which He has .difference. I remember, in a little fishing , given, and pray Him to continue them from village in Cornwall two years ago, seeing the j generation to generation. fishing boats leave the harbour without settingI " Boys and girls, you have your share in it, their sails because of the small motor power ! too. It is for you to help as much as those that they had in them, and in coming back to i who have the greatest influence. I ask you to the harbour I remember an old sailor saying to | see that while these men upon our shores are me, ' There is nothing in it now, Sir, anybody carrying out this splendid work, you remember can do it.' It made all the difference in their ) the work of this Institution and help it as you coming home safely, that they had this motor ] can, as well as, and as much as, any of us. power. So every appliance that can. be used \ " Now we are going to sing our last hymn, and every improvement that can be made, j and during this a silver collection will be made. THE BOYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITU- j I ask you to give as liberally as you can." TION is determined to have. "There is, of course, the other side, the splendid character of the men, whom some of After the Benediction the National us, perhaps, have seen launching the Life-boat. Anthem was sung. Amid all the howling of the wind, the storm, The collection amounted to over £60.

Gallant Services at Newhaven and Runswick. Three Bronze Medals Awarded. THEBE were heavy Jes round the coast whole gale was blowing at the time, and at the end of November, and on the 26th the Motor Life-boat and two tugs put out and 27th of that month ten Life-boats to her help. Both tugs got into diffi- were launched. Two of these launches 1 culties, and one of them, the Richmere, led to gallant and dangerous services, [ went ashore, and was wrecked in the for which Bronze Medals have been j heavy seas. The Life-boat went to her awarded. help, anchored and veered down. While On the. 27th November, the cross- she was alongside her the Richmere Channel steamer Dieppe went ashore at gave a heavy roll, and smashed the the entrance to Newhaven Harbour. A Life-boat's gunwale and hull. The 10 THE LIFEBOAT. [FEBRUARY, 1925. Life-boat was in the gravest danger, performed on the Yorkshire coast. but she was splendidly handled by week before, the Belgian steamer Coxswain Payne. The four men on cesse Clementine had gone ashore off board the Kichmere, which sank imme- Staithes. Her crew of nineteen were diately afterwards, were rescued and rescued by the Runswick Life-boat, but brought safely ashore; and then, in her Captain had remained on board. spite of her severely damaged condition, On the 27th November he signalled for the Life-boat returned to the Dieppe, and j help. A gale was blowing with a very stood by her until she refloated some heavy sea which was sweeping right over three hours after she went ashore and the wreck. The Life-boat was launched was able to enter the harbour under her with great difficulty, some of the laun- own steam. chers going into the sea up to their necks. For this skilful and gallant service, When she reached the Princesse Clemen- Coxswain Payne was awarded the tine she was several times nearly swept Bronze Medal of the Institution, and his on to the deck of the wreck, but she Crew the Thanks of the Institution succeeded in getting alongside. A rope inscribed on Vellum. Extra monetary was thrown to the Captain, who, with awards were also given. As a mark of great difficulty, made Ms way aft and its appreciation the Southern Railway jumped into the Life-boat. In thanking has made a donation of 100 guineas to the Crew for their gallantry he said that the Institution, and the following letter he would never have jumped, if it had of thanks from the Master, engineer, not been that he knew he was risking deckhand and fireman of the tug was other lives besides his own. On her addressed to the Honorary Secretary, way back the Life-boat was completely Coxswain and Crew at Newhaven :— buried by a tremendous wave. " We, the undersigned, being the For this gallant and difficult service the Institution awarded Bronze Medals members of the late s.s. Richmere, desire to Coxswain Tose and Second Coxswain to convey to you some small portion of Patton, and extra monetary awards our heartfelt thanks for your kindly to the rest of the Crew and the helpers. rescue of us on the morning of Thursday, 27th November, when, but for your The Institution has now received from the owners of the steamer, the Belgian prompt assistance, there is little doubt Steam Navigation Company of Antwerp, that we should have lost our lives. Great difficulty is experienced in giving a donation of £30 and a letter, in which expression to our feelings, but hope you the Company say " We cannot express will take the will for the deed, again the gratitude •which, we feel for the in- thanking you." estimable service which your honourable Institution has rendered the Ciew and On the same day a gallant rescue was Captain of our steamer."

Two Brave Life-savers. Portlethen, Kincardineshire, and Southwold, Suffolk. ON 26th November, 1924, two acts of to Portgordon from the English fishing great individual gallantry were per- at Yarmouth, ran on the rocks inshore. formed in rescuing life from vessels A moderate gale was blowing, there was stranded near the shore. One was on a thick mist, and a heavy swell. Almost the rocky coast of Portlethen, in Kin- at once on these terrible rocks the trawler cardineshire, the other on the sand- began to break up. Her crew of eight banks off Southwold, in Suffolk. Apart were in grave danger. Their only hope from this difference of the kind of shore, of safety was to leave the vessel at once, there was a remarkable similarity and they tried to reach a ledge of rock. between the two acts of gallantry, per- Three succeeded; the other five were formed on the same day at places drowned. hundreds of miles apart. When the trawler struck she sounded About six in the morning the trawler her siren. Among those who heard it Press Home, which was on her way home was George Craig, a fisherman in his FEBRUARY, 1925.] THE LIFEBOAT. 11 seventieth year, who lives close by. were pu'in' me back, I went richt under,* What happened then was graphically he concluded, with a quiet smile." told in the Mearns Leader : Undoubtedly George Craig saved " About 6.30 old George Craig was three lives. The tide was rising, and roused by his son, who lives close by with that and the heavy sea the three and told him that a boat was ashore. men, before very long, would have been He hurriedly dressed and rushed down washed off the rock. Apart from his age, to the rocks. Picking his way down the! it was an act of very great gallantry, and cliffs in the dark of the morning was a I the Institution has awarded him its precarious task, but Old George knows Silver Medal, a copy of the Vote in- every foot of them. Seven or eight j scribed on Vellum, and framed, and a people were there before him, and soon j monetary award. These were presented the little group were joined by numerous to him at Portlethen on his seventieth others. birthday. He has also been decorated ' The boat was smashed by this time, by the King with the Board oi Trade's however, and the three survivors had Silver Medal lor Gallantry in saving life found sanctuary on a precarious rock, j at sea. Another Gfeorge Craig, of 60, Portlethen, i Southwold. had brought a rope, and they tried to; Early in the morning of the same day throw it to the shipwrecked men. The j three motor fishing boats of Cromer left intervening boulder frustrated their Southwold to lay cod-lines. A gale got efforts. As it was impossible to reach up from the S.E. with a very heavy sea, the men with the rope, which always and as they had not returned by noon a landed on the top of the boulder, the look-out for them was kept. It was heroic veteran decided to try to ' clam- close on one o'clock when one of the her ' out to the nearest rock, the one that j three was seen lying off the harbour, was causing all the difficulty. apparently not daring to attempt the " The rock was over twenty feet away, entrance. The Life-boat was launched, but he knew submerged boulders by j to stand by, and first one and then which he could make his way. ' When another of the fishing boats ran in under my son saw me gaun oot, he nearly went her own power. The third was less mad,' was how Craig described his son's fortunate. Her crew could not make the anxiety on seeing his father set out on harbour but beached her about three- his heroic attempt to rescue the men. quarters of a mile to the north. At this , There was little wonder at the son's mis- point there are two shoals lying off the givings, for any moment the old man beach, one about forty, the other between .might be dashed to death against the i sixty and seventy yards from it, with rocks. I deep gullies separating them from the '"I jist scram'led fra buller tae j shore and from one another. Over these buller, fa'in' noo and again, bit aye shoals a very heavy sea was running. gettin' up. Sometimes the water would As the boat crossed the outer one she be up tae ma waist. Still, I reached the was struck by a wave and broached to. rock. There were only the three on the The shock threw two of her crew of three opposite rock, and nae sign o' the ithers. men out of her. One kept hold and One was in his bare feet, and the ither managed to struggle back on board. The two shouted to get him first, as they other was flung clear into the deep water thocht he was near gone.' In these between the two shoals. He was encum- simple words George Craig compressed bered by his heavy oilskins and in grave an epic into a few sentences. danger. " He threw the rope to them, and they A number of people had gathered on fastened it round the waist of their the beach to help if help were needed, exhausted shipmate. He pulled him to and one of them, Mr. T. H. Gillings, the rock, where he himself stood, and rushed at once into the sea, fully clothed. afterwards pulled the other two over. He struggled through the first gully, He shouted to the anxious watchers on crossed the inner shoal, and went on into the shore, and one by one they dragged the deep water beyond. He was at least the four of them to safety, ' Fan they forty yards out, and up to his neck in 12 THE LIFEBOAT. [FEBRUARY, 1925. "water, when the waves receded, but was " completely done." In recognition they still continued to break far above of his gallantry the Institution has his head. awarded Mr. Gillings its Bronze Medal, Between the two shoals he seized the and with it a copy of the Vote, inscribed fisherman, by now utterly exhausted, on Vellum and framed. and after a hard struggle brought him Some years ago Mr. Gillings per- safely ashore. Mr. Gillings's prompt and formed a similar rescue in even more courageous action undoubtedly saved difficult circumstances and was deco- the fisherman's life. He said himself rated by the King at Buckingham that when Mr. Gillings reached him he Palace.

Two Rescues by Shore-boats. San day, Orkney Islands, an i Smerwic'i, Co. Kerry. ABOUT ten at night on 24th June, 1924, Institution has awarded its Thanks in- a small boat, with three men on board, scribed on Vellum, and framed. It has was capsized in a sudden and heavy also granted each of them a monetary squall in Otterswick Bay, at Sanday, in award.* the Orkney Islands. Two of the men on Smerwict, Co. Kerry. board her were thrown clear of the boat, About 8.30 in the evening of 24th but the third managed to cling to her September, 1924, a fishing canoe, in bow. Three men in a boat, about half a which were three men, was capsized in mile to windward, saw the accident and a sudden squall. The boat was riding went at once to the rescue. The wind by the stern to the nets. The sea was •was high, a heavy sea was running, and rough, and a moderate gale was blowing the currents were strong. All this from the north. Hearing a cry for help made the work of rescue both difficult three fishermen in another canoe slipped and dangerous. By careful manreuvring their nets and went to the rescue, but the rescuers managed to get the first of they were able to rescue only one of the the three on board, after he had been in three men. Of tha other two, although the water about twenty minutes. He they searched carefully, no trace could was very exhausted. The second man, be seen. It was not until next morning who had fallen clear of the capsized boat, I that one of the two bodies was found, had by this time become entangled in entangled in the nets. The other has the boom, and with each swell he went not been found. It was both a difficult completely under water. It was only and a dangerous service, not only be- with great difficulty that he was cause of the high sea, but because of the rescued. The most difficult and dan- frailty of the boat, which, like all the gerous part of the work was still to be local boats, was of canvas. In this case done. The third man, who was clinging also the Institution has awarded its to the bows, was so exhausted that he Thanks inscribed on Vellum, and also a could do nothing to help his rescuers, monetary award, to the three rescuers, He could not even lose his hold of the all of whom were fishermen, James Kane, sinking boat, and it was only after Michael Bowler and Daniel Kane. The repeated efforts, with the continual risk Vellums were sent to the Superintendent that their own boat would be stove in, of the Coast Life Saving in that part that the rescuers succeeded in getting j of Ireland, to be presented to the three him aboard. Eve~ n the" n thei" "r difficulties men. In acknowledging them, he wrote : were not over, for their boat was dan- " The Vellums awarded by the Royal gerously overloaded for the heavy sea National Life-boat Institution have and strong currents. In spite of these been presented by our Parish Priest, Rev. difficulties she was brought safely ashore. R. Browne, and I have been asked, by To these three men, John Dearness, the receivers, to convey their sincerest fisherman, Oliver Scott, farmer, and thanks to that humane and honoured James Slater, crofter and fisherman, the Institution." FEBRUARY, 1925.] THE LIFEBOAT. 13

Two Motor Life-boats in the December Gales. THE gales at the end of December " On coming ashore the Coxswain said reached their worst on the 27th, on the conditions in the Channel were the which day ten launches took place round worst he had ever experienced in his the coast, long career of Life-boat work, but he From the Isle of Wight it was reported was too full of praise for the Boat and that " the damage ashore was not so his Crew to talk much of the trip. He great as in November, but at sea condi- described the Boat as ' wonderful' and tions of almost unprecedented violence his Crew as ' splendid." Later, how- existed," and both the Motor Life-boats ever, he told a County Press representa- now stationed in the Isle of Wight were tive a thrilling story of the trip. He called out, the self-righting Motor Lif-e- said that, on rounding Clifi End Fort, boat which has been at Bembridge since they met the full force of the gale, but 1922, and the Boat of the New Watson ; the Boat forged ahead out to the Needles. cabin type which had been stationed at, The seas in the Needles Channel were Yarmouth less than three months j bad, but once the open sea was reached before. The first of this type was • they were literally mountainous. So completed in the summer of 1923. heavy were they that he dared not turn In both cases the steamers to which and run directly to St. Catherine's before they were called, got over their diffi- the gale, so he steered well out into the culties, and no services were performed,; Channel, taking the seas on the star- but the graphic account of their adven- board bow. Many came aboard, but tures.. which appeared in the County the Life-boat shook herself free in Press, deserves to be read if only be- magnificent style, and fought her way cause it shows to what an exceptionally , up Channel. Passing over the bridge severe test these new Life-boats were of the Needles was the worst experience put, and how magnificently they stood it. of all. One huge sea cocked up the bow until the boat was almost perpendicular, The Yarmouth Boat. another struck her stern whilst she was " The guns assembling the Life-boat, in this position and threw her clear of Crew were discharged just before '•• the water, and she fell a sheer 20 feet into 11.30 A.M., and Coxswain Walter Cotton i the trough of the next sea, meeting the and his Crew were quickly aboard the ' water with a crash that seemed to spell Motor Life-boat in the harbour, and j disaster, but the stout little craft was were just about to leave when the l none the worse. The wind was terrific, ' Stand-by ' message was received. The I and the heavy rain blotted out every- second message, telling the Boat to put thing mor6 than 50 yards or so ahead, to sea, was received at about 12.40,- and j Gradually, however, the Boat worked within a few minutes the Life-boat was ' round and approached St. Catherine's out of the harbour. She passed out of; at about five o'clock. No sign of any sight through the Hurst Channel at j vessel had been seen, and, fearing that about 1 o'clock, and nothing more was ; they had missed her, the Crew took their heard of her until about 6 P.M., when a ! craft inshore until they were able to get message came that she was returning via j the welcome flash-light signal from Spithead and the Solent. In such I Niton that they could proceed home, weather this news was a big relief to the I By this time the gale had moderated a Committee and relatives of the Crew, j little, and the homeward journey was At about 10.30 P.M. her lights were seen I completed without great difficulty. The coming down the Solent, and she swept j Boat will probably never have a more into the harbour at about 10.40 P.M. A1 severe test. It was a fruitless trip, crowd of about 200 people awaited her j but it has served a splendid purpose on the quay, and they raised lusty j by giving the Crew complete con- cheers for the Crew as they neared their fidence in their Boat, which will enable moorings, the Crew giving answering them to meet any future call with the cheers. I knowledge that they have a stout craft

B2 14 THE LIFEBOAT. [FEBRUARY, 1925.

which can weather the worst of j steamers in distress were able to get storms." away, for he was very doubtful whether It is worth adding that two of the! a Life-boat could have got alongside regular members of the Crew were away,! them in such weather. Even under the and their places were taken by two men | lee of the land a tremendous sea was chosen from a number of volunteers, and j running, but after passing Dunnose the that the Chief Mechanic, although • conditions were such as to be almost suffering from sea-sickness, stuck to his indescribable. Again and again the engines. Boat was buried beneath tempestuous seas TU n u -j n » - With her motors runnin g splenr - Ine oembriage coat. didly3- n , ^however , shle ffough * .t iher wa y• in " The Bembridge Life-boat, the the teeth of the gale, while, unknown to Ltmgham, was launched at 1 P.M., and:the Crew, signals were being made from proceeded around Foreland Point in | the cliff top near Ventnor, in an attempt terrible weather. Watchers ashore; to let them know that their services could see the huge waves breaking clean; were no longer required. Half blinded over her, but she fought her way I by the driving spume, the Life-boatmen through, and eventually passed out of j saw nothing of this. Passing through sight. An anxious wait followed until | the broken water of St. Catherine's the return of the Life-boat, just after j Race, they were some three miles south 5 o'clock. The Crew were drenched, and I of the point within an hour and a half the hot coffee provided by the local j of the launch—a highly creditable feat helpers was very acceptable. Coxswain | for both the Crew and their Boat. No Gawn said he had been down Channel i steamers were seen, and, after cruising to somewhere off Brook, but had seen j about until dark in appalling weather, nothing. At times the wind blew the j they returned. The Coxswain spoke waves completely over the Boat, and i highly of the behaviour of both Boat frequently he could not see the Bowman; I and Crew under conditions which he but she behaved splendidly. He con- j summed up as ' about as bad as they sidered it very fortunate that the could be.'"

Super-Quality of Life-boats. By Captain HOWARD F. J. ROWLEY, C.B.E., R.N., Chief Inspector of Life-boats. CRITICISMS have been expressed in of the human element, there would be recent years as to the great cost of the no need for a Life-boat Service, construction of the Institution's Life- Unfortunately, the commercial world boats. It would seem, from these, could not, and cannot, afford super-work criticisms, that the public do not fully: in the construction of their vessels and understand either the nature of Life-boat{ boats, so that any vessel or boat that work or the extreme risks which the '< has to go to the assistance of a casualty Boats and their Crews have to face. | must of necessity be of superior quality The necessity for super-qualities, to the vessel or boat which she is super-material and super-construction succouring. Otherwise she could not can, I think, be summed up in the carry out her task without incurring following words : If commercially-built the gravest risk not only to herself but vessels and boats were built on such lines to the lives of those who volunteer to that they could withstand the enormous man her and to render aid to their less stresses and strains put upon them under fortunate comrades. all conditions of storm and sea, including It is here that the expense occurs in foundering in collision, stranding and construct/on and equipment. .Every- breakdowns of machinery, failure of thing put into a rescuing craft must be masts, sails and equipment, then, apart of the very highest quality obtainable, from the casualties due to the mistakes and the necessity of doing this has been FEBRUARY, 1925.] THE LIFEBOAT. 15 demonstrated in hundreds of cases since One other very interesting illustration the inception of the Life-boat Service in may be of value to show the immense 1824. I will only quote one recent strength of the Life-boats. instance, which should suffice to make the The Teesmonth Motor Life-boat, which point clear. was launched last June, carried out a On the 27th November of last year, a three months' propaganda cruise on the cross-Channel steamer, making New- Thames before going to her Station. haven from Dieppe, missed the entrance After this cruise, it was found that some to the harbour and was thrown ashore. slight misalignment in the tail shaft The Newhaven Life-boat was called out, had taken place, necessitating very and; in the teeth of a driving gale, went careful examination of the Boat at the to her help. The steamer herself was Institution's storeyard, at Poplar, before found in a position where the passengers she could proceed to take up her work were in no immediate danger, but a on the coast. tug-boat which was in attendance on Various suggestions were put forward, her, and had been connected to her by it being considered by some that the Boat a hawser, was swept round and driven had altered her form, and very careful ashore in a very dangerous position, her measurements and tests had to be made. crew being in imminent peril of losing The conclusive tests were as follows : their lives. The Coxswain of the Life- The Boat is a 45-foot Watson Cabin boat, realizing the predicament of the type, weighing 20 tons, including a four men on board the tug, instantly solid iron keel, 30 feet in length. 12 inches made up his mind that his urgent duty wide, 7 inches deep, weighing 3 tons, was to go to their rescue. At the same and a motor just abaft the midship time he realized that he had to take the section weighing 2 tons with its instal- extreme risk of breaking up the Life- lation. She was placed on two sets of boat, but knowing the super-quality and blocks, the one being just under the construction of the Boat he took the after end of the iron keel, the other risk. He went to the tug's help, and 2 inches forward of the fore-end of the while her crew were being taken aboard, iron keel, leaving a distance of 32 feet the tug rolled on top of the Life-boat, out of a total of 45 feet between them. tearing her planking above and below These two sets of blocks took the entire the water-line, ripping out the wale or weight of the Boat, and when the tail- fender, gunwale, stanchions, crutches, shaft coupling was broken, the varia- and everything that came into contact tion in the straightness of the keel with the tug's side. In spite of that he showed a deviation of 23/l,030ths of rescued that crew; he took them ashore: an inch, by which amount the keel had he then returned to the cross-Channel sagged. steamer. He did all this, although his The next test was made by placing Boat was so badly damaged that she two sets of blocks 2 feet apart under her had, later, to be sent to a boat-building keel, just abaft the midship section of yard at Cowes for repairs. (It will be the Boat, and the sets of blocks sup- interesting to note here that the machi- porting her extreme ends were knocked nery compartment suffered no damage, out. The total weight of this 20-ton and the installation was uninjured.) Boat then rested on these two sets of No Admiralty pinnace, no com- blocks, 2 feet apart, the ends over- mercially-built vessel could have with- hanging without any support. The stood the blow which she received and coupling was again broken, and showed continued her work under the violent a variation of 23/l,OOOths of an inch, conditions of weather on that night. by which amount the keel had " hogged." An examination of this Boat revealed When the four sets of blocks were the fact that her timbers were intact, replaced in their normal position, the and after being at Messrs. Saunders' Boat regained her original form imme- yard ten days, she was returned to her diately, and when she was placed afloat, Station repaired and completed for any and her further steaming trials were further work that she might be called carried out, everything proved to be in upon to perform. order. 16 THE LIFEBOAT. [FEBRUARY, 1925.

The Life-boat Services of the World : Sweden. By Captain STEN ISBERG, Secretary of the Svenska Sillskapet For Kaidning Af Skeppsbrutne. [This article, on the Swedish organiza- should be erected at certain places on tion/or rescuing life from shipwreck, which the south coast, the Sound, Halland, Captain Isberg has very kindly written Bohuslan, and the Islands of Gotland for THE LIFEBOAT in English, should be and Oland. As a result of this proposal read with particular interest for two the Society wrote to the Minister of the reasons. Sweden is the only country Navy acquainting him with this neces- which has both a State and a voluntary sity, and at the same time delivering Life-boat organization. They are separate, drawings and models of Life-boats. but working together in complete harmony, However, it was first in the Parliament the Chairman of the voluntary Society of 1853-54 that a member of the House, being a member of the Government depart- Consul C. Booth, of Helsingborg, brought ment which controls the State Life-boats. a Bill before the House that 100,000 Moreover, the State organization is the Riksdaler Banco should be voted for the older of the two, the voluntary Society erection of as many Life-boat Stations having been formed nineteen years ago as this fund would allow. The amount because it was felt that the State organiza- of money was granted, but before any- tion was not as complete as it should be. thing was done it was thought advisable The second reason which gives a special to send Lieut. C. Kleman, of the Koyal interest to the article is the fact that the Navy, to Denmark to study the organiza- formation of part of the Swedish coast tion of the Danish Life-boat service. makes it useless to establish there per- Lieut. Kleman went to Denmark in manent Life-boat Stations such as we haie July, 1854, and visited several Life-boat in this ctuntry, and this part of the coast Stations, together with Mr. C. B. is protected by cruising Life-boats.— Claudie, inspector of the Danish Life- EDITOR, The Lifeboat.] saving Service, who not only most willingly gave him the information THE same wave of humanity that caused required, but also demonstrated the use the foundation of the English Life-boat of the Life-boats and other life-saving Institution also brought the L'fe-boat apparatus. On his way home, Lieut. idea to Sweden. Even in 1810 the Par- Kleman surveyed the coast between liament made a suggestion to the King Ystad and Crimrishamn, and the result that Life-boats of English construction was that he proposed that two Life-boat should be procured and stationed in Stations should be erected, one at Sand- places where ships were frequently hammaren and one at Brantevik. Subse- wrecked, but as the Parliament had not quently, these two stations were built in supplied any funds for the purpose, and, 1855. Since that time the Pilotage Board, moreover, the Government thought that under whose supervision the Life-saving it would meet with difficulties in pro- Service comes, has erected twenty-one curing the necessary crews from the very Life-boat Stations, the last one being thinly-populated coasts, the proposal completed in 1907, but six of these have was refused. Although the idea was been closed as unnecessary. still prominent, there was nothing done It was, however, only the Pilotage for many years, during which period Board which thought these six Stations many lives were lost in shipwrecks, in superfluous. The seafaring men and the spite of the courage and perseverance of people along the coast were quite aware the dwellers on the coast. that still many more Life-boats were In 1852 the Boyal Naval Society in needed. After the terrible September Carlskrona became interested in the storm in 1903, when the west coast matter, and at a meeting of this Society of Sweden was strewn with wrecks, Commander Gr. M. Hollander pointed out the fishermen of the little village of the necessity of erecting Life-boat Stafsinge, rendered utterly incapable of I Stations, and also proposed that such offering assistance, were forced to witness A SWEDISH CRUISING LIFE-BOAT—ON A MONEY-COLLECTING CRUISE. 18 THE LIFEBOAT. [FEBRUARY, 1925. a tremendous loss of life. To avoid this I was so extensive, thought a special happening again, they formed a union! society should be formed to continue for the purpose of acquiring a proper the work. It, therefore, drew up a list Life-boat, and this union proved the of rules for such a society and also issued seed from which the voluntary Swedish general invitations to a meeting in Life-saving Service has sprung. Stockholm in June, 1907. At this meet- Influenced by the terrible disasters of ing the Swedish Life-boat Society was the preceding autumn, the Swedish founded, but as an assistance to the new General Shipping Society decided, at its [ Society the Committee—whose Chair- Spring meeting in 1904, to form a com- man is Civil Engineer A. Isakson— mittee for the purpose of increasing decided to continue its work. public interest in life-saving. This Com- The organization of the Society is very mittee started its work at once and found simple. The Board of Directors has its an open field for its exploits. Ship- headquarters in Goteborg and consists

A CRUISING LIFE-BOAT, AND A LIFE-BOAT OF THE MODIFIED WATSON TYPE AT STOCKHOLM. owners, underwriters, firms and private | of twenty-five members, of whom twelve persons, showed their great interest with must be residents of Goteborg and the the scheme by giving large contributions remainder residents of various other to a Life-boat Fund, in consequence of towns, by which means the Society can which the Committee were able, already have representatives in different parts in 1906, to deliver a modern Life-boat, of the country. The Chairman is the with carriage and a rocket apparatus, to Captain in the Pilotage Board, Com- the village of Stafsinge, for which the mander Otto Stenberg. The Board of Stafsinge Society built a Boat-house. Directors has a paid Secretary, Inspector The first Station was soon followed by j of Life-boats and Office Clerk, other a second one, which was the result of a j propaganda work being done by volun- golden wedding gift from twelve Swedish j tary service. The larger part of the Life- ladies to King Oscar and Queen Sophie, boat crews receive no salary, only the and in 1907 the foundation of a third crew in the cruising Life-boats and the Station was laid. At that time the masters and engineers in the Motor Life- Committee, perceiving that the work i boats being remunerated for their ser- FEBRUARY, 1925.] THE LIFEBOAT. 19 vices, the latter, however, receiving Strong representations were made, as only a very small amount. During drill soon as a reliable crude-oil motor could and life-saving expeditions, however, be obtained, that Motor Life-boats the voluntary men are paid compensation should be built, and in order to avoid for the loss of their usual day's work. costly experiments the Society made an With the exception of this last year application to the Royal National Life- (1923), the Society has worked with such boat Institution in London for the loan good results that it has been able to erect of its drawings and specifications. This about one Station every year. The total Institution of long standing gave all the cost of the erection of the sixteen desired information and assistance most Stations belonging to the Society is over willingly and obligingly. As a result, it 570,000 kroner (at pre-war rate of was decided that the English Watson exchange, over £32,000). In addition type was not quite suitable to the to the actual Life-boat Society there Swedish coast, and therefore the Swedish exists a Society of women-workers, boat-constructors were invited to build called " Life-buoys," because by means a boat with the Watson type as model, of money derived from bazaars and but modified to suit Swedish require- social gatherings they help the Society ments. Various suggestions were duly financially. To show the importance of handed in, but none was accepted by these " Life-buoys," it may be mentioned the Judging Committee, which consisted that they have contributed about 97,000 of A. H. Lindfors, Professor in the Art of kronor to the Society (£5,500). Ship-building, Wilhelm Lager, Civil The first Life-boats were constructed Engineer, and S. Isberg, Secretary of according to Danish drawings and the Society. However, the designs of models, the dimensions of which are 9-4 one of the competitors, Jack Hutching metres in length, 2'5 metres in breadth, Kay, was so well thought out that he and a moulded depth of 0'9 metres. was awarded the prize, and was commis- They are clinker-built, with stems, keels sioned to alter, according to the Society's and sterns of oak, and timber and directions, certain details of the Watson decks of ash. Through a system of boat. The hull remained unaltered, but aircases the boats are made insubmer- space was found for an engine-room, and sible and a cork-fender runs outside, also for a cabin to provide a shelter for below the gunwale. The aircase, which shipwrecked crews, as the cold climate of is placed abaft the centre-board, can be Sweden demands. Although quite a lot filled with sea-water to be used as ballast of aircases had to be omitted, it was when the boat is sailing. The oars, practically proved that the Boats were 5 metres long, are made of ash and are insubmersible. Even when the engine- balanced by a lead ring fastened just room and berth-room and 25 per cent, of outside the handle. The boats, fitted the aircase compartments were filled with out with, all necessary equipment such water the boat only sank to the cork- as sea-anchors, oil-spreaders, heaving- fender and was still controllable. canes, etc., are mounted on transport Instead of the petrol-motors used in waggons, constructed by the Society's English boats the Swedish Society use inspector, Captain A. Viksten, and are crude-oil motors, the alteration being manned by a crew of eleven. There are chiefly made in consequence of the five boats built according to this descrip-danger of fire. The crude-oil motors tion, four of which are stationed on the take, no doubt, a long time to get coast of Halland, and the fifth at Hoburg, started, but experience has proved that the southern point of Gotland. the motors are always ready to start At Gfotska Sandon there is a sixth when the boat has reached the water, rowing-boat, but as only the lighthouse- which usually takes about ten minutes keepers—six men—are living on this from the time the crew arrives. The little island this boat is of much lighter motors in the modified Watson Boats construction, and has an outside motor are of 30 to 40 b.h.p., giving a speed of as an auxiliary to the rowing, but it has 7 to 8 knots. Besides the motor the not proved very reliable owing to its Boats have a complete outfit of sails. sensitiveness to spray. This type, of which the Society bjw i 20 THE LIFEBOAT. [FEBRUARY, 1925. six, has been tried in severe storms and smashed to pieces by the sea, allowing has fulfilled its purpose wonderfully. no time in which to save the crew. On Thanks to their seaworthiness and their i account of this, the Society has altered reliable motors these Life-boats have! the organization of the Life-saving Ser- been able to aid ships stranded far away vice on this part of the coast. Instead from the Stations. The Life-boat j of stationary Life-boats there are big Drottniiig Victoria made, for example, icruising ones, which patrol outside the a| voyage in stoim and darkness which coast in stormy or foggy weather, to took twelve hours, to save the crew of a warn ships which are heading towards German steamer. This fact is very danger and to offer what assistance they significant in a country so thinly popu- can. By this means many ships and lated as Sweden, where it is often diffi-1 lives have been saved. cult to get together an adequate Life- i The Cruising Boats are quite different

A LIGHT LIFE-BOAT WITH OUTSIDE MOTOR, GOTSKA, SANDON. boat crew. In fact, the Society has in : from the Watson type, but quite as some cases been compelled to abandon good. They are 18'1 metres long and the thought of erecting Life-boat Sta- 5'25 metres broad, and they draw 2-25 tions in places where they are necessary metres of water. They are rendered because it was impossible to find suffi- practically unsinkable through a system cient able men. of traverse and fore-and-aft bulk- The coast of Bohuslan, between heads. The motor for this type of Boat Goteborg and the Norwegian border, is of 60-70 b.h.p., which gives a speed of differs from the other coasts of the about nine knots, but usually they are country. It consists only of rocks, and sailing—and splendid sailing vessels they outside these are numerous islands which are. For the crew's comfort there are are often very precipitous and surrounded berths, and a little cabin for the master, in by deep water. A ship, during a storm | which also is placed the wireless appara- and high sea, striking such a rock or |tus, a useful means for saving ships. The island, will immediately either sink or be i ordinary crew on these boats, of which FEBRUARY, 1925.] THE LIFEBOAT. 21 the Society possesses two, consists of Society's Life-boats have stood by four hands, including the captain. The twenty-four ships in distress with crews cruising Life-boats are stationed at ! totalling about 350 men. Twenty-four Vinga, outside Gtoteborg, and at Karin- ships, with crews totalling about 100, gon, some twenty miles north. have been saved through towing, and The Society has about 6,000 members, I eleven stranded ships, with crews total- who pay a subscription of at least 5 jling about 50, have been got afloat. kronor per annum. Another source of j The cruising Life-boats also have assisted income is derived from the voluntary ! a large number of fishermen in different contributions, which every ship pays i ways, given the direction of places to when loading or discharging in a Swedish ships in foggy weather, and carried sick port, which amounts to about 18,000 persons to hospitals, etc. kronor per annum (£1,000). The interest To reward Swedish subjects, who, at on the capital is about 2,000 kronor, the hazard of their lives have saved ship- and the " Life-buoys " contribute on an wrecked crews, or foreigners who have average about 10,000 kronor (£550). saved the lives of Swedish sailors, the Besides the above-mentioned contribu- i Society has instituted a Life-saving tions, the Society every year receives I Medal. Finally, to persons, who have, some casual contributions, so that the ! in a high degree, shown their interest yearly income generally amounts to | in the Society's work, silver cups are about 100,000 kronor (£5,600). From given engraved with suitable inscrip- this income the Society was able to save tions. about 20,000 kronor before the World's i The Society is under the patronage of War, but nowadays it is hardly enough I H.M. Queen Victoria, to whom every to cover the expenses. | service is reported. Her Majesty The Swedish Life-boat Stations— invariably shows her appreciation of the State's and Society's—have together work by a letter of recognition to the saved about 2,500 lives. Of these the crew, and at Christmas time she alsj Society's Stations have saved about presents gifts to the men of the various 350. Besides this direct life-saving, the Life-boats' Stations.

Centenary of the Dutch Life-boat Service. By GEORGE F. SHEE, M.A. As was indicated in the important i means for saving the lives " of an incal- article contributed by my friend, Mr. culable number of beings yet unborn," de Booy, in the February, 1921, issue of but the impulse led to the establishment, this journal, the beneficent influence of 'among a neighbouring and kindred Sir William Hillary's noble initiative in i people, namely, the Dutch, of two Life- the foundation of the ROYAL NATIONAL i boat organizations within a few months LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION was not confined iof the foundation of the Institution to these shores. Some philosophers have ! itself. On the llth November, 1824, held that only the Good is permanent, ! there was founded the Nord-en-Zuid and that evil is, in virtue of its own ! Hollandsche Redding - Maatschappij. essence, utterly null, negative and non- This was followed by the foundation enduring ; and all ethical teaching I of the Zuid-Hollandsche Maatschappij agrees that a good act, or a good thought, ' tot Redding van Schipbreukelingen on is fruitful and prolific of good, exem- j the 20th November, 1824. plifies the law of the, conservation of i The two Societies, which between energy, and reproduces itself in endless j them maintain the whole of the Life-boat series from generation to generation. j Service on the coast of Holland, includ- Thus, not only did Sir William Hillary's jing about fifty Life-boats, have re- life-giving ideal, backed by his own mained separate organizations, although heroic example, create the British Life- working with complete friendliness, the boat Service, and thereby provide the Northern Society providing and adminis-

B3 22 THE LIFEBOAT. [FEBRUARY, 1925.

tering the twenty-five Life-boats from from each Society, which, however, : 1 the extreme north (the mouth of the placed us in the difficulty that it was Ems) to the village of Loosduinen, just almost impossible for the same repre- south of Scheveningen, and also on the sentatives to attend both functions, one coast of Friesland, while the South pro- being on the llth and the other on the vides and maintains the twenty-three 120th November last. Thus it came about Life-boats between Loosduinen and the that on the former occasion the Institu- southern extremity of Holland. The tion sent Captain S. M. Day, C.B., Northern Society has the larger number D.S.O., R.N.R. (a member of the Com- of Boats and several Motor Boats ; the imittee of Management), the Secretary Southern has, in addition to two Motor j and the Chief Inspector of Life-boats to Boats, the two very important steam! Amsterdam, in response to the kind

Centenary of the North and South Holland Life-Saving Society. Front Row, left to right. A Dutch Coxswain, Mr. J. Lels (President of the South Holland Society). Captain Rowley, Captain Day, Mr. Tegelberj. M. Granion de Lepiney, Mr George F. Shee. Behind M. de Lepiney is M. de Booy. Life-boats, the Prins der Neihrlandea and invitation of Mr. P. E. Tegelberg, the the President ran Heel. President of the Nord-en-Zuid Hol- It is not for us to enquire why the two landsche Redding-Maatschappij. while Societies have not seen their way to join the Hon. George Colville (Deputy Chair- forces and devote their efforts to the man) and Sir Woodburn Kirby repre- Life-boat cause under one control. We sented the Institution at the anniversary may be sure that there are good reasons of the South Holland Society at Rotter- for their separate maintenance, and, in dam . any case, it has not interfered with the thorough efficiency with which both The North and South Holland Life-Saving Societies have carried on their task. Bat Society. with a consistency and amour propre Captain Day, the Chief Inspector which we can only admire, each Society (Captain H. F. J. Rowley, C.B.E., R.N.), decided to hold its Centenary Celebra- and I left London for the Hook of Hol- tion on the respective date of its founda- land on Monday, the 10th November, tion. In this way the Institution had and had the experience, not infrequent the pleasure of receiving an invitation on this journey, of crossing in a thick fog. FEBRUARY, 1925.] THE LIFEBOAT. 23 I believe this atmospheric condition is read a letter of congratulation from the the one most dreaded by mariners. Chairman and Deputy Chairman, and Hence, I imagine that my fellow- Captain Day presented the Gold Medal travellers never really enjoyed them- of the Institution, the highest award selves, and their seamen's sympathy which it is in its power to confer, as a with the Captain probably materially mark of its appreciation of the signal interfered with their night's rest. For services rendered, not only to Holland, myself, I am free to confess that I was but to the mariners of the world by the extremely grateful to the god of Mists, North and South Halland Society. Mr. who veiled the smooth waters of the Tegelberg, whose mastery of the English passage in a filmy veil which only just language had been shown when hs repre- enabled me to realiza that I was on sented his Society on the occasion of the board ship. I found that these condi- Institution's celebrations in July last, tions accorded much more comfortably replied in felicitous terms, and we had with my internal economy than the the pleasure of discussing our common rough weather and storm which guaran- work with a number of keenly in- tees freedom from fogs. In fact, I have terested members and delegates of the always had a warm sympathy and Society. understanding for the passenger who, In the evening we left the hotel in hurrying down to the saloon, his face motor cars and proceeded to one of the tinted a delicate green, was greeted by most important docks, where we were the steward with the stern observation, ferried across by an electric ferry to the " You can't be sick here, sir," and quay where the ships of the Nederland replied, with bitter defiance, " Can't Line are berthed. Here we found the I! " Nor can I withhold my sympathy 10,000-ton Konigin der Nederlanden ad- irom the passenger who was studying mirably decorated with flags and bunting. the waves over the side when the ship We were presented to the Prince of the was boarded by pirates, and the chief Netherlands, who presided at the dinner. pirate levelled a pistol at his head and The Prince conversed with ease with all told Mm to throw up his hands, to which the delegates, speaking English to us, the weary traveller replied, "Well,I've French to the French delegate, M. de thrown up everything else, but I'll try." Lepiney, Danish to our friend, Captain We breakfasted on a very comfortable Saxhild, Swedish to Mr. Lithander, who dining-car between the Hook and represented his Government at our cele- Amsterdam, and reached our hotel at brations in London, and German to Herr about 9.30 a.m. The morning was spent Korff, the President of the German Life- in a call on our friend, Mr. de Booy, the boat Society. The scene in the saloon Secretary of the North and South Hol- of the Konigin der Nederlanden was a bril- land Life-Saving Society, whom we liant one, and, to us English guests, the found snowed under by telegrams, which gold braided costumes and sinuous kept on pouring in while we talked. Two movements and impassive faces of the of those which arrived while we were in Javanese " boys," working under white the office were from the Queen Mother stewardSj added a pleasing touch of and the Queen of Holland respectively, Eastern mystery and charm. The and we had the great pleasure of con- dinner was a marvellous achievement, gratulating Mr. de Booy later on in the both from, the point of view of organiza- day on the honour which the Queen tion, of gastronomy, and of the infinite conferred upon him that day by making variety of dishes which passed before Mm an Officer of the Order of the House our astonished gaze—I do not mean that ' of Orange. In the afternoon Mr. Tegel- they all passed unchallenged, though j< berg and his Committee gave a reception, there are limits! The banquet would •which was attended by representatives have done credit to a royal palace or to of France, Germany, Sweden and Den- the best hotel in the world, and it was mark, delegates of the Branches of the only after the dinner that we realized Society and of the South Holland that the ship had only arrived from Java Society, and by a number of distin- on the previous day, that the dinner had guished persons. At this reception I been cooked by the chef of the ship him- 24 THE LIFEBOAT. [FEBRUARY, 1925. self, and that all the arrangements had ago, when wrecks were not only wel- been completed within twenty-four comed, but, horrible to relate, often hours. brought about by those who looked The guests included, besides the repre- upon them as a source oi profit. The sentatives of Britain, France, Germany, change from that spirit to the self- Sweden and Denmark, the Prime Minis- sacrifice of the modern Life-boatmen ter of Holland, the Governor of North was one which reflected honour on humanity. several ex-Ministers of the Navy, as well Mr. P. E. Tegelberg, the Managing as a large number of Naval Officers and Director of the Company owning the many representatives of the chief ship- Konigin der Nederlanden, and also the ping companies. Indeed, the dinner was President of the North Holland Life-boat given by the Directors of the Nederland Service, stated that his Company, to- line, who, with the other shipping com- gether with practically every other panies of Holland, form the main sup- shipping company in Holland, gladly port of the Life-boat Service. Thus, as gave 'a regular percentage in support of Mr. de Booy told us in his article pub- the Life-boat Service, that percentage lished in February, 1921, the shipping being based on tonnage. These contri- companies provide more than half ot the butions were made not only in recogni- total income of the two societies, and tion of the practical benefits accruing the Norwegian shipping companies and to the shipping interests from a Life-boat firms contribute an even larger propor- organization, but as a means of fostering tion of the revenue of the Norsk Selskab international good feeling, which must til skibbrudnes Eedning (the Norwegian surely result from the practice of con- Life-boat Society). One feature of the vening these great international gather- Dutch procedure—which was also fol- ings and councils where delegates of all lowed at the dinner given by the South nations exchanged views and were able Holland Society on the 20th November to learn from one another. —struck me as an improvement on our In proposing the toasts of their foreign own habits on these occasions. The guests he particularly referred to the sea- speeches—and they were numerous— men who were so fittingly representing were scattered through the evening, the island kingdom of Great Britain, the thus affording a welcome intellectual only nation which had preceded Holland exercise, " a feast of reason " (for those —and that only by a few months—by who understood the oratory) between the initiation in 1824 of the world-f amous the material activities which eight or ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITU- nine courses involved, and which might TION. otherwise have proved a case of " linked Captain Day, in replying on behalf of feasting long drawn out.' the foreign guests, that is, on behalf of The Prince of the Netherlands, in his Britain, France, Germany, Sweden and introductory speech, surveyed the work Denmark, expressed their cordial thanks accomplished by the Dutch Societies in for the generous reception accorded to the saving of life and emphasized the them, and, speaking as a seaman, said he value of international co-operation in ) was sure that all sailors would appreciate the humane task of life-saving, and the [ the honour done to one of their number splendid results which must accrue, not! in imposing on him the duty of replying. only to this particular form of beneficent He alluded in complimentary terms to activity but to the general betterment the admirable organization and training of international relationship. The Prime for the mercantile marine which Holland Minister, who is a born orator, deve-1 had established, and which was, in some loped the Prince's views in eloquent respects, a model of the practical and terms, and drew a sharp contrast | technical training which ought to be between the work of life-saving now I given to officers and men entrusted with undertaken by the chief maritime the important business of commanding nations and the deplorable attitude and manning merchant ships. which characterized the coastwise popu- Many speeches followed, including one lation in many countries a hundred years of congratulation to the Society, and to FEBRUARY, 1925.] THE LIFEBOAT. 25 ij Sir. de Booy, on the success achieved in : hospitality which they received as were the hundred years of its activity. While we about the hospitality of the North my knowledge of the Dutch language is j and South Holland Society. too limited to enable me to have followed the details of the speeches, it was obvious " The Life-boat President van Heel lay that the speaking was throughout easy , moored yesterday in the Veerhaven in and fluent and flavoured with plenty of | honour of the Centenary of the South the salt of humour. ; Holland Society for the Rescue of the We broke up at a late hour, and re- Shipwrecked. The harbour of the turned to our hotels, but left the Prince Maas was also gay with bunting and flags of the Netherlands and several of the to commemorate this important event.

Centenary of the South Holland Society for the Savin? of the Shipwrecked. Front Row. left to right: Mr. Julius (Secretory of the South Holland Society). Baron SwecrU, Mr. Colville, Mr. Lels, Mr. Lels, jun., Sir Woodbum Kirby. Dutch guests to enjoy the further hospi- " In the large half of De Maas a tality of the company as guests of the reception was held by the Manager of Konigin der Nederlanden. the Institution, and amongst others who accepted the invitation were the The South Holland Society for the Saving i Burgemeester and Mevr. Wytema, of the Shipwrecked. I the office bearers of allied Institutions As I was only present in spirit~at and of the North and South Holland, as Rotterdam a week later, at the Cen- well as many deep-sea mariners, consuls tenary Celebrations of the South Hol- of foreign nations, and representatives land Society for the Saving of the Ship- of Life-boat Institutions abroad. wrecked, I will quote from the account " Mijnheer Otto Stenberg, the leader which appeared next day in the Rotter- of the Swedish Life-boat Institution, damscke Newsblad, first saying, however, presented a Gold Medal, and the Royal that both the Institution's delegates National Life-boat Institution also pre- were as ecstatic in praise of the lavish sented a Gold Medal. 26 THE LIFEBOAT. [FEBRUARY, 1925. " In the evening a dinner was given " ' Let us hope that the Zuid-Hol- by the Directors of the Society on the landsche Maatschappij for the Rescue of steamship Insulinde, when over a the Shipwrecked will continue to have hundred guests sat down at different the best wishes of the public, and that tables in the elegant dining-room of the the Dutch people will be more and more fine ship. At the centre table was seated willing to make sacrifices for this philan- Prins Hendrik der Nederlanden, and on thropic undertaking.' his right Heer J. Lels, President of the " The next speaker was the Premier, Society, and on his left Heer A. A. who said: ' An aspect of the work of the Sweerts, of Landas Wyborgh, Vice- Institution, whose jubilee we are cele- President. Opposite the Prince were the brating, and one that has received less Prime Minister, Jhr. Mr. Ch. J. M. Ruys attention, is the one I am now privi- de Beerenbrouck, Jhr. Mr. A. Roell, the leged to place before you. There are two Queen's delegate in Noord-Holland ; powerful Life-boat organizations, the Mr. W, I. v. Leeuwen, the Vice-Presi- North and South Holland Society, with dent of the Council of State; and Mr. its headquarters at Amsterdam, and the Wytema, Burgemeester of Rotterdam. South Holland, which, has its domicil " The excellent dinner, which reflected in Rotterdam. Co-operation between great credit on the cooks of the Rotter- these two is of great advantage, and dam Lloyd—the waiters included a their relation to each other is virtually number of Java boys—was followed by that of twin-sisters. The beneficial many entertaining speeches. results of mutual assistance on the part " Heer Sweerts presented the Prince of our two great commercial centres is with the Gold Mtdal of the Society, and strikingly illustrated here. Amsterdam in his speech congratulated him on the has long been known as a centre of great services he had rendered on the finance, as carried on by the old school occasion of the shipwreck of the Berlin. of business man, and also as the market " In the course of his speech the for buying with a view to re-selling—to Prince said: ' You will readily under- borrow, for a moment, the language of stand (after what has been said to me the book of Mercantile Law. Rotter- with Kgard to the Berlin) that I have a dam, on the other hand, is the younger special feeling of sympathy with these sister, whose distinction it is to have gentlemen whose sphere of operations is acquired a world-wide reputation as a the Hook of Holland. Involuntarily my centre of navigation. Fortunately, the thoughts go back to February of the two work together and supplement each year 1907 when the disastrous wreck ol other's efforts for the welfare of our the steamer Berlin took place at the country. It is a healthy system, because incut h of the Rotterdamsche Waterweg, rivalry invariably leads to greater zeal. which I happened to witness at close Expressing the hope that Heaven will quarters. The scenes there were fright- bless their joint efforts, I propose to you iul, but at the same time heroic courage the health of these twin-sisters.' and intrepidity were shown by the life- " Jhr. Roell, in his capacity as Chair- boatmen. Captain Jansen, with his man of the Centenary Committee, re- Life-boat President tan Heel, the pilots' turned thanks for the way in which the staff, the Sperlings, filled the whole toast had been received. Besides the bene- world with admiration for their heroic- ficial competition between the two largest self-sacrifice, and made the homely people towns of Holland, there was, at present, of the Hook world-famous. I can see the he said, another contest being carried on whole scene now clearly before me. as to which was the better banquet. The " ' Eighteen years have passed since guests at the Koniwjin der Nederlanden, then. The efforts made by office-holders in Amsterdam, thought the meal there of this Institution throughout all these unsurpassed, but now that they were years to increase their efficiency is suffi- here the same gentlemen said that their ciently shown by the admirable life- meal was by no means inimitable. saving devices which are now to be " Burgemeester Wytema referred with found at its Stations, and on which sea- pride to the fact that the- Com- faring people rely for rescue. mittee he had formed had collected no FEBRUARY, 1925.] THE LIFEBOAT. 27 less than Fl.65,000 in Rotterdam. In ; he considered it an extraordinary privi- their town the founder of the Society lege to address the crews of the South was bom, and the Town Council had Holland Society in the name of the decided to confer on him the highest Board, and to convey to them the appre- honour in its power, and to name a street ciation in which they were held by the Willem van Kouten (applause). Managers. ' There was never,' he said, " In a speech in English, Heer J. ' much sensation created by their work, Rypperda Wierdsma congratulated the only a bare notice in the newspapers, Institution in the name of the represen- which is exactly what is most in tatives of Foreign Institutions of a like i keeping with the character of the men nature, and more particularly the sister themselves, who simply do their duty societies in England, France and Sweden. without demonstration and without The rescue of sailors in distress was an making any effort to attract notice. act that recognized no barriers, and in The truth is they do not require any this noble work all nations became one. encouragement from outside, being Heer Wierdsma then proposed the thoroughly inspired with their own health of the foreign guests. lofty purpose and with enthusiasm " Thanks were expressed by the Hon. for their self-sacrificing work. Honour, George Colville on behalf of the Royal then, and gratitude, to the never- National Life-boat Institution, who said failing prowess of our Life-boat crews, that roughly about one hundred British in which we have full confidence for vessels passed the Hook every week, and the future ! Before our minds there it was not difficult to understand that the rise up the figures of several heroes who British should have a feeling of gratitude have lost their lives in the fulfilment of for the safety thus assured to them their duty, and the occasion must not off the Dutch coast. He also re- be allowed to pass without a tribute ferred to the warm reception given to | being paid to their memory. I raise my the Dutch Life-boats in the summer glass in honour of the men who have when they visited the Thames on the proved so efficient in carrying out the occasion of the Centenary of the British intentions and wishes of the Managing Life-boat Service, and said that the I Board of the South Holland Life-boat Dutch flag was now more welcome in (Society. The members of this Board England than it was in 1667! (Loud j may change, but the men remain the applause.) same, and deserve nothing but com- " Heer P. E. Tegelberg, Chairman of mendation for the way in which they the Nbord-Hollandsche Maatschappij, are carrying out the intentions of reminded his hearers that the authorities I the founders one hundred years ago.' had originally worked for the amalgama- j (Applause.) tion of the two Institutions, but the j " A number of other speeches were wisdom of those who opposed this pro- ! made, including one by M. Granjon de posal was, after a hundred years; evi- I Lepiney, Secretary of the French Life- dent, because now they could hold i boat Society, and a poem was read, which centenary festivities twice. Amsterdam ! was received with loud applause. The and Rotterdam had stretched out a hand Prince then gave the signal to rise from to each other, and had inaugurated a the table, and the guests left the fine noble competition in banquets. He ship in very good humour." wished especially to express his admira- Next day the foreign guests were tion of the South Holland Society for driven to the Hook of Holland, and a the excellent way in which it had carried Life-boat display was given, in which the out its work. Steam Life-boat President van Heel and " Heer A. J. M. Goudriaan, who was the Pulling and Sailing Life-boat Emiel seated among the Life-boat crews, said Robin took part. 28 THE LIFEBOAT. [FEBRUABY, 1925. Contributions from Shipping Companies. A New Appeal. As readers of The Lifeboat know, we of their vessels had been rescued, and have for some time been urging on the that the work of the Institution should shipping community the claims of the be put before them. Institution to their generous support, There is not and never can be any ques- since it maintains a national service in tion of the Institution asking for pay- which they are more directly interested I ment for its services to those whose lives than any other section of the nation.; it rescues from shipwreck, but it is These efforts have borne some fruit in that the owners of the ships may like increased contributions; but we feel i to take the opportunity of showing their bound to record that the shipping com- i gratitude, particularly in those cases munity as such—apart from the " por-• where, at present, they do not sub- tion of the contributions made by; scribe'. We propose to publish in The passengers on steamers " for charitable j Lifeboat lists of such gifts as they come puiposes which some of the shipping!in. Those which have been received companies allocate to the Institution— < since this plan was adopted last autumn still contributes less than 1 per cent, are as follows :— of the £250,000 which is needed annually to maintain the Service. ( 1924. The Institution has now obtained October 4. Stromness Motor Life-boat rescued 10 from steam trawler from the Board of Inland Revenue Hessmite, oi Hull. Owners : a valuable concession for shipowners The Kingston Steam Traw- who support the Institution. The ling Co. £25. (This Company Board has decided that annual sub- is an annual subscriber to the Hull Branch). scriptions made by " shipowners and Qctobcr 19 Runswick Life-boat rescued 19 other persons who directly employ sea- from the s.s. Princess Clemen- faring persons as a class " may for the ; tine of Antwerp. On 27tli future be " treated as expenses incurred | October it rescued the Captain who had remained on board. in the earning of business profits." j (A full account of this service This is an interesting decision, i appears elsewhere in this because it shows that the Board of: issue.) Owners: The Belgian Inland Revenue recognize that the Stf am Navigation Co. £30. ; October 21. Eastbourne Motor Life-boat maintenance of an efficient Life-boat rescued 3 from a Motor Service is a vital necessity to all ship- Lauich, M.L. 87, on 21st owners. It is useful because it means October, Owner; Major T. a considerable saving to shipping com- Ross, M.C., D.C.M. 5s. October 22. Margate No. 1 Life-boat rescued panies who contribute generously to the S from barge Lord Nelson, of Institution. London. Owner; W.Easter, We have drawn the attention of all Esq. £1 1*. subscription. British shipping firms to this con- October 22. Margate No. 1 Life-boat rescued 5 from barge Guernsey, of cession, so that those who already con- London. Owners: Messrs. tribute may take advantage of it, and T. E. Evans & Co., Ltd. those who do not may be encouraged £5. to become annual subscribers of amounts November 27. Newhaven Life-boat rescued 4 men from the tug Richmere, bearing some relation to the value of and stood by the S.S. their shipping. Our chief aim is that Dieppe, of Newhaven. all shipping firms should contribute in Lifeboat badly damaged. proportion to the number of their Owners: Southern Rail- way. £105. (The Southern vessels. Railway are already sub- But there is another way in which we scribers to the Institution.) are asking them to show their apprecia- December 23. An.struther Life-boat rescued 12 tion of the Life-boat Service. At the sug- from the s.s. CAingford, of Dundee. Owners: Messrs. gestion of a prominent shipowner it was James Mitchell and Sons, decided, in June 1924, that in future £26 5s. (Messrs. James owners should be notified when the crews Mitchell and Sons are already FEBBUARY, 1925.] THE LIFEBOAT. 29 subscribers to the Institution, joint managers of the White Star Line, and the two partners of the to the Station at the Lizard. Colonel firm are subscribers also, and take an active part in the Concannon has now sent to the Station work of the Institution's £100, asking that £5 should be presented Branch at Dundee, Mr. to each of the eight members of the W. M. Hunter Mitchell being Crew, and that the remainder should be its Chairman.) entered as a donation to the Branch. To these another donation has to A personal presentation has also been be added which has not been sent in made to the Honorary Secretary of the response to this appeal. Station. The White Star Line is one of the great shipping firms which are Service to the S.S. "Bardic." regular supporters of the Institution, As recorded in the last iasue of The its annual subscription being 15 guineas. Lifeboat, the Motor Life-boat at the In addition to this it makes generous Lizard rescued ninety-three lives, from allocations to the Institution from the the wrecked White Star cargo vessel sums contributed by the passengers on Bardic, on 31st August, 1924. At the boaid its steamers for charity, ihese time a letter of appreciation was written ; allocations amounting to some hundreds by Colonel Concannon, one of the of pounds each year.

The Aldeburgh of Long Ago. By Dame MILLICENT FAWCETT, G.B.E., J.P., LL.D. [These extracts are from Dame Millicenl father being present, and if there were Fawcett's book of reminiscences, " What lives to be saved he took an active part I Remember," which were published in the dangerous and difficult work. (12*. 6d. net) last autumn. They are The rocket apparatus for sending a cord made by her kind permission, and thai of or rope over a distressed ship had not her publishers, Messrs. T. Fisher Unwin. then been perfected, and lives were often It will be remembered that Dame Millicent lost in the vain attempt to reach and spoke at the Annual Meeting in 1920, and save mariners in ships which had been on that occasion gave some of her recollec- storm driven on one of the shoals off tions of the Aldeburgh Life-boat.] Aldeburgh. The gun, three times fired, which summoned the Life-boat Crew THERE was a very cordial arid friendly for active service was a familiar and none feeling between my father and the sea- the less an intensely thrilling sound, in faring men at Aldeburgh. He was a mer- our ears. Whenever the Life-boat was chant and owned a small fleet of trading launched, even were it only for a practice, vessels which plied between our little every man, woman and child who heard town and London, and also Newcastle the gun hurried to the beach, some to lend and the North. Later he built vessels a hand, and all to see and wish and hope for himself at his principal place of that the departing men would return in business, Snape, a few miles higher safety and bring their rescued comrades up the river than Aldeburgh. He with them. It was a deep angry sea had some official position which con- where a tall man would be out of his nected him with the beachmen. I depth three yards from the shore, and remember on his business writing-paper the great breakers in a storm beat with the, to me, mysterious words : " Agent deadly weight upon men and ships alike. for Lloyd's and Receiver of Droits of I remember one awful day, 2nd Novem- Admiralty." The sound and look of the ber, 1855, when there were seventeen words Droits of Admiralty fascinated me. ships driven ashore or broken up on the In the old days of sailing vessels the coast shoals off Aldeburgh in my father's dis- of Suffolk, and particularly the Alde- trict. Everything that possibly could buigh Bay, were very dangerous, and be done was done, but there was a there was never a wreck without my terrible loss of life. My father received 30 THE LIFEBOAT. [FEBRUARY, 1925. the official thanks of The Royal j Swedish brig VESTA, which in a gale of National Life-boat Institution en-! wi-nd was wrecked near Orford Low Light- grossed on Vellum for his services on this | house on the 2W, Noveinbn: 1855. occasion. This document which now i There was a familv of seamen for

Pholoyrn-ph by\ [ Wynforil Sn;inborm' JAMES CABLE, COXSWAIN OF ALDEBURGH, 1881-1917. belongs to my nephew, Philip Cowell, which we ever after felt a deep bond of runs thus : That the Special Thanks of gratitude and affection—the Cables. The Royal National Life-boat Institu- My father and George Cable were taking tion be presented to Newson Garrett, Esq., a leading part in making a human chain in testimony of his highly meritorious along a rope to reach a shipwrecked conduct in assisting to rescue through the crew in urgent distress and fetch- surf nine out of the eleven of the crew of the ing them off one by one. My father FEBRUARY, 1925.] THE LIFEBOAT. went first, Cable second, and a good I more than usually distinguished itself, number following; after doing this so that newspaper men from London and bringing in his man several times, came down to learn and retail all the my father showed signs of exhaustion, particulars of the brave work. They and Cable said to him, " Look here, found Cable the very reverse of commu- governor, you have done this often nicative, their only chance seemed to be enough," and he took the leading place to pump his narrative out of him in on the rope from my father and assumed fragments, question by question. One it himself ; he never came ashore again ; of these, and Cable's reply to it, form a the rope snapped between my father and sort of epitome of his character. Cable, as if it had been pack thread, and Newspaper Reporter : " Now. Mr. Cable was washed away and perished in Cable, you can tell me, I expect, how sight of the gallant men who had under- i many lives you have saved at sea ?

THE "CITY OF WINCHESTER." The Life-boat which has been stationed at Aldehurgh since 1902. taken the work of rescue. My father James Cable : "I don't know I'm was again, and by his own choice, in the sure, sir, I don't keep no count on 'em." place of the greatest risk, which had just This was the sort of thing that made ended fatally before his eyes. We were ! every one in Aldeburgh just love Cable, always taught by my mother to remem- but he was not a bit spoiled—he was ber that Cable had saved my father's life. always the same simple, modest, upright James Cable, the son of George, just man that his father had been before him. referred to, was only a boy when all this Another incident of my childhood in happened, but as he grew in years he connexion with the Life-boat was an developed into a very fine seaman, much intense joy to me. The Life-boat gun respected and well known all along the had been fired, but only for a practice. coast and in the Life-boat Society, for The Crew received 3s. a head for practice combined courage and caution; for many on a smooth day and 5*. on a rough day ; years, indeed until old age compelled him this was a 5s. day. We all ran off to withdraw, he was Coxswain of the Aide- to the beach as usual, I holding my burgh Life-boat. On one occasion this father's hand. While the boat was still boat under James Cable's command had ! on the rollers one of her crew said to my 32 THE LIFEBOAT. [FEBRUARY, 1925. father, " Come along with us, governor "; embarked. The seas broke over the he replied, " I should like it, my lad, but I boat as we crossed the shoal and drenched you see I can't, I've got the child with ; my hair and shoulders ; one of the kind me." Looking down on me, the sailor sailors produced a pink cotton handker- rejoined, " Little missie would like to chief from his pocket, and said, " Here, come, too, sir." There was no need for missie, wrop this round your neck." Of me to say anything. I was too enchanted course, I did so, and, of course, the jiink at this unexpected adventure. The handkerchief was soon as wet as the rest smallest cork jacket in the collection was of my clothing. I was intensely happy, found and slipped over my head, and we and never dreamed of being sea-sick.

The Aberdeen Life-boat Station. FOE the past seventy years there has Station, to provide for it Boats of the been a Life-boat Station at Aberdeen, latest type, and to give Aberdeen the provided and maintained, not by the advantage of the Institution's experienc e Institution, but by the Aberdeen Har- of life-saving work all round the coast bour Commissioners. of the British Isles. The first Boat for the Station was For the sake of the Institution also procured by the Commissioners in 1853, the Committee were anxious to take over a boat 30 feet 11 inches by 8 feet, a Station for which, even in Aberdeen which was known as the " Beach" itself, many people believed the Institu- Life-boat, as she was provided with a tion to be responsible. In 1900, there- carriage for transport and launching. fore, the Committee offered to take In 1875 a second Life-boat was obtained, charge of the Station, but the Harbour 34 feet by 8 feet, and was known as the Commissioners did not see their way to " Harbour " Life-boat, as she was kept accept the proposal. The offer remained suspended in a shed above the water in open. There were many people in the Harbour itself. Up to the present Aberdeen in favour of its acceptance, year both these original Boats were still and again in 1915 the matter was con- on service. The Commissioners also sidered by the Harbour Commissioners. owned three Life-saving Rocket Appara- Again, however, it was decided that " no tuses. advantage would be gained by the The Aberdeen Life-boat Crew con- transference of the service to the Institu- sisted of a Master and Mate and ten tion." men, chosen yearly from among the So matters remained until 1923. On twenty-four harbour pilots. The whole 13th October of that year the trawler of this Crew was required for the working Imperial Prince, of Aberdeen, was of one Boat, but it was felt to be highly wrecked off Belhelvie, near Aberdeen. improbable that both Boats would be The Aberdeen Harbour Life-boat was called at the same time. called out, but as she approached the These two Boats, the " Bonaccord wreck she broached to ; part of her Crew No. 1," and the "Bonaccord No. 2" were washed overboard, and were have rescued between them 589 lives. rescued with great difficulty. The Boat For many years the Institution has herself was carried to leeward, and was had a financial branch at Aberdeen, finally beached with her crew exhausted. which last year raised £563, but the In the end the crew of the trawler were Branch has had no share whatever in rescued by the Newburgh Life-boat, the administration of the Station, which with the help of men from'H.M. de- has remained entirely in the hands of stroyers Vampire and Vendetta, which the Harbour Commissioners. were lying at Aberdeen. The Life-boat For a long time the Committee of had to be dragged seven miles along the Management have felt that it would be beach to the scene of the wreck.* to the advantage, both of Aberdeen and of the Institution itself, if the Institution . * A full account of the service appeared ic were to take over the full control of the The Lifeboat for December, 1923. FEBRUARY, 1925.] THE LIFEBOAT. Shortly after this the Harbour Com- agreement with the Board of Trade, has missioners invited the Institution to taken over the Eocket Apparatus as discuss with them the question of trans- well. ferring to it the Aberdeen Station. As a | The Commissioners have handed over result, the Institution has now taken over'to the Institution the two Boathouses the Station as from the beginning of 1925, and other buildings, and will maintain and has sent to Aberdeen a Self-Righting these houses for the Institution. They Life-boat, 34 feet by 8 feet, of the Rubie will also provide and maintain moorings type, and a Watson Life-boat 40 feet by for the Motor Life-boats in the Harbour, 11 feet. The latter Boat will be replaced, and will contribute £500 a year towards early next year, by a Barnett 60-foot the upkeep of the Station, which will Twin Screw Motor Life-boat, the most cost more than double that sum. powerful type in the Institution's Fleet, | For the administration of the Station of which the first was completed in 1923,1 it has been decided that the Commis- and is now at New Brighton, and the sioners shall appoint three representa- second is being built for Plymouth. | tives to serve on the Committee of the The Harbour Commissioners are trans- Aberdeen Branch of the Institution, and ferring to the Institution a legacy of the Branch has elected the Harbour £1,350 left them in 1894 to provide and Master as its Marine Honorary Secretary endow a Life-boat at Aberdeen, which to take charge of the administrative side now amounts, with the accumulated of its work. interest, to nearly £3,000. This legacy Thus, by amicable arrangements with will be devoted to providing and the Harbour Commissioners, the Institu- endowing the Self-Sighting Life-boat tion has now assumed full control of the which will be named " George and Aberdeen Station, which will be adminis- Elizabeth Grow," in memory of the tered in exactly the same way as the testator and her husband. The Motor Institution's other Stations. Thus, in Life-boat, which will cost about £16,000, the last year of its first century, the will be provided out of the funds of the Institution had the satisfaction of Institution. ! taking over the last but one important The Life-Saving Rocket Apparatus j Life-boat Station hitherto owned and round our coasts is manned and main- managed by a separate organisation. tained by the Board of Trade, but as the The last is The Tynemouth Life-boat Rocket Apparatus at Aberdeen has, for Society, which maintains a service on so many years, been part of the Life- the Tyne alongside the Institution's saving Service there, the Institution, by own Boats.

Obituary. Major Arthur Thomas Fisher, .Honorary Secretary of the Salisbury Branch. WE regret to announce the death of public posts which he held ; and the Major A. T. Fisher, who founded the value of his work for the Institution may Salisbury Branch in 1910, and had been be judged from the fact that the contri- its Honorary Secretary ever since. butions of the Branch in its first year amounted to £73, and in 1924 to £388. Major Fisher was in his 82nd year. A short account of Major Fisher's career He was born in 1843, educated at Har- and his work for the Life-boat Service row, passed for the Army, served in appeared in The Lifeboat for June, India, and since he retired in 1883 lived 1923, and last November, as announced in Hampshire, where, through a long and elsewhere in this issue, he was elected active life, he devoted himself to public an Honorary Life Governor of the work and sport. He contributed to Institution, the highest honour which many magazines, and was the author of the Institution can confer on its honorary tour books on sporting subjects. The workers, and one reserved for those Secretaryship of the Salisbury Branch who have given it both Jong and dis- was onlv one of a number of honorary tinguished service. THE LIFEBOAT. [FEBRUARY, 1925.

How You can Save by a Gift to the Institution. IT does not sound possible, but it i The following is a list of the cost of the is a fact that by making a large gift! different types of Life-boat and of these to the Institution during his life a j other parts of the equipment of the wealthy man may actually save money.! Service which are no less essential to its The lastitution recently received a sum! efficiency : of about £20,000 from a gentleman who had decided to leave that amount to Motor Life-boat (60-ft. Barnett the Institution in his will, but who Twin Screw) . . . £14,000 altered this to an immediate gift, not j Motor Life-boat (50-ft. Barnett only because of the satisfaction of seeing' Twin Screw) . . . £13,000 a Life-boat built and bearing his name | Motor Life-boat (Watson Type) £9,000 in his life-time, but because he found j Motor Life-boat (Norfolk and that, if he lived another year, he would | Suffolk Type) . . . £9,000 by this gift have saved several thousand | Motor Life-boat (Self-righting pounds to his estate Mysterious as this j Type) .... £8,000 sounds, it is quite simple. By his gift he j Concrete Slipway . £6,000~£10,000 hasreducedhiscapitalsothatitwillcome jMotor Life-boat House . £1,800-£3,000 into a lower category for payment of | Motor Life-boat Engine . . £1,600 Estate Duty, and he will thus save one j Winch and Engine. . . £950 per cent, on the whole of his capital. Motor Caterpillar Tractor . £750 He has also saved both the Estate and Life-boat Carriage. . . £600 Legacy Duty which would become pay- j Line-throwing Gun . . £20 able on the legacy if given on his death instead of during his lifetime. There is; In order not only to present, but to no duty payable on a gift given to an endow, a Life-boat for fifteen years, or Institution, such as this, during the life- for the life of the Boat, that is, to pay time of the donor, provided he lives for for its maintenance, a gift is necessary at least one year after having made the j varying from £11,200, in the case of the gift. We would seriously ask those who i 60-ft. Barnett Twin-Screw Type, to may contemplate leaving money to the! £8,500. In order both to present a Life- Lif e-boat Service to consider if it would boat and to endow it for ever, so that not be better to make the gift at once, the Boat will not only be maintained Motor Life-boats are being built that j but replaced by a new Boat whenever await a donor and a name, and there J this is necessary, a gift is required are other and less costly gifts which the ; varying from £31,500 to £18,000, accord- Institution is always glad to receive, f ing to the type of Boat.

Norwegian Honour for the Institution. SIK GODFREY BARING, Bt., Chairman of services in connexion with the organiza- the Committee of Management, and tion of the International Life-boat Mr. George F. Shee, M.A., Secretary of Conference in London on July 1st the Institution, have each been pre- and 2nd, 1924. The presentations were sented by H.M. the King of Norway made at a luncheon on 1st December with the Gold Medal of the Norwegian by His Excellency Mr. P. B. Vogt, the Life-boat Society in recognition of their | Norwegian Minister. FEBEOABY, 1926.] THE LIFEBOAT. 35

The Help of the Cinemas. Two Shipwreck Films. DURING the autumn of 1924 two The response to this has been very films with a special Life-boat interest i satisfactory. Not only has it been made were released to the Cinemas. One of' clear that the Cinemas are prepared to them, " Down to the Sea in Ships," is; help the Institution when they are the cruise of a whaler. Among its showing films of the sea, but also that scenes are the wreck of one of the boats they feel that collaboration with the by a whale and the eating of one of her Institution is a real help to them. It crew by a shark. The film ends with interests people in their films who would the wreck of the whaler herself. The not otherwise come. In a word, they

ThejAndrews Picture Palace, Plymouth, during the week in which " Down to the Sea in Ship*'' was shown and Collections made for the Life-boats. other film is " Women who Give," part both help a fine cause and do good busi- of the scene of which is a Life-boat ness for themselves. Station on the coast of the United In London the first Cinema at which States, and there is not only a ship- : these collections were made was the wreck but a Life-boat rescue. Marlborough Theatre in Holloway. The The Institution wrote to the Cinemas Institution, in this case, was able to at which these two films were to be send one of the Reserve Boats from the shown, asking if they would allow col- ; Storeyard, and this was stationed out- lections to be made on behalf of the Life- ; side the Cinema during the whole week boat Service, and offering to collaborate lin which " Down to the Sea in Ships " with them in interesting the public in was shown. The theatre staff gave the the films by lending them one of the j Institution every help that they could, Institution's own films to show during and over £108 was collected. Altogether the same week, or the week before, and, j collections have been made at thirteen where possible, models, posters and Life- i London Cinemas at which this film has boat gear for decorating their entrance :been shown, amounting altogether to halls. over £221. an average of £17 a Cinema. 36 THE LIFEBOAT. [FEBRUARY, 1925. The chief contributories have been the In the south of England the chief Hampstead Picture Playhouse, which successes have been at the Andrews collected £26 in six days, the Central Picture House, Plymouth, where about Hall, Catford, and the Lion Cinema, £65 was collected, and the Super Theatre, Botherhithe, with £12 each, and the Oxford, with £45, and one of the Brigh- Leyton Picture House with nearly £11, ton Cinemas with £20 during "Down all collected in three days. Arrange- to the Sea in Ships." At the Cinema, ments have been made for collections at Newbury, nearly £16 was collected dur- another six Cinemas where this film ing " Women who Give." Altogether, will be shown later on. nearly £216 have been collected at fifteen The scheme has been equally success- Cinemas, an average of over £14. Col- ful in the North of England, where there lections have also been arranged at a were eight collections at " Down to the number of other Cinemas. Sea in Ships " and sixteen at " Women Altogether collections so far have been who Give," giving a total of £248 and an made at sixty-one Cinemas which have average of £15 10s. Od. a Cinema. The realized over £776. As these two films Bradford Theatre Royal collected nearly will continue to be shown for some £30 at a special matinee, the Manchester months to come, and as other sea films Theatre Boyal Cinema £28 during the will no doubt follow them, we have given week, the Newcastle-on-Tyne Picture these details of what has already been House £23 in three days, the Doncaster done so that Honorary Secretaries and Picture House nearly £20 in three days, other Life-boat workers may realize how the Empire Theatre, Maryport, £19 in valuable this co-operation with Cinemas the week, the Keighley Picture House may be, not only in obtaining publicity nearly £17, the Whitley Bay Coliseum for the work of the Service, but in the £12, and the Oxford Picture House, actual raising of funds. Workington, £10, each in three days. In Scotland £30 was collected at the Appeals by a Music Hall Artist. Palace Picture House, Perth, in two days during " Women who Give." An In this connexion we should also like appeal was made during the perform- to make grateful reference to the help ance and a choir of 100 fisher girls sang which the Institution has received from songs. Mr. Shaun Glenville, the music-hall The Arcadia Picture House, Bridge- artist, who last summer offered to give ton, Glasgow, collected over £19, and the Institution every help that he could the Ayr Picture House £14. Altogether by speaking for it from the stage. At a in Scotland nearly £73 has been collected number of music halls appeals from the at five Cinemas showing this film, an stage, for whatever object, are not average of over £14 10s., and arrange- allowed, but at several places Mr. Glen- ments have been made for collections at ville was able to make speeches, notably several more Cinemas. at the Empire, Newport (Mon.), at the In the Midlands and Wales collections Empire, Newcastle-on-Tyne, and at the have been made at five Cinemas during Palace, Huddersfield, where he spoke " Women who Give," realizing over each night of his week's visit, and nearly £22, an average of £4 10,s. £27 was collected.

The Ladies' Life-boat Guild. THE Marchioness of Carisbrooke, who Patron. — H.B.H. Princess Louise, is already associated with the Life-boat Duchess of Argyll. Service as President of the Scarborough Vice-Patrons.—The Duchess of Norfolk Branch, has very kindly accepted an and the Duchess of Portland. invitation from the Committee of Man- President.- The Marchioness of Caris- agement to become President of the brooke. Ladies' Life-boat Guild. The Officers of . -T\\? Marchioness of the Guild are now complete. Milford-Haven. FEBKIMRY, 1925.] THE LIFEBOAT. 37 The Mayors of London and the Life-boat Service. BY the kindness of the Lord Mayor of population of 147,497 ; Brightlingsea London (Colonel Sir Alfred Louis Bower) £148 from its population of 4,500, a meeting was held at the Mansion Manchester's contribution was equal House, on 13th January, at which the to 3%d. per head, Oxford's to If a!, a head Mayors, Mayoresses and Town Clerks of and Brightlingsea's to 7f

Awards to Coxswains and Life-boatmen. To TIMOTHY KEOHANE, on his retirement, Life-boat, a Pension, commuted at his own after serving 23£ years as Coxswain of the request with a lump sum. Courtmacsherry Life-boat, a Certificate of Service and a Pension. To WALTER NORMAN, on his retirement, after serving 18 years as Bowman of the Watchet To CHARLES WM. CONWAY, on his retirement, Life-boat, a Life-boatman's Certificate and after serving 5J years as Coxswain and 6 a Pension. years as Second Coxswain of the Totland Bay Life-boat, a Pension, on the closing of To FRANK HALL, on his retirement, after the Station. serving 21 years as Bowman of the Totland Bay Life-boat, a Life-boatman's Certificate To ALFRED J?. GALLOP, on his retirement, after and a Pension, on the closing of the Station. serving 5^ years as Second Coxswain of the • Totland Bay Life-boat, a Gratuity. To GEORGE SMITH, on his retirement, after To CHARLES A. GKIGGS, on his retirement,, serving 28 years as Signalman of the Shore- after serving 6 years as Second Coxswain of: ham Life-boat, a Pension, on the closing of the Shoreham Life-boat, a Gratuity, on the the Station. closing of the Station. Life-boatmen's Certificates of Service have To JOHN NORMAN, on his retirement, after j been awarded to the following men who have serving 22 years as Second Coxswain of the retired, the figure after their names being their Watchet Life-boat, a Life-boatman's Certifl- i years of service :— cate and a Pension, commuted at his own \ JOHN GEOQAN (17); MICHAEL MURPHY (19); request with a lump sum. , JOHN BEIAS WHBLBHAN (17); EDMOJTD So WILUAM HUGHES, on his retirement, after | WALSH (14); all of_the Ballycotton Life- serving 19 years as Bowman of the Cemaes i boat. 38 THE LIFEBOAT. [FEBRUARY, 1925.

Summary of the Meetings of the Committee of Management. Thursday, 21st February, 1924. The Boulmer Life-boat rendered assistance The Hon. GZOBGB COLVIHJ? in the Chair to the steam trawler Thomas Davison, of Hartlepool. Decided to dose the Eastbourne No. 1 Lifi boat Station. Also voted £479 Is. to pay the expenses Reported the receipt of the following specii of the following Life-boat launcheschei , assemblies contributions :— of crews, etc., with a view to assisting persons £ s. < on vessels in distress:—Blacktock, Blyth MB. ALBANY WARD, Collections (Motor), Boulmer, Cambois, Caister, Clacton- in Picture Palaces (additional) 640 - on-Sea (Motor), Donaghadee (Motor), Dunbar, ME. J. CULLINOWORTB (subscrip- Holyhead No. 1 (Steam), Lowestoft (Motor), tion) 52 10 Lyme Regis, Margate No. 1, Moelfre, The " E. H. W." (additional dona- Mumbles, Peel, Ramsgate, Southend-on-Sea, tion) 50 - Southwold, Tynemouth (Motor), Walton-on- —To be thanked. the-Naze (Motor), and Wexford (Motor). Paid £10,288 15s. W. for sundry charges in The Bridlington Life-boat was also launched. connexion with the construction of Life-boats Life-boat Houses and Slipways, and the main Granted £33 13s. 6d. to men for injury in tenance of the various Life-boat establish the Life-boat service at Cardigan, Piel, Poole, ments. and St. Alines. Voted £610 12s. Id. to pay the expenses o Awarded the Bronze Medal of the Institution the following Life-boat services :— accompanied by a copy of the Vote, inscribed Live on Vellum and framed, to ANDREW YOTJNG, Life-boat. Vessel. rescued Acting Coxswain of the Cloughey, Co. Down, Aldeburgh No. 1. S.S. Clan Kennedy, of Life-boat, in recognition of his fine seamanship Glasgow. Landed 18 when the Life-boat under his command rescued and rendered assist- Tom shipwreck the crew, five in number, of the anee. srigantine Helgoland, of Plymouth, which was Barry Dock S.S. Su&, of ;otally wrecked off Tara Point, Co. Down, (Motor) Slavia. Rendered during a strong S.S.E. gale, with a heavy sea, assistance. on the 12th January, 1924. Also granted Blackpool S.S. Nord, of Helsing- additional monetary rewards to each of the borg. Stood by :rew, and addressed a Letter of Thanks to vessel and landed 1. ihe Rev. D. PALMER, Honorary Secretary, Brixham. S.S. Sever Lagan, of For his zeal and co-operation on this occasion. (Motor) Swansea. Stood by A full account of this rescue will be found vessel. n the report of the Centenary Meeting in this Cloughey Brigantine Helgoland, ssue.) of Plymouth. Girvan . Fishing Doat Sea Spray, Reported that in recognition of the services of Giivan. Saved rendered by naval ratings, in the Newburgh boat and rescued ife-boat, on the occasion of the wreck of the Gourdon Motor yawl Lily of the .rawler Imperial Prince in October last, the Valley, of Gourdon. jords of the Admiralty had promoted Petty Stood by and es- Officer ESSAM to Chief Petty Officer or War- corted yawl into ant Officer, as he choose, and given each of harbour. he eleven men six months' seniority. Grimsby Steam trawler Loroone, Voted £1 17*. Sd. to five men for rescuing of Grimsby. Stood he two occupants of the motor pilot boat by vessel. Itella, which was in difficulties off Lynmouth, Huna Steam drifter Brae- « the 14th January, 1924. Also granted 5s. faad, of Inverness. or the use of the boat. The Stella was bound Stood by and as- rom Appledore to Bristol, but signalled for sisted vessel. elp as her motor had broken down, and her Lowestoft Pishing smack Irene, ails had been blown away. As it was not (Motor) of Lowestoft onsidered necessary to launch the Life-boat, (also a cat). ie weather conditions being moderate, the Newbiggin S.S. VlieJand, of Hot- alvors put off in a rowing boat and brought teidam. Stood by B boat safely into harbour. and rendered assist- ance. Voted £6 15s. to nine men for rescuing two Wexford. Schooner Canibri, of men, at Girvan, on the 26th December, from (Motor) Liverpool Sea Spray, which hod gone ashore oa a Wevmouth Schooner Fanny Croas- eef of rocks to the south of Turnberry. As fleld, of Barrow. i» weather conditions were moderate it was Stood by vessel. ecided to take out a shore-boat, which would FEBRUARY,1925. THE LIFEBOAT. 39 be better able to reach the Sea Spray than the Paid £25,342 6s. 5d. for sundry charges in Life-boat, and the Coxswain of the Life-boat connexion with the construction of Life-boats, went out with a crew of eight. The men were Life-boat Houses and Slipways, and the main- rescued from a position of considerable tenanee of the various Life-boat establish- danger. ments. Voted £2 10s. to two men for rescuing the Voted £220 14s. 3<£. to pay the expenses of occupant of a fishing boat which caught fire the following Life-boat services :— and was destroyed off Porthallow, Cornwall, Lives on the 25th January. Some risk was incurred, Life-boat. Vessel. rescued. and the promptness of the rescuers undoubtedly Abersoch . . Ketch Merit, of Bos- saved the man's life. ton. Landed 4. Voted £2 to T. SMITH, £1 to P. DEERANK, Broughty Ferry. S.S. City of Manchester, and 10s., together with a copy of " Britain's (Motor) of Glasgow. Stood Life-Boats," to a boy, C. MURTAGH, for their by vessel. services on the 1st December, when they Clacton-on-Sea . Schooner Alatga, of rescued the crew of five and two passengers (Motor) Tvedstrand. Stood from the motor boat Tormore, at Galway. The by vessel. motor boat was on her way from Aran Islands Filey . . . Ten fishing cobles of to Galway when she lost her bearings in the Filey. Stood by fog, ran ashore near Mutton Island, and was cobles. in danger of breaking up. Some risk was Flamborough . Three fishing cobles of incurred, as the rescuers' boat was very small No. 1. Flamborough. Stood and much overloaded when the rescued were by cobles. on board. Hauxley. . . S.S. Kapland, of Sande- fjord. Stood by Voted £8 to eight men for rescuing the crew, nine in number, of the trawler Endora, of Scarborough Fishing coble Jock, of Leith, which was wrecked in a fog off Newton- Scarborough. Es- by-tbe-Sea on the 12th December. Also corted coble into granted 10s. for fuel consumed. The crew had harbour. taken to their boat, and when found were Selsey (Motor) Motor fishing smack drifting towards dangerous rocks and breaking Molly, of Selsey. seas. Six of them were taken into the Saved vessel and coble, which then took the boat in tow with rescued. the other three men on board. Some risk was Whitby (Motor). Motor fishing boats incurred by the salvors, owing to the darkness Remembrance and and the rocks in the vicinity. Fortuna, of Whitby. Voted £3 16s. to eleven men for landing or Escorted boats into assisting in the landing of five persons from the harbour. s.s. Divonia, at Ilfracombe, on the 9th January. They were the survivors of the French schooner The Easington Life-boat rendered assistance Adolphe, who had been picked up at sea, their to the steam trawler Cortina, of Grimsby ; the vessel having been wrecked near Port Talbot, Hauxley Life-boat rendered assistance to the and abandoned. The Captain of the schooner s.s. Kapland, of Sandef jord ; and the Shering- had lost his life and his crew were exposed in a ham Life-boat assisted to save the barge gale for some hours before being rescued by the Oceanic, of London, and the crew of three. Diixmia. Also voted £415 12s. 6d. to pay the expenses of the following Life-boat launches, assemblies Thursday, 20th March, 1924. of crews, etc., with a view to assisting persons on vessels in distress:—Aldeburgh No. 2, Sir GODFREY BAKING, St., in the Chair. Caister, Cloughey, Donaghadee (Motor), Donna Elected the MARQUESS OF GRAHAM, C.B., Nook, Dunbar, Gorleston No. 1, Hythe, C.V.O., a Vice-President of the Institution. Lowestoft (Motor), Newburgh, North Deal, Reported the receipt of the following special Pwllheli, Ramsgate, Rhoscolyn, Skegness, contributions :— and Whitby (Mctor). £ *. d. Granted £8 5s. 6d'. to men for injury in the MEMBERS ASD SUBSCRIBERS TO Life-boat service at Aldeburgh. LLOYD'S (on account). . . 1,000 - - Voted £6 to JOSEPH TAYLOR, Bowman of "BATH" 1,000 - the Eunswick Life-boat, and his two sons, MESSRS. WALLACE BROS. . . 500 - GEOBGE and WILLIAM, for rescuing one of the Miss MADGE WATSON . . . 105 - two hands of the fishing coble Peace, of Runs- MR. FRANCIS GODLEE ... 100 - wick, which was struck by a heavy squall and Miss EDITH M. DEMPSTER . . 100 - capsized, on the 18th January, when out with " PANTALEONE : A Thankoffer- the fishing fleet to haul crab pots. One of the ing " 50 - crew was drowned, but the survivor managed MBS. A. HICKMAN MORGAN . . 50 - to secure two oars and keep afloat, the cap- MBS C. ROBINSON .... 25 - sized coble drifting into broken water. It was I/has CAROLINE COLLINS ... 20 - dangerous to follow her, but the rescuers MB. G. T. GOLDIE 20 - sailed right in, and were just in time to rescue —To be thanked. the man, who wan very exhauated. He was 40 THE LIFEBOAT. 1925. at once taken ashore, and artificial respiration expressing the Committee's appreciation of the applied, but it was some hours before he action of all concerned in successfully launching recovered. the Life-boat for service, under very difficult conditions, on the 24th March, 1924. Thursday, 10th April, 1924. Directed that Letters of Thanks be sent to Sir GODFREY BARING, BT., in the Chair. Mr. G. GREEXWAY and Mr. MEADE, who Keported the resignation of Major RALPH greatly assisted at a difficult launch of the GLYNN, M.C., from the Committee of Manage- Holy Island No. 1 Life-boat for service, on ment, and co-opted the Bight Hon. F. 0. the 24th March, 1924. ROBERTS, M.P., to the Committee. Voted £6 to six men for rescuing the crew, Reported the receipt of the following special four in number, of the fishing boat Mars, ofi contributions :— Ilfracombe on the night of the 20th March. £ *. d. Also granted 10*. for the use of a motor boat, " IN MEMORY OF FATHER, barn A strong breeze was blowing with a heavy sea, Feb., 1824" (donation) . . 100 - - and as the fishing boat had not returned tie ANONYMOUS (donation) ... 50 - - motor boat put off and found her disabled —To be thanked. about three miles off Bull Point, a line having Paid £15,349 15s. 9d. for sundry charges in fouled her propeller. She was towed to Ilfra- connexion with the construction of Life-Boats, combe, with her crew of four, who were cold Life-boat Houses and Slipways, and the main- and famished. Considerable risk was in- tenance of the various Life-boat establish- curred bv the salvors. ments. Voted £107 7s. 6rf. to pay the expenses of the following Life-boat services :— Thursday, 15th May, 1924. Lives Sir GODFREY BARING, BT., in the Chair. Lifeboat. Vessel. rescued. Berwick - on - A fishing yawl. Es- Decided to close the Shoreham and Hayling Tweed. corted yawl into har- Island Life-boat Stations. bour. Boulmer . . A fishing boat of Reported that in future the Brixham, Tor- Craster. Stood by quay and Paignton Branches would be known boat. as the Torbay Branch. Holy Island Five fishing cobles of No. 1. Holy Island. Stood Reported the receipt of the following special by cobles. contributions :— Newbiggin . . Nine fishing cobles of £ s. d. Newbiggin. Stood j Miss G. MURIEL BOSTOCK (a \ by cobles. great great grand-daughter of North Sunder- . Twelve fishing cobles Lionel Lukin) (donation) . . 100 - - • land. of Seahouses. Es- WHITE STAB LINE, being a por- corted cobles into tion of the contributions made harbour. by passengers on board their steamers 100 - - | The Flamborough No. 1 Life-boat assisted to RED STAB LINE, do. do. . 50 - - save the s.s. Allegiance, of Liverpool, and ANONYMOUS (donation) ... 60 - - rescued her crew of five. MR. KENNETH M. CLARK (in addi- Also voted £107 8s. 4 (00 and also defrayed the funeral expenses. Hiss G. M. BBMSETT (dooation) 25 - - Granted additional rewards to the crew of -To 6e thanked. the Hoylake Life-boat for an arduous service Paid £21,134 13s. Id. for sundry charges in 1 on the night of the 17th August, when the two Kmnexion with the construction of Life-boats, | hands of the yacht Dart were rescued. 44 THE LIFEBOAT. [FEBRUARY, 1925. Reported that the Superior Council of the i two girls were out in a small boat, when a Italian Navy had awarded a Silver medal to j strong ebb tide and a S.W. moderate breeze the Coxswain, and Bronze Medals to the other j swept them to the northward towards the members of the JJorth Deal Life-boat crew, in j Neweombe Ridge. Mr. Allerton, who had recognition of their services in rescuing the ( kept the boat under observation, put off in crew, thirty in number, of the s.s. Val Salice, \ & motor boat accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. of Genoa, on tie 19th November, 1916 ; also i Tarrant, who had volunteered to help him that the presentations had been made by the with the motor. The occupants of the boat Italian Naval Attache. (Described in The were quite helpless, and it was only with Lifeboat for November, 1924.) difficulty, owing to the swell and breaking Voted the Thanks of the Institution inscribed water, that the salvors were able to get them on Vellum and a reward of £2 to ROBERT into the motor boat, and tow their boat ashore. CUTTING for rescuing a man at Rye Harbour, Voted £1 10*. to three men for putting off in on the 7th August. Mr. Cutting and a com- a motor boat and helping the motor boat panion were out in a pleasure boat when she Betty, at Tenby, on the 13th August. Also was capsized and sank. They both began to sent a Letter of Thanks to the owner of the swim, towards the shore, but the other man, \ motor boat used, and allowed 3s. for petrol after swimming about twenty yards, collapsed. used. The engine of the Hetty had broken Mr. Cutting, who was in a weak state of health, down, and she was drifting helplessly in the gallantly went to his help. With great difficulty fresh S.W, breeze, with a crew of two and and at great personal risk he eventually j two passengers on board. succeeded in getting him ashore in an insensible ' condition, and then resuscitated him by artificial respiration. Thursday, 16th October, 1924. Directed that a Speeis! Letter of Thanks be Sir GODFREY BAKING, Bt., in the Chair. addressed to MB. F. W. TEE, for rescuing a Co-opted the Hon. ESMOND HARMSWORTH a man and a woman, off Netley, on the 8th June. member of the Committee of Management. They were sailing in Southampton Water during a strong S.W. breeze with a rough sea, Reported the receipt of the following special when their dingey began to leak badly, and contributions :— then sank, but came up again keel upwards. £ *. r/. After clinging to her for some time, they Miss JULIET REC-'KITT (additional decided to swim for a small boat which was at donation) 100 - - anchor near them, but owing to the strong ebb, Mrs. WH.ABHIE (Centenary dona- the woman failed to reach the boat and I tion to Horsham branch) . . 100 - - was carried down Southampton Water. On L. J. WOODHOUSE, Esq. (donation) 100 - - learning of the accident, Mr. Tee at once put' —To be thanked. off in a small boat and rescued her, but as the Paid £17,486 10s. Id. for sundry charges in boat was too small to allow of her being taken ; connexion with the construction of Life-boats, on board, she was towed ashore clinging to the | Life-boat Houses and Slipways, and the main- stern. Mr. Tee then made a second journey j tenance of the various Life-boat establishments. and brought ashore the man. Mr. Tee declined to accept a monetary award voted to him by Voted £190 15*. 2(/. to pay the expenses of the following Life-boat Services :— the Institution. Lives Life-lKiat. Vessel. rescued. Voted £2 to two men for rescuing two of the Cromer . . Auxiliary motor-boat three occupants of the yacht Thistle, of Ply- (Motor) lona, of Middles- mouth, which foundered off Fowey, on the brough. Landed 4 17th August. Also granted 2s. for petrol used. from the Haisbrough The weather at the time was very squally, and Light Vessel. the sea was rough. When the yacht foundered Moelfre . . Schooner Mary Anne two men at once put ofi in a motor boat and Jane, of Guernsey . 3 were successful in finding two of her crew. Palling No. 2 . Steam drifter Lubtrt, Unfortunately the third man was lost, but of Boulogne. Stood had it not been for the prompt action of the by vessel. saWoia, there is no doubt that the other two Stromness . . Steam trawler Hesso- would have been drowned also. MB. M. Dusw, (Motor) nite, of Hull ... 10 pilot, one of the salvors, gave his monetary Totland Pay . Motor yacht Adelante, award as a donation to the local Branch of the of London. Stood Institution. by vessel. Voted £1 10«. to two men for rescuing two The Wexford (Motor) Life-boat rescued the women at Cemaes, o» the 31st July, who were six hands of the motor schooner Michael /felly, drifting out to sea in a small rowing boat, ; oi Liverpool, and afterwards saved the vessel. which they were unable to control owing to the strong S.W. wind and tide. Also voted £272 6*. Qd. to pay the expenses of the following Life-boat launches, assemblies Voted £1 to Ms. H. ALLVRTOX, and directed 1 of crews, etc., with a view to assisting persons that a Letter of Thanks be sent to Ms. and on vessels in distress :—Aranmore, Banff and MRS. H. TARRAKT, for rescuing four persons of? ; Maeduff, Caister, Cemae?, Clacton-on-Sea Lowestoft, on the 4th August. Also granted I (Motor), Cromer (Motor), Holy Island No. 1, 2s. for petrol consumed. Two young men and I Holyhead Nos. 1 and 2, Hoylake, Johnshaven, FEBRUARY, 1925.] THE LIFEBOAT. 45 The Mumbles, Peterhead No. 2 (Motor), Poole ! Paid £22,937 19s. 3d. for sundry charges in and Bournemouth, Ramsgate, St. Peter Port, | connexion with the construction of Life-boats, Sheringham, Southend-on-Sea, Stromness Life-boat Houses and Slipways, and the main- (Motor), Torbay (Motor), and Wells. tenance of the various Life-boat establish- Granted £29 15s. to men for injury in the ments. Life-boat Service at Aranmore, Blackpool and Voted £165 10s. 9d. to pay the expenses of Kedcar. the following Life boat Services:— Directed that a Letter of Appreciation be Lives addressed to Coxswain WILLIAM JOHNSTON, in LUe-boat. Vessel. rescued. recognition of the meritorious manner in which Cromer No. 1 . S.S. Clansman, of he navigated the Stromness Motor Life-boat, (Motor) Lowestoft ... 9 on the 4th October, when she rescued from Eastbourne . EX-M.L. 87 ... 3 shipwreck the crew, ten in number, of the (Motor) steam trawler Hessonite, of Hull. The vessel Flamborough Steam trawler Joule, was wrecked on the North Crags, Birsay, No. 1. of Hull. Stood by Orkneys, during a dense fog, and the Life-boat vessel. was launched to go to her aid at 4.30 A.M. So GorlestonNo. 2. Steam drifter Har- dense was the fog that the only guide that the vester, of Berwick. Coxswain had to steer by was the broken Stood by vessel. water on the rocks and crags along the coast. Margate No. 1 . Barge Lord Nelson, of Under these very difficult conditions he safely London .... 3 brought the Life-boat to the wreck, a distance Margate No. 1 . Barge Guernsey, of of twenty miles. Through the local Press the London .... 5 rescued men expressed their thanks to the Port Patrick Fishing boat Peggy Life-boatmen for their services. ; (Motor) Morgan, of Port Pat- rick. Saved boat Voted £5 5s. to Coxswain THOMAS STORM and rescued ... 2 and six other Life-boatmen for rescuing the I St. Anne's . S.S. Royal Regis, of five occupants of a small pleasure boat, which London. Stood by was in distress off Robin Hood's Bay on the nth September. Four visitors and a boatman The Humber S.S. Harlech, of Lon- had gone out fishing, but were overtaken by don. Landed 14. a W.S.W. gale when about two miles N.E. of (Motor) Robin Hood's Bay. In attempting to pull The Margate No. 1 Life-boat saved the barge back they lost two oars, and then hoisted a Challenge, of Weymouth, and rescued from distress signal. Some risk was incurred by the shipwreck her crew of three. salvors who went out in a fishing coble. Voted £2 53. to Coxswain CHABLES CONWAY Also voted £204 3s. 9Operator, a member of the Storeyard and punctually at noon the first of the Staff) loaded with toys, fruit, sweets, guests were at the door. Punctuality is crackers, and balloons. The presence of not always an. easy virtue, and those so many more than the 150 formally who find it difficult may like to encour- invited, might have caused him some age themselves with the heroic example embarrassment, but a number of new of one of these guests, a boy, who had sixpences were found for those for slept in his best clothes the night before whom there were no toys. so that nothing might prevent him from There is usually some small tragedy at being in time. every party, and close on nine o'clock the Long before 4 o'clock 180 of the 150 following dialogue took place : invited had arrived at the door, and were GUEST : " Please I want a bladder " welcomed by Captain Rowley, the Chief (Poplar for balloon). Inspector^ and Captain Sevan, Deputy CONJURER : " But you've had one." Chief Inspector for Stores. Fortunately GUEST : " It's bust." there was a band, and the guests enter- CONJURER : " There isn't another." tained themselves with song until tea GUEST : " But it's my birthday next was ready. Yet more guests were then Wednesday." seen looking hungrily through the door, CONJURER (temporising); " How old and room was made for them. will you be ? " After tea there was an entertainment, GUEST : " Ten and a half ! " FEBRUARY, 1925.] THE LIFEBOAT. 47 Awards to Honorary Workers. Election of Eight Honorary Life-Governors. THE following have been elected Mr. J. A. GARDINER, Honorary Secretary, Life- boat Stations at Campbeltown, Machrihanish Honorary Life-Governors of the Institu- and Southend, in Argyllshire. tion in recognition of their long and Mr. G. L. THOMSON, Honorary Secretary, Life- distinguished services, and have been boat Station at Stromness. presented with a copy of the Vote Mr. W. J. OLIVER, Honorary Secretary, Life- boat Station at Sunderland. inscribed on Vellum and' signed by Major A. T. FISHER, Honorary Secretary, H.R.H. the Prince of Wales, the Pre- Salisbury. sident :—• LADY ANN, J.P., President of the Ladies' The following awards have also been Life-boat Guild, Derby. made:— Mrs, ASTLEY ROBERTS, President of the Ladies' To Mr. T. D. ROBERTS, upon his retirement, on Life-boat Guild, Eastbourne. the closing of the Point of Ayr Branch, after Miss MOSER, Honorary Secretary and Treasurer 6 years' service as Honorary Secretary, a of the Shrewsbury Branch. Framed Photograph of the Life-boat going SIB CHARLES MAOAKA, Bt., J.P., Chairman, St. out to a vessel in distress. Anne's-on-the-Sea Branch of the Institution, To Mr. H. J. RAMSBOTHAM, upon his retirement, and Founder of the Life-boat Saturday after 12 years as Honorary Secretary of the Fund, which was taken over by the Institu- Lyme Regis Branch, the Thanks of the Insti- tion in 1910. tution inscribed on Vellum.

PARTIALLY BURIED IN GROUND.

V SHAPED PIT. MORTAR LYING'AT NECESSARY ANGLE.

This Signal Maroon has been adopted by the Institution in place of the Rocket Distress Signal because :—• 1. As there is no metal in its [^Jglfili, J construction the danger of an acci- dent through failure to detonate is reduced to a minimum 2. No matches are needed to light it. This is done with the end of the fuse, which is coated with a firing combustion, and can be struck, either on the special MORTAR w MAROONS. lighter provided, or, in an emer- gency, on an ordinary match box. 48 THE LIFEBOAT. FEBRUARY,1925.

News from the Branches. CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS. | Mr. Russell Thorndyke in the principal SINCE the " Centenary Celebrations " parts. During one of the performances Number of The Lifeboat appeared in the Ladies' Life-boat Guild presented November last a number of other cele- the Branch with a barometer and clock brations have been held. for the new Life-boat House. Hampshire. Cumberland. A Whist Drive and Dance have been A Whist Drive and Dance have been held at Basingstoke, in addition to the held at Maryport in addition to the Centenary Meeting, the Century Life- Thanksgiving Service and Century Life- boat Day, the Bazaar and the Mayor's boat Day mentioned in the last issue. Appeal mentioned in the last issue. Durham. Oxfordshire. A Century Life-boat Day has been A Dance has been held at Banbury in held at Gateshead-on-Tyne. addition to the Century Life-boat Day Lancashire. mentioned in the last issue. Century Life-boat Days have been Somerset. held at Abrams, Accrington and Wigan. In addition to the Century Life-boat House-to-House Appeals at Atherton, Day, mentioned in the last issue, a Meet- Great Harwood, Ormskirk and Mossley. ing was held at Frome, with Lady Walde- grave in the chair, and a Ladies' Life- Yorkshire. boat Guild was formed with Lady Mary A Century Life-boat Day has been Thynne as President. held at Doncaster, and a " Mile of Pennies " at Ripon. Dumbartonshire. A Thanksgiving Service has been held Staffordshire. at Kirkintilloch, in addition to the Cen- A Century Life-boat Day was held at tury Life-boat Day mentioned in the Stoke-on-Trent (including Longton, Fen- I last issue. ton, Stoke, Hanley, Burslem, and Tun- Edinburghshire. stall). , A Centenary Meeting was held in Edin- Essex. burgh at which the Lord Provost (Sir A Dance has been held at Clacton-on- William Sleigh) presided, and Sheriff Sea, to which parties came from Walton, ! Jamieson delivered an address. Frinton and Brightlingsea, in addition j Renfrewshire. to the Thanksgiving Service and Cen- tury Life-boat Day mentioned in the | Paisley has held a Century Life-boat last issue. i Day and made a collection at a Football Match, in addition to the Thanksgiving Devonshire. '• Service mentioned in the last issue. Plymouth has held a Centenary Bazaar in addition to the Centenary I Pembrokeshire. Meeting, Thanksgiving Service, Cen- i A Century Life-boat Day was held at tury Life-boat Day, Ball and Life-boat I Milford Haven. Fete mentioned in the last issue. Glamorganshire. Hope Cove held a Century Life-boat i Barry Dock held a Centenary Thanks- Day on the same date as the Salcombe giving Service (which was not reported Day reported in the November issue, in the last issue of The Lifeboat) on and raised over £51. One of the features 2nd March, the Sunday immediately of the day was a race between the preceding the Institution's birthday. Salcombe and Hope Cove Life-boats. ; The Service was held in the Wesleyan Dorset. Church, and there was a procession Four performances of Laurence Hous- through the town. Those who took part man's and Granville Barker's " Prun- in it including members and officials of ella " were given in aid of the Weymouth the Urban District Council, the Life- Branch, with Miss Eileen Thorndyke and j boat Committee and Crew, the Coast FEBRUARY, 1925.] THE LIFEBOAT. 49 Guard, the Police, the Salvation Army, This was a record of which they could the Channel and Dock Pilots, officials be proud ; and, in addition, the Apple- and employees at the Docks, Boatmen, dore Station had the biggest subscription the Sea Scouts and Boy Scouts, and the list of any Branch in Devon. St. John and Bed Cross V.A. Detach- BANFF.—On 12th December, 1924, ments. The Service was conducted by Ex-Provost Walker, the Chairman of the Rev. J. Willis Benneworth, with the the Branch, presiding. During the year help of the local Chaplains of the Mission ended 30th September, 1924, the Branch to Seamen and the British and Foreign collected £97 as compared with £37 in Sailors' Society. the previous year. The report for the Wicklow. year showed that the Station was in A Century Life-boat Day was held at complete working order, and it had been Wicklow. decided, after a year's trial, that the Life-boat should be placed permanently ANNUAL MEETINGS. at Whitehills. Satisfaction was ex- ABERDEEN .—On 21 st November, 1924, pressed at the intention of the Institu- Ex-Baillie Milne, Vice-President of the tion to provide a light Motor Life-boat Branch, in the chair. During the year for the Station. ended 30th September, 1924, the Branch BATH.—On llth November, 1924, raised £552 as compared with £483 in Brigadier-General E. H. Molesworth, the previous year. Of this sum the C.B., presiding. During the year ended Ladies' Life-boat Guild had collected 30th September, 1924, the Branch raised £263, and Century Life-boat Day had £352, as compared with £298 in the pre- raised £233. Both the collections of the vious year. The increase was due, the Guild and the Day showed an increase, Treasurer's report stated, to the efforts but annual subscriptions decreased, of the Honorary Secretary in getting amounting to less then £10. The officers new donors and subscribers, and a vote were re-elected, and Captain Wyness, of thanks to him was passed. The Harbour Master, was elected to the new officers were re-elected, and Admiral office of Honorary Marine Secretary, in Veale was added to the Committee, view of the fact that from the beginning BLYTH.—On 28th November, 1924, of 1925 the Institution was taking over Councillor G. Tynemouth presiding. The the Life-saving work from the Harbour report showed that during 1924 the Commissioners. Blyth and Cambois Life-boats had been APPLEDORE.—On 20th November, called out on service six times. The 1924, Captain the Hon. Denys Scott Branch had raised during the year £341, presiding. The report expressed the which included £204 in voluntary collec- appreciation of the Station at the action tions from ships, as compared with £236 of the Mayor and Corporation of Bide- in the previous year, "which had included f ord in attending the Centenary Thanks- £191 from ships. The Chairman said giving Service on Bideford Quay, and that he thought that annual subscrip- showed that during the year ended 30th tions might be considerably increased. September, 1924, the Branch had raised The Mayor (Alderman G. Nunn) was £400, as compared with £340 in the pre- elected first President of the Branch, vious year. The Rev. J. B. White was and the Committee for 1925 was elected. re-elected Chairman, a post which he has BRADFORD.—On 8th December, 1924, held for twenty-five years, and the the Lord Mayor (Mr. J. H. Palin, M.P.) meeting expressed its appreciation of his presiding. During the year ended 30th long and valued services. Mr. H. C. September, 1924, the Branch collected Whitehead was re-elected Honorary £3,050, as compared with £2,643 in the Secretary, and, in responding, said that previous year. The Lord Mayor moved he had recently discovered old documents the adoption of the report, and, in with -references to the work of the seconding it, Sir William Priestley, the Station. They showed that during Chairman of the Committee, said that ninety-five years of the ninety-nine the Branch got into touch with all the years of the Station's existence, 251 districts of Bradford and with all lives had been rescued from shipwreck. classes, that he had never been on a 50 THE LIFEBOAT. [FEBRUARY, 1925. Committee which worked more smoothly. been open a very short time instead of He referred to a letter of warm appre- the whole season, for which reason £100 ciation which he had received from Sir less had been collected there than in the Godfrey Baring, the Chairman of the previous year. The thanks of the Com- Committee of Management of the Insti- mittee of the Branch were expressed to tution, and said how much the Marquess Coxswain Blogg and his crew, and to of Graham had been impressed when he Mr. Blyth. the caretaker at the old Boat- represented the Committee of Manage- house, who had sold over 1,600 picture ment at the Alhambra Matinee. In postcards and 528 Life-boat books. It moving a vote of thanks to the Officers was announced that Lord Suffield had and Committee of the Branch and to the consented to succeed his father as Presi- Ladies' Life-boat Guild, Mr. Sutcliffe dent, and the Officers and Committee Smith mentioned the Centenary Dance, were re-elected. organized by Mrs. Henry Clough, which EASTBOURNE.—On 18th December, has raised £243, and the Sunday Society 1924, the Chairman of the Branch, Mr. Lecture, arranged by Mr. House, which Ernest Armstrong, presiding, supported had raised £117. Mr. Sutclifle Smith, at by the Mayor (Alderman Sir Charles the request of Sir William Priestley, pre- O'Brien Harding ;). The statement of sented to the Lord Mayor & model of accounts showec that the year ended the City of Bradford Motor Life-boat, 30th September, 1924, had been a record which is stationed at Spurn, and the for the Branch, £898 having been col- Lord Mayor, in accepting it, said that it lected as compared with £779 in the would be given a place of honour in the previous year. In moving the adoption Caitwright Hall. of the report, the Chairman paid a tri- BUDE.—On 13th October, 1924. The bute to the wonderful work of Mrs. report for the year ended 30th Septem- Astley Eoberts, President of the Ladies' ber, 1924, stated that this was the first Life-boat Guild, who had started her year that Bude had been a Financial work for the Branch in 1895, in which instead of a Station Branch. With the year the sum collected Lad been £30 ; to attraction of the Life-boat gone, especi- her devoted helpers ; and to Mr. Mark ally on Life-boat Day, there had been a Hookham, the Honorary Secretary of decline in the receipts, which amounted the Special Efforts, who, to their great to £155 as compared with £169 in the regret, felt that the time had come for previous year. What the Branch him to resign. The Chairman also dealt wanted was more annual subscribers of with criticisms of delay in launching the 5*., and for these Admiral Nicholson, Life-boat on 21st October, 1924, when the Honorary Secretary, made a special she rescued the crew of three from the appeal. He also pointed out that in Motor-yacht Ex-M.L. 87. Careful in- 1923, out of the twelve Cornish Branches, quiry had been made, and the reason only Newquay and Penzance had raised why the Life-boat was not launched larger sums than Bude. earlier was that the yacht was not flying signals of distress. The Officers and CKOMEB.—On 12th November, 1924, Committee were re-elected, Sir George Mr. D. Davison, J.P., Chairman of the Lloyd, M.P., and Lady Lloyd, Mr. Branch, presiding, The report for the J. Andrews, and Lieut.-Col, Gwynne year ended 30th September, 1924, Eoland, D.S.O., being added to the Com- referred to the great loss which the mittee. Branch had suffered by the death of its EDINBURGH. — On 8th December, President, the late Lord Suffield. Twelve 1924, the Lord Provost (Sir Wiljiam lives had been rescued during the year, Sleigh) presiding. During the year making the total for the Station 287. ended 30th September, 1924, the Branch During the year £350 had been raised, collected £1,945 as compared with £1,359 as compared with £457 in the previous in the previous year. This included £850 year. A record sum of £112 had been raised by the Century Life-boat Day—a raised on Century Life-boat Day, and record sum. The Lord Provost ex- the fall in the revenue was due to the pressed his sympathy and admiration fact that the new Boat-house had only | for the work of the Institution, and FEBRUARY, 1925.] THE LIFEBOAT. 51 Sheriff Jamieson moved a resolution of this service. The Officers and Com- commending the work of the Branch to mittee were elected for 1925. the public. Sir James Wishart Thom- WEYMOUTH.—On 6th October, 1924, son, K.B.E., proposed that the meeting Captain A. Masters presiding. The should record its appreciation of the report for the year ended 30th Septem- services of Mr. W. A. Wyse, who, at the ber, 1924, referred to the reconstruction end of twenty-one years' service as of the Boat-house and the action of the Honorary Treasurer, was intending to Weymouth Corporation in laying the resign, and announced that Mr. S. C. cable and supplying the current for the Clapperton would succeed him. electric winch free of charge. The fund LAKE DISTRICT BRANCH.—At Wind- for the B.oat-iouse, initiated by Mr. mere, on 15th November, 1924, Mr. A. R. Albany Ward, among the patrons of the Sladen, Honorary Treasurer of the Picture Houses and Theatres under his Branch, presiding. During the year control, had raised £1,392 of the £3,553 ended 30th September, 1924, the Branch which the new House and Slipway had raised £97, as compared with £77 in the cost, and Mr. Newbold had promised that previous year. Mr. Sladen expressed it should be carried on. During the year the special thanks of the Branch to Miss £228 had been collected as compared Hamilton who collected in Windermere, with £174 in the previous year. A vote and Miss Birkett who collected in Bow- of thanks was passed to the members of ness, and said that another collector the Ladies' Life-boat Guild for their ser- had been obtained for Ambleside. The vices on Century Life-boat Day, which Organizing Secretary ioi the North of had raised £111, and the Committee were England then delivered an address on re-elected. the work of the Institution during the past hundred years, and on the pressing SPECIAL MEETINGS. need for Motor Life-boats. Since this BRADFORD.—The annual matinee at meeting it has been decided to make the Alhambra which, through the kind- a special effort in the Lake District to ness of the Managing Director, Mr. provide a Motor Liie-boat tearing its Francis Laidlaw, has long since become name. one of the established features of Life- OLDHAM.—On llth December, 1924, boat work in Bradford, was held on the Mayor (Alderman F. Broadbent) 20th November, 1924. The performance presiding. During the year ended 30th was given by the artists appearing at the September, 1924, the Branch collected Alhambra, supported by leading artists £320 as compared with £280 in the pre- from the Hippodrome, Leeds, and the vious year. While the annual subscrip- Hippodrome, Keighley. Among them >| tions had fallen by £9 the Ladies' Life- was Miss Florrie Forde, who has ij boat Guild had collected £190, an in- appeared at many of these matinees, and j | crease of £15. A special vote of thanks was some time ago awarded the Gold || was passed to the Guild for its sple"ndid Brooch of the Institution for the con- j! efforts, and an appeal was made to men' stant help which she has given to the ;) to do something more besides giving Life-boat cause. There was a crowded their annual subscriptions. The Officers audience which included the Marquess were re-elected. of Graham, a Vice-President of the SWANAGE.—On 31st December, 1924, Institution, who represented the Com- Mr. Atkinson presiding. During the mittee of Management, the Lord Mayor year ended 30th September, 1924, the (Mr. J. H. Palin), the Lady Mayoress Branch raised £140 as compared with and Sir William H. Priestley, Chairman of £113 in the previous year. The Honor- the Branch. At the close of the per- ary Secretary, Mr. Powell, read a report formance the Marquess of Graham of a launch of the Life-boat on 27th thanked Mr. Laidlaw, the artists and the December, when, in tremendous seas, officials of the theatre, all of whom had she went out fifteen miles to a steamer given their services. The total receipts, which had been in difficulties. It was which are given to the Branch without decided to ask for subscriptions in order any deduction for expenses, amounted to to present a framed photograph of the £383. To this was added £75 obtained crew to each member of it, as a memento from a flower stall, making £458, and 52 THE LIFEBOAT. [FEBRUARY, 1925- an anonymous friend made up the visit to the Refuge Assurance Company, amount to £500. at the invitation of the President of the DUBLIN.—On 7th November, 1924, Company's Orchestral Society, and after a special meeting was held, at which inspecting the buildings, attended a Mr. John Good, T.D., presided, for the concert which was given by the Society purpose of presenting the Institution's in the staff dining-room while lunch Gold Pendant and Record of Thanks to was being served. The programme Major Whewell in recognition of his announced that a collection would be thirty years' service to the Life-boat taken for the Life-boat Service, and the cause as Chairman of the Dublin Special music had been specially chosen with Effort Committee. The District Organiz- regard to the appeal, including, among ing Secretary for Ireland, Mr. H. G. other pieces, " On the Quarter Deck " ; Solomon, said that Major Whewell was " The Old ' Superb,' " and " Do Shrimps the first Irish worker to receive the make Good Mothers ? " The collection, Gold Pendant, and that largely through which was then taken, amounted to over his energy the contributions to the £8. 'The Refuge Orchestral Society has Dublin Branch had risen from £400 in only been in existence ior four years, but 1910 to £1,200 in 1924. Major Whewell, during that time it has collected for in accepting the presentation, spoke of charities, in this way, upwards of the splendid support which he had £1,400. received from the many Life-boat PLYMOUTH.—A special meeting was workers in Dublin. held on 14th November, 1924, at which FLEETWOOD.—A special meeting was Admiral John M. Hutchinson, the held on 22nd December, 1924, at which Chairman of the Branch, presided, for the chair was taken by Mr. F. J. Thomp- the purpose of presenting the Vellum son, J.P., supported by Lord Stanley, of Thanks awarded by the Committee M.C., M.P., Lady Stanley, and Coun- of Management to the late Honorary cillor R. E. Mann (Chairman of the Treasurer, Captain E. Robin, in recog- Fleet wood Urban District Council). nition of nearly ten years' service to the The purpose of the meeting was to pre- Branch. The Vellum was presented by sent to Mr. John Robert Leadbetter the the Mayor (Alderman W. R. Winnicot), Certificate of Service which had been and the District Inspector thanked awarded to him by the Institution in Captain Robin in the name of the recognition of the fact that he had Committee of Management. served for forty-one years in the Fleet- STOKE NEWINGTON.—A drawing-room wood Life-boat, during fourteen of meeting was held on 20th November, which he had been Second Coxswain, 1924, with an audience of between sixty and during fourteen and a half Cox- and seventy people, at which Major Sir swain. The presentation was made by Maurice Cameron, K.C.M.G., a member Lord Stanley, and afterwards Lady of the Committee of Management, spoke. Stanley presented Badges to Members During the meeting a large number of of the Fleetwood Ladies' Life-boat Guild. people gave in their names as subscribers, MANCHESTER AND SALFORD.—On and preparations were made to form a 18th November, 1924, a small party of committee and to establish a Stoke Life-boat workers in Manchester paid a Newington Branch.

Life-boats' Other Duties. There are other ways, besides saving which appeared in the November issue life from shipwreck, in which the Life- of The Church and the Sailor, the maga- boats occasionally do service. They zine of Missions to Seamen. This article have taken doctors to sick men on Light- described two visits which the Mission's houses, and recently the Tenby Motor Chaplain at Barry Dock paid to the Life-boat took bread out to a storm- Breaksea Lightship in the Bristol bound vessel. Yet another way is grate- Channel, on board the Barry Motor fully acknowledged in an article called Life-boat, in order to hold Divine Service " Leaves from a Chaplain's Journal," for the men on the Lightship. FEBRUARY, 1925.] THE LIFEBOAT. 53

Services of the Life~boats of the Institution during 1924.

Persons Time of rescued from 1924. Launching. shipwreck. Jan. 1. 6.10p.m. S.S. Nephrite., of Glasgow. Cromer No. 1 Life-boat assisted to save vessel and rescued 12 6. 10. 0p.m. S.S. Bromma, of Christiania. Cresswell Life-boat stood by vessel. „ 7. 4.45 a.m. S.S. Kapland, of Sandefjord. Hauxley Life-boat stood by vessel and rendered assistance. „ 8. 12 noon. Schooner Cimbri, of Liverpool. Wexford Life-boat .... „ 9. 1.55 a.m. S.S. Sud, of Yugo-Slavia. Barry Dock Life-boat rendered assistance. „ 9. 5. 0 a.m. S.S. River Lagan, of Swansea. Torbay Life-boat stood by vessel. 9. 7.30 p.m. Steam drifter Braekead, of Inverness. Huna Life-boat stood by and assisted vessel. „ 9. 8.35 p.m. Fishing smack Irene, of Lowestoft Lowestoft Life-boat . (Also a cat) „ 10. 10. 0 a.m. S.S. Nord, of Helsingborg. Blackpool Life-boat stood by vessel and landed 1. „ 11. 11.30p.m. Schooner Helgoland, of Plymouth. Cloughey Life-boat . „ 12. 1.15 p.m. Schooner Fanny Crossfield, of Barrow. Weymouth Life-boat stood by vessel. „ 13. 11.15a.m. Motor yawl Lily of the Valley, of Gourdon. Gourdon Life-boat stood by and escorted yawl into harbour. „ 13. 2. 0p.m. Fishing boat Sea Spray, of Girvan. Girvan Life-boat saved boat and rescued ,,16-18 11.57p.m. S.S. Clan Kennedy, of Glasgow. Aldeburgh No. 1 Life-boat landed 18 and rendered assistance. „ 18. 9.30 p.m. S.S. Vlieland, of Rotterdam. Newbiggin Life-boat stood by vessel and rendered assistance. „ 21. 8.35 p.m. Steam trawler Loroone, of Grimsby. Grimsby Life-boat stood by vessel. „ 24. 3.30 p.m. Steam trawler Thomas Damson, of Hartlepool. Boulmer Life-boat rendered assistance. Kb. 8. 6.15 a.m. Steam trawler Cortina, of Grimsby. Easington Life-boat rendered assistance. „ 8. 10.30 p.m. Ketch Merit, of Boston. Abersoch Life-boat landed 4. „ 9. 2. 0p.m. Barge Oceanic, of London. Sheringham Life-boat assisted to sav» vessel and rescued 54 THE LIFEBOAT. [FEBKUABY, 1925.

Persons Time of rescued from 1924. Launching. shipwreck. Feb. 10. 3.22 a.m. S.S, City of Manchester, of Glasgow, Broughty Perry Life-boat stood by vessel. „ 16. 4.20 p.m. Schooner Alatga, of Tvedstrand. Glacton-on-Sea Life-boat stood by vessel. „ 18. 11.55a.m. Motor fishing boats Remembrance and Fortmia, of Whitby. Whitby (Motor) Life-boat escorted boats into harbour. „ 18. 12 noon. Three fishing cobles of Flamborough. Flamborough No. I Life- boat stood by cobles. „ 26. 11.15 a.m. Ten fishing cobles of Filey. Filey Life-boat stood by cobles. „ 26. 1. 0 p.m. Fishing coble Jock, of Scarborough. Scarborough Life-boat escorted coble into harbour. „ 26. 6.30 p.m. Motor fishing smack Molly, of Selsey. Selsey Life-boat saved vessel and rescued 3 Mar. 20. 8.30 a.m. S.S. Allegiance, of Liverpool. Flamborough No. 1 Life-boat assisted to save vessel and rescued 5 „ 24. 9.15 a.m. Five fishing cobles of Holy Island. Holy Island No. 1 Life-boat stood by cobles. „ 24. 9.30 a.m. A fishing boat of Oraster. Boulmer Life-boat stood by boat. „ 24. 12.30 p.m. Nine fishing cobles of Newbiggin. Newbiggin Life-boat stood by cobles. „ 24. 12.40 p.m. A fishing yawl. Berwick-on-Tweed Life-boat escorted yawl into harbour. „ 24. 1. 0 p.m. Twelve fishing cobles of Seahouses. North Sunderiand Life-boat escorted cobles into harbour. April 10. 9.35 a.m. S.S. Silver Thorn, of Liverpool. Portrush Life-boat assisted to save vessel. „ 27. 7.40 p.m. Schooner Jane McCall, of Dublin. Bull Bay Life-boat ... 11 May 3. 12 noon. Five fishing boats of Fraserburgh. Fraserburgh Life-boat stood by boats. „ 20. 8. 0 p.m. S.S. Solhatig, of Haugesund. Cambois Life-boat assisted to save vessel and rescued 28 June 6. 9. 0 a.m. S.S. Pass of Brander, of London. Waltou-on-the-Naze Life-boat rendered assistance. „ 8. 3.45 a.m. Steam trawler Thealby, of Grimsby. Easington Life-boat stood by

8. 4. Op.m. A small boat of Sunderiand. Sunderiand Life-boat .... 10. 8.15 a.m. S.S. Baron Lovat, of Ardrossan. Margate No. 1 Life-boat stood by

„ 10. 9. 0 a.m. S.S. Baron Lovat, of Ardrossan. Walton-on-the-Naze Life-boat stood by vessel. „ 12. 4.15 a.m. Steam trawler Pelagos, of Granton. Fraserburgh Life-boat assisted vessel. „ 12. 8.45 p.m. S.S. SedhaU, of Aberdeen. Whitby (Motor) Life-boat stood by vessel. „ 13-14 Midnight. Schooner Saint Jean, of Kirkwall. Boulmer Life-boat ... 3 July 3. 6.30 p.m. Fishing boat Wini/reida, of Aberayron. New Quay (Cardigan) Life-boat 2 „ 6. 12 noon. A small boat from Haile Fort. The Humber Life-boat. ... 3 „ 10. 6.15p.m. Ketch Marie Celine, of Drogheda. Ramsey Life-boat lauded 3. „ 26. 1. 0 p:m. S.S. Bilderttiorpe,, of Hull. Blakeney Life-boat assisted vessel. ,, 27. 1.25 p.m. Yacht Elidor, of Bumham-on-Crouch. Clacton-on-Sea Life-boat saved vessel and rescued 3 FEBKUAKY, 1925.] THE LIFEBOAT. 55 Persona Time of rescued irom 1924. Launching. shipwreck. iug. 5. 3.50 a.m. S.S. River Ely, of Cardiff. Penlee Life-boat landed 5, and assisted

» 17. 1.50 p.m. Shrimpboat Falcon, of Yarmouth. Gorleston No. 2 Life-boat 2 17. 10.45 p.m. Yacht Dart of Hilbre Hoylake Life-boat ...... 2 2.10 a.m. S.S. Bardic, of Liverpool. The Lizard Life-boat 93 jj 31. 2. Op.m. S.S. Bardic, of Liverpool. The Lizard Life-boat rendered assist- ance. !ept. 3. 8.15 a.m. Motor trawler No. 872, of Gravelines. Margate No. 1 Life-boat stood by vessel. ,, 4. 6.50 a.m. S.S. Coniscrag, of Glasgow. Wells Life-boat rendered assistance. „ 7. 6.30 p.m. S.S. Kalix, of Stockholm. Teesmouth Life-boat stood by vessel. ,, 8. 5.50 p.m. S.S. Bardic, of Liverpool. The Lizard Life-boat landed 47. ,, 9. 10.15 a.m. Schooner Cyril, of London. Skateraw Life-boat stood by vessel. » 11. 7.10 p.m. Steam trawler Cayrian, of Grimsby. Newhaven Life-boat rendered assistance. „ 14. 1.30 p.m. Ketch Notre Dame de Boulogne, of Treguier. Barmouth Life-boat 4 " 22. 7.20 a.m. Auxiliary motor boat lona, of Middlesbrough. Cromer Life-boat landed 4 from the Haisborough Light Vessel. „ 22. 10. Op.m. Schooner Mary Aim Jane, of Guernsey. Moelfre Life-boat 3 28. 12.30 p.m. Motor schooner Michael Kelly, of Liverpool. Wexford Life-boat saved vessel and rescued 6 )ct. 2. 2.20 p.m. Steam drifter Lubert, of Boulogne. Palling No. 2 Life-boat stood by vessel. „ 4. 4.30 a.m. Steam trawler Hessonite of Hull. Stromness Life-boat 10 » 8. 11.43 a.m. Motor yacht Adelante, of London. Totland Bay Life-boat stood by vessel. 9. 2.15 p.m. Motor fishing boat Peggy Morgan, of Port Patrick. Port Patrick Life -boat saved boat and rescued 2 14. 3.30 p.m. " Steam drifter Harvester, of Berwick. Gorleston No. 2 Life- boat stood by vessel. 16. 2.10a.m. S.S. Harlech, of London. The Humber Life-boat landed 14 from a trawler. 19. 1.30 a.m. Steam trawler Joule, of Hull. Flamborough No. 1 Life-boat stood by vessel. " 21. 10.59 a.m. Ex M.L. 87. Eastbourne Life-boat 3 22. 9. Oa.m. Ketch barge Lord Nelson, of London. Margate No. 1 Life-boat 3 Motor barge Guernsey, of London. Margate No. 1 Life-boat . 5 22. 10. 7 a.m. S.S. Clansman, of Lowestoft. Cromer Life-boat 9 22. 10.15 a.m. Barge Challenge, of Weymouth. Margate No. 1 Life-boat saved vessel and rescued . . 3 lov. 2. 12 noon. S.S. Royal Regis, of London. St. Anne's Life-boat stood by vessel. 19. 6.30 p.m. S.S. Princesse Clementine, of Antwerp. Runswick Life-boat . 19 " 27. 5.20 a.m. Tug Richmere, of Newhaven Newhaven Life-boat 4 S.S. Dieppe, of Newhaven. Newhaven Life-boat stood by vessel. „ 27. 7.30 a.m. S.S. Princesse Clementine, of Antwerp. Runswick Life-boat 1 27. 8.50 a.m. S.S. Fox, of Hull. Gorleston No. 1 Life-boat saved vessel and rescued 6 lee. 4. 2.30 p.m. A fishing boat of Paignton. Torbay Life-boat saved boat and rescued .... 4 5. 2.50 p.m. S.S. Vojvoda Putnik, of Split. Cromer No. 1 Life-boat assisted to save vessel and rescued .... 41 56 THE LIFEBOAT. , 1925,

Persons Time of rescued from 1924. Launching. shipwreck. Dec. 5. 3. 5 p.m. S.S. Vajvoda Putnik, of Split. Palling No. 2 Life-boat rendered assistance.

>; 15. 9.30 a.m. Motor launch St. George, of Kingstown. Newcastle, Co. Down, Life-boat ...... 4 " 21. 11.0 p.m. S.S. Ratherine, of Liverpool. Newcastle, Co. Down, Life-boat stood by vessel. t, 22. 6. Op.m. Schooner Mary Sinclair, of Barrow. Holyhead No. 1 Life-boat . „ 23. 8. 0 a.m. S.S. Chingford, of Dundee. Anstruther Life-boat ..... 12 „ 23. 10. 0a.m. Schooner Mary Sinclair, of Barrow. Holyhead No. 1 Life-boat assisted to save vessel. 25. 6.15 p.m. S.S. Marjorie Seed, of Newcastle. Troon Life-boat stood by vessel. 26. 10.20 p.m. S.S. Alslad, of Hekkef jord. . Blyth Life-boat stood by vessel. 27. 8.20 a.m. Barge Nell Jess, of Ipswich. Margate No. 1 Life-boat saved vessel and rescued ...... 4 27. 9.25 a.m. S.S. PoeMyn, of Cardiff. Tenby Life-boat rendered assistance. 27. 6. 0 p.m. Smith's Knoll Light Vessel. Cromer No. 1 Life-boat rendered assistance. 27. 6.30 p.m. S.S. Atlantic, of Kubickenburg, Walfcon-on-the-Naze Life-boat . 6 29. 2.45 p.m. Ketch Millom Castle, of Barrow. Abersoch Life-boat .... 3 29. 10.15 p.m. Steam trawler Arctic Prince, of Shields. Tenby Life-boat landed 10. Total lives rescued from shipwreck by the Life-boats in 1924, in addition to which the Life-boats saved, or assisted to save, 17 vessels and boats ...... 349 Life-boats also landed 106 persons, who were brought ashore in the Life-boats as a precautionary measure. Rewards were also granted by the Institution in the same period for rescuing from shipwreck by means of Fishing and other Boats, etc ...... 105 Total for 1924 ...... 454

NOTICE. The next number of THE LIFEBOAT will be published in May, 1925. st JAMES'S PALACE, 3- »T- s.w.i.

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