the life-boat,...the life-boat. [jan . 1, 1858 and increasing suppor to th before-namete d...

THE LIFE-BOAT,OR

JOUBNAL OF THE NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION.

VOL. IV.—No. 27.] JANUARY 1ST, 1858. [PaicE

HOSPITAL FOR AGED AND DIS-ABLED MASTER MARINERS ANDSEAMEN.

INTIMATELY connected with the work ofPreservation of Life from Shipwreck is allthat concerns the welfare, and tends to im-prove the character of the men who con-stitute our Mercantile Marine, That is thepoint, jn any scheme for their improvement,which chiefly concerns us; but we mightwith truth add, that intimately also is it con-nected with our national character, nay more,that intimately is it connected with thefuture welfare of mankind. For what mustnot be the influence for good or ill of so vasta number of men for ever in motion—circu-lating, as it were, through the body of thegreat human family ? A bad man may oftencontaminate those about him; he may livein a polluted atmosphere, vitiated by theexample of his own evil life—but the seamancarries himself and his moral example to theremotest comers of the world: he is hereto-day, to-morrow at the Antipodes, where hemay be the only exponent and representativeof his country, his religion, and of civiliza-tion. This granted, and is not his moraland religious improvement an object ofgeneral and national importance? But animportant element in moral improvement isself-respect. A man that respects himselfwill be careful not to demean himself eitherin his own eyes or in those of others; hewill not only feel that he has a character tolose, but he will find himself possessed ofsome portion of that dignity of mind—afaint type of the divine principle within him—which, with God's help, shall preserve

him from falling into the practice of viciousor immoral deeds.

Now probably the greatest defect, orrather perhaps the chief origin of the otherdefects, in the character of our merchantseamen, is this want of self-respect Towhat cause then shall we trace this want?Why should not a sailor respect himself aswell as any other man ? Why should he not-as well as another feel it a disgrace to bedrunk—to lie—to be sensual, or profime—or even to be dishonest ? We reply to thisquestion—Because, as a class, he has been-neglected—he has long felt that nothingbetter was expected of him—and judgingfrom the little interest too often felt in him byhis employers, and from his being hopelesslyleft a prey to crimps and vagabond thieves ofevery description whensoever he should stepashore on his native soil, he might wellbelieve that he was looked on as the refuseand oftscouring of society, whose moral oreven temporal welfare was not worthy ofconsideration.

A brighter day has, however, dawned onthe British seaman, and we confidently hopethat it will light him on his way to a higher-goal than it has been hitherto his ambition |

or his endeavour to attain to. Legislativeinterference in his behalf, evinced by manyclauses in the Merchant Shipping Act of j1854; sailors' homes springing up in allour chief ports; the public support given tothe NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, andto that equally valuable Society, The Ship-wrecked Fishermen and Mariners' Benevo- jlent Society, all show an increase in thepublic esteem and regard for our merchant ,seamen; whilst the provident associations,formed by themselves and their own great

IWE-BOAT JoBUHAt.—Vol. IV,—No. 27.

THE LIFE-BOAT. [JAN. 1, 1858.

and increasing support to the before-namedBenevolent Society, show a greater amountof thoughtfulness and foresight ill their ownbody, and a juster appreciation of their dutyto help themselves.

As another and noble instance of the in-• crease of public favour and interest in theclass bf whom we are treating, we now areenabled to add " The Proposed Hospital forAged and bisabled Merchant Seamen."

We rejoice in the reflection that there is areasonable prospect of such an Asylum beingafforded to the aged sailor, in which he mayquietly, cheerfully, thankfully, respectably,and religiously pass through the decline oflife, calmly reflecting on the past dangersand stirring incidents in his chequered career;with leisure to compose and prepare hismind hopefully to look forward to his ap-proaching end, and to seek and obtainthereafter an admission into the haven ofeverlasting rest

Alas! for Want of such an Asylum, whatis but too often the end of the merchantseaman at the present day ? Bereft perhapsof alt relatives sftti friends, infirm or diseasedin body, with no 'regular means of subsist-ence^—ho home comfort*—no medical aid—he ekes out the remnant of his life in povertyand rhiserjr, amidst the lowest haunts ofprofligacy arid crime; wishing, may be, thatthe last shipwreck he had suffered hadended his career, or perhaps even lamentingthe day that he was born!

Tie first step towards the promotion ofthis great work has been taken by thatabove-ham^l Society, which is so pre-eminently the seaman's friend, The Ship-wrecked FMierniien and Mariners' Society,which on the 17th of My test, at a PublicMeeting convened by it, and held at the Man-sion House, London, with the Right Honour-able the Lord Mayor in the chair, announcedits intention to make from its funds themunificent donatibn of 5,000?., and whichthen appealed to die British Government, totile British public, and to the Whole body ofBritish seamen to aid in the great under-taking.

We now present to our readers the Appealmade by the above Society at the Meetingin question; the Address of the Lord Mayor

on the occasion, together with an engravingof the proposed building, the whole extractedfrom the quarterly periodical entitled TheShipwrecked Mariner, published by The Ship-wrecked Mariners' Society. We will, there-fore, conclude our own observations by com-mending the good work—1st, To the bless-ing of Almighty God, remembering that"Except the Lord build the house, theylabour in vain that build it." 2nd, To theBritish Government, who could not moreappropriate!/ and justly expend the wholeresidue of the Mercantile Marine Fund thanin the erection of the building, and on its en-dowment. 3rd, To the British people, whocannot better advance the nation's honourand the nation's interests than by promotingthe welfare, and thereby raising the characterof the British seaman. 4th, To the Britishseamen themselves, that, by their regularcontribution in the days of their health,Strength, and prosperity, to this provisionfor their old age, they may feel themselvesin the proud position of being their ownhelpers—in the Christian position of beinghelpers of their neighbours, if they shouldnot need that help themselves. We willonly further remark, that if this work isundertaken at all, it must be on a scale pro-portionate to the necessity. It must be nohole-and-corner affair, providing for a fewfavoured hundreds out of more than as manythousands in need of its sheltering care. Inproportion as our Mercantile Marine is morenumerous than our Royal Marine, in suchproportion must the magnitude of this In-stitution be greater than that of the nobleHospital at Greenwich for our Royal Marine,of which the nation has been long so justly.proud.

At a large and influential Meeting heldin the Egyptian Hall, Mansion House, onFriday, the 17th July, 1857, the RightHonourable the LOBD MAYOR, Chairman,—his Lordship addressed the Meeting asfollows:—

Kl am perfectly aware of the arduousnature of the duty which we are about toundertake in endeavouring to establish anHospital of the character which will be laidbefore yoH,"tbr fee benefit of the worn-outSeamen of tnejterchant Service of the United

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Kingdom. It appears to be an immense un-dertaking, and one which requires ' hearts ofoak' to attempt to carry out; but, at thesame time, we know the cordial feelingcherished by every individual in this countrytowards British seamen ; and we also knowthat, except we make a beginning, it is use-less to expect that we shall ever come to asatisfactory conclusion.

" I am not sanguine enough to supposethat this can be carried out in a few months;but I am satisfied of one thing, that unlesswe begin in good earnest, there will be nochance of oar succeeding in any way what-ever. Much has been said as to the possi-bility of creating an institution of this kind,but we all know very well that the MercantileMarine of this country consists of thousandsof individuals, and if they would only puttheir strength together, a large amount ofgood may arise out of it; for however smallindividual subscriptions may be, they will,in the aggregate, produce a sum which willenable us to erect a building which will bean ornament to our native land. Connected

•as I have been with the shipping interest, Icannot help feeling that it is a reflectionupon the country at large, and upon the Cityof London in particular, that up to thepresent time we have bad no institution ofthis character for the relief and support ofthe worn-out seamen of the Merchant Ser-vice. We know that they are men takenfrom all parts of the land, with ties in noparticular locality, and, in very many in-stances, with no friends except the owners ofthe ships which they so thoroughly wellman; and therefore it does seem to be ourduty to come forward and endeavour, if pos-sible, to do something which shall be of realservice to them in their declining years.

" I should not be so sanguine of an insti-tution of this class answering, were it notthat we have already the details of a planlaid down in connection with the Ship-wrecked Mariners' Society, established somefew years ago, and which has been so emi-nently successful. And how ? By the sea-men themselves coming forward to supportit with their own contributions, by whichmeans they have raised a fund for the reliefof their necessitous brethren, alike honour-

able to themselves and to their country.Now, gentlemen, we must recollect thatthis institution was established only abouteighteen years ago, and that, at the time itwas started, the same kind of difficulties andobjections were urged that are now pressedupon our notice in connection with ourpresent enterprise. I know very well thatwithout the assistance of the Government,as well as of the sailors and shipowners, itwill be impossible to carry out our viewsas we desire; but, with that assistance, Itrust we shall be able to accomplish them."

Lord HKNKY CBOLMOXDELEY then readthe following statement, on the part of theShipwrecked Mariners' Society :—

" My Lord Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,—Having first obtained the assurance of co-operation and support from a number ofinfluential gentlemen of the City of London,and others, the Committee of the Ship-wrecked Mariners' Society have called thismeeting, and your Lordship having mostkindly consented to take the chair for theimportant object of making some provisionfor the worn-out and disabled MerchantSeamen of this great empire, I am deputedby the Committee to say that they feel itdue to you briefly to state tta cwmrastaticeswhich have led them to think they are intheir right place in taking this step, andalso their general views on the subject, inorder that your Lordship and the Meetingmay judge how far you can give themyour support, and commend the objectproposed to the patronage of the public atlarge, whom they feel assured, with thecommendation of such a Meeting, will notfail nobly to show that the sympathy for ourgallant seamen, which is so largely expressed,exists in something more than words.

" The Shipwrecked Mariners' Society, asyour Lordship and the Meeting will be aware,twenty years since had no existence.—It isnow represented on every part of the coastof the United Kingdom—relieves in theaggregate 6,000 persons annually, and issupported by about 70,000 subscribers, ofwhom 47,000 are blue-jackets,—Finding theInstitution rapidly increasing in usefulness tothe Merchant Seamen and their families, theCommittee of Management obtained an Act

THE LIFE-BOAT. [JAN. 1,1858.

of Incorporation in 1850, and being im-pressed with the feeling that the Society wasleft the only representative of the MercantileMarine of the empire, in consequence of theentire failure of the Merchant Seamen's Fund,which was ordered to be wound up by Actof the Legislature, the Committee, lookingforward to a time when they might be in aposition to set on foot a provision, and placesof refuge in different parts of the country forworn-out Merchant Sailors, somewhat similarto Greenwich Hospital, obtained a clause inthe Act of Incorporation, authorizing themto build asylums for this purpose.

"The Corporation, through the blessingof God, finding itself in the position hopedfor—at its last General Meeting voted 5,000/.to fyead a subscription to carry out this long-desired object. In the course of their in-quiries into the subject, the Committee havegathered from various sources important in-formation—a part of which is a fact whichthey think is by no means known to thegeneral public, that there are upwards of aquarter of a million of men employed in theMerchant Navy (30,000 of whom are sailingout of the port of London alone), for whom(with a trifling exception) there is no pro-vision but the workhouse, when, from age orotherwise, they are disabled from furtherservice.

"They therefore respectfully commend tothe Meeting, by way of a beginning, that aneffort be made to establish an hospital forthe reception of 500 persons of all grades ofthe Mercantile Marine; and that the wivesof a certain number of each grade be ad-mitted, under regulations yet to be con-sidered. That the hospital be built on ornear fee banks of the Thames, in the j>prtof London, to be called (with her Majesty'sgracious permission) Tlje Royal Hospitalfor Worn-put and Disabled Merchant Sea-men, ; and, in order to meet the feelings ofall, that Out-pensions be provided for thosewto may h%ye a home of their own, andprefer remaining in it; thus, by having apension, the aged mariner, when unfit forseii, will be helped while passing the eveningof his days in the bosom of his family.The hospital will contain only those who giveit preference, or those who, from infirmity

and lack of relative ties, find a small pensionof 10Z. or 1JM. per annum inadequate tokeep them from the workhouse. Though itis not the desire of the Committee to con-gregate unnecessarily in one spot a large bodyof men, the building first raised will be soconstructed as to form the ceptre of a planwhich may be extended when necessary,aud as the funds will permit.

" The Committee feel it to be importantthat the seamen should voluntarily subscribetowards providing themselves with a pen-sion, and the maintenance of the establish-mept; and that their subscriptions shouldmake them eligible for their admission intothe hospital, subject to the rules of the Insti-tution. They believe that their doipg so,coupled with the knowledge that they willnever be reduced to pauperism, will operateto raise their moral standing, and bifid themmore effectually to their country and itscolours. It is proposed also, with a view toincreasing their comfort by providing themwith suitable occupation, to set apart a por-tion of the building where the inmates maymanufacture such articles as they are accu&rtomed to make, and that the profits arising,out of the same should belong to the parrties by whose labour they have been pro-duced. The marrie4 women it is proposedto employ as much as possible in the domesticarrangements of the establishment, and inorder to the internal government of it, that,under the Governor, there should be twoMaster Mariners appointed fc> each word,which will consist of a certain number ofcabins; it being intended that each manshould have a separate cabin, and that thereshould be first as/A, second captains of theward.

" The Committee having sent a.&Kui#r tothe 500 honorary agents of the ShipwreckedMariners' Society-, to gather up Ifete-lniod ofthe Merchant Seamen round the coast, arehappy to say that they have received frotuvarious quarters the gratifying testimonythat numbers of them are willing to aid themovement; and the .Committee feel nodoubt, from the information they have re-ceived, that a large number will do so a£soon as a well-digested plan forout-pensioasis brought intelligently before them, by

JAM. 1,1858.] THE LIFE-BOAT.

which they will perceive the benefit whichit is proposed to confer, by combining theirown subscriptions with any funds that maybe raised from other sources.

" There are three sources from whence itmay reasonably be hoped funds for carryingon this benevolent object will be obtained.

"First, from the public—in donations,subscriptions, and legacies; and the Com-mittee's ground of hope here is, from theuniversal sympathy that is known to be feltfor our sailors.

" The second is from the seamen them-selves—who, if satisfied of its usefulness, nodoubt will subscribe in great numbers. TheCommittee argue from their experience inthe Shipwrecked Mariners' Society, whichbegan its operations only eighteen yearssince, during which time they compute that65,OQP mariners have subscribed. The newsubscribers increasing annually on the averageof 3,500 from the commencement, and thelosses by death or otherwise of old sub-scribers being 1,000 per annum, leaves thenumbers subscribing at present 47,000; andthey remark, that when they proposed tothem to subscribe an additional threepenceannually for life-boats, 30,000 of them im-mediately responded.

" The third source is, the Board of Trade—and here they may notice, that they speakwithout having any official encouragement—

i but their hope arises from the fact that theBoard receive the wages and effects of de-ceased seamen, and that it has, according tothe official returns, a surplus from that sourceof 44,232?., with a probable annual increaseof about 12,000?. after the payment of allestablished claims, and which moneys, itmay be supposed, legitimately belong to theMerchant Seamen as a body,—added towhich the Board had last year 165,137?.balance over the working expenses of theMercantile Marine, besides a large sum thathas accumulated from this source. TheCommittee think it important to state to themeeting and their supporters, that the Cor-poration of the Shipwrecked Mariners' So-ciety having voted a donation of 5,OOOZ. tothe Hospital now sought to be established,propose that it should be perfectly distinct,though under its watchful care, and that

once fairly launched, it will not be allowedto cripple the resources of that noble Institu-tion,

" The Committee desire me to concludewith reminding the Meeting, that England,which may well be designated the greatestcommercial country in the world, of whichthis great city is the centre, is the only mari-time nation of any consequence in Europeor America that has no national provisionfor her Merchant Seamen—no provision forthe men by whose skill and courage her vastcommerce is conducted across the mightydeep, and who are the main instruments ofher greatness—no link, such as is now pro-posed, to bind to their country those braveand hardy men by whose toil her merchantshave become princes, and her ship-ownersand manufacturers loaded with wealth—noplace of refuge when incapacitated to toil atsea any longer, by some of the thousandcasualties to which they are daily exposed,or when old age or infirmity cramps theirenergies, and leaves them destitute—no markof their country's care that proves her esti-mation of her gallant tars, though, withoutthem, if a daring foe should suddenly assailher, she would fall at once from the eminentposition -which she now holds in the familyof nations.

" The Committee leave it to the Meetingand the public to decide, whether from thisday forward it shall any longer be said, thatEngland, who owes most and is most de-pendent on her seamen of any nation in theworld, and boasts most of them, and de-servedly, should nevertheless do the least forthem, when unable to serve their countryany longer."

Various Resolutions, pledging the Meetingto use its best exertions to promote thelaudable object in view, were afterwardsunanimously passed.

LIFE-BOAT REGULATIONS.IMPOKTANT alterations having been made inthe Life-Boat Regulations of the RorAtNATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION sincethey were many years ago published in thisJournal, we again insert them for the in-formation of our readers.

8 THE LIFE-BOAT. [JAN 1,1858-

The following Regulations are intended forthe guidance of the Local Committee to beformed at each place at which a Life-Boatis stationed by the NATIONAL LIFE-BOATItfSTiTCTioN, and to whose care and controlthe Life-Boat, her Crew, and everythingconnected with her management and main-tenance, will be intrusted.

The Local Committee to consist, if prac-ticable, of not less than five persons usuallyresident, one of them to be a sailor. TheInspecting-Commander of Coast-Guard ofthe District, or in his absence the nearestCoast-Guard Officer to the spot, to be exofficio a Member of the Local Committee.

1. The Life-Boat's Crew to consist of aCoxswain-Superintendent, a second Cox-swain, a Bowman, and as many Boatmen inaddition as the Boat pulls oars.

2. For every Boat, at least double thenumber of men required (if they can befound at or near the spot) shall be enrolled

• and numbered. The first men on the Listto form the permanent working Boat's Crew;the remainder to fill up vacancies and casualabsences in succession.*

3. Such List,to consist of Sailors andFishermen who are usually resident, and(with permission of the Comptroller-General)of any Coast-Guard Men of the station whomay volunteer for the service. As a generalrule, no man to be enrolled whose age ex-ceeds 55 years.

4. The Salary of the Coxswain-Superin-tendent shall be 81. a-year. On every oc-casion of going afloat to save life, the Cox-swain and each of the crew shall receivealike, 10s. by day, 11. by night; and forevery time of going afloat for exercise, 3*.in smooth weather, 5s. in rough weather.In the absence of the Coxswain, the secondCoxswain will take charge of the Boat, andthe Boatmen will be numbered, and takecharge in order, from aft to forward.

5. In the event of money being receivedby the Life-Boat for salvage of property, orsimilar service, one-fifth of the whole shallbe reserved by the Local Committee towardsthe maintenance and repair of the Boat, theremainder shall be divided into equal shares

* This rule may at some places require to bewaived.

amongst the Coxswain and Crew. If, how-ever, salvage be paid for the preservation oflife, no portion shall be reserved for theboat.*

6. If local subscriptions be raised to re-ward any special act of gallantry or exertion,the Institution recommends that the wholeof the money be paid to the Crew, dividedinto shares and apportioned as above.

7. As at each Life-Bpat station there willbe a Local Committee, the Coxswain willact under their immediate directions, and theBoat, except in case of Wreck, is never tobe taken afloat without their sanction.

8. As the efficiency of a Life-Boat de-pends on the good training and discipline ofher Crew, the strictest attention must bepaid by them to the directions of the Cox-swain on all occasions connected with theservice. The Boat shull be taken afloat forexercise, fully manned, once during eachquarter, giving the preference to blowingweather. ^

9. The Local Committee at each Stationis requested to make a Quarterly Report tothe Institution, as to the behaviour of theBoat during exercise, pointing out any defectthat may require to be remedied, and offeringany suggestion" that may conduce to theefficiency of the service. Also generally toreport on the state and condition of the Boat,the Carriage, the Boat-house, and all theLife-Boat Gear. Should occasion for im-mediate repairs arise, the Local Committeeis authorized to make them to the extent of51.; more extensive repairs to be referred,with an estimate, to the Parent Institution.

10. The Boat is to be kept on her carriagein the Boat-house, with all her gear in her,

* The 458th Section of the Merchant ShippingAct 1855, enacts—That "Salvage in respect of thepreservation of the life or lives of any person orpersons belonging to any such ship or boat asaforesaid shall be payable by the owners of theship or boat in priority to ail other claims forsalvage; and in cases where such ship or boat isdestroyed, or where the value thereof is in-sufficient, after payment of the actual expensesincurred, to pay the amount of salvage due inrespect of any life or lives, the Board of Trademay in its discretion award to the salvors of suchlife or lives, out of the Mercantile Marine Fund,such sum or sums as it deems fit, in whole or partsatisfaction of any amount of salvage so leftunpaid in respect of such life or lives."

JAN. 1, 1858.] THE LIFE-BOAT. 9

ready for use, except matches, rockets, andperishable articles which may require to besecured from damp.

11. There are to be three keys to theBoat-house kept in different places, with theaddress of each painted on the door; one inpossession of the Coxswain, and the othersas the Local Committee may decide.

12. Immediately on intimation of aWreck, or of a vessel in distress, the Cox-swain is to use his utmost exertions toassemble his Crew, launch his Boat, andproceed to her assistance': and in the eventof a sufficient number of his crew notbeing present, he is to select the bestvolunteers he can get on the spot, whoshall be paid the same as the enrolled boat-men.

13. If a Wreck occur at some distancefrom^the station, so as to require the Boatto be transported along the coast, the Cox-swain is to send to procure sufficient horses(which, by the Wreck and Saif&ge Act, anyMagistrate, Constable, or Revenue Officer,may demand the use of), attach them to thecarriage, and lose no time in making thebest of his way with the crew to the sceneof Wreck.

14. A reward of 7s. to be given to theman who first brings intelligence of aWreck at such a distance along the coastas not to be in sight from the Coast-Guard,or other Look-out.

15. A signal shall be agreed on by whichthe Life-Boat Crew can be called togetherwhen required. A flag hoisted at theWatch-house is recommended by day, andthe firing of the mortar (or other alarmsignal) at the Coast-Guard Station twice,quick, by night.

16. On approaching a Wreck, the Cox-swain will use his judgment, according tothe circumstances of the case, whether hewill board the Wreck end on, either onthe bow, on the quarter, or on the broad-side : or whether he will go to windward,drop his anchor, and veer down to thewreck; or if he will lay her alongside.The greatest caution, however, is recom-mended in this latter case, and it is not tobe resorted to •when any other mode ofboarding a wreck can be adopted.

17. On boarding Wrecks, the Preserva-tion of Life is to be the Coxswain's soleconsideration, and he is on no account totake in any goods, merchandise, luggage, orother articles, which may endanger thesafety of his boat, and the lives of thoseintrusted to his charge. And should anybe brought in contrary to his remonstrance,he is fully authorized to throw them over-board.

18. In the event of any men beingbrought ashore from a Wreck, the Cox-swain shall give immediate notice to theLocal Agent (if any) of the ShipwreckedFishermen and Mariners' Benevolent Society,in order that he may take the steps pre-scribed by the regulations of that Society,for their relief, and for forwarding them totheir respective destinations.

19. No one besides the Crew, namely,the Coxswain, the second Coxswain, the.Bowman, and one Boatman for each oar, ison any account to be allowed to go out inthe Life-Boat when going to a Wreck,except with the express sanction of theLocal Committee.

20. The Life-Boat is not to be used fortaking off an anchor; nor for the purpose ofSalvage; nor for taking off stores, a pilot,or orders to a ship; so as to interfere withprivate enterprise, (except in cases of emer-gency, with the special sanction of theLocal Committee,) but to be reserved forcases involving risk of Life.

21. The Coxswain is to see generally tothe efficiency of the boat for service : whenthe weather appears threatening at sunset,he shall have the sand removed from theBoat-house door, the wheels of the carriagegreased, the ways (if any) ready for lay-ing, a breaker of fresh water, hand rockets(if supplied), and all other gear placed inthe Boat ready for use at a minute's warn-ing.

22. On the approach of winter, in ex-posed situations liable to Wrecks, it isrecommended that a Mooring Anchor, withno upper fluke (having a block attached, anda warp rove and buoyed), be laid out belowlow-water mark, opposite the Boat-house,(or more suitable situation.,) for hauling theBoat off in case of need.

10 THE LIFE-BOAT. [JAN. 1,1858.

23. The Coxswain will enter in a Jour-nal, according to the annexed Form (withwhich he will be supplied), all services per-formed by his Boat, stating the time oflaunching, time of reaching the Wreck, thevessel's name, whither bound, number ofpersons rescued, &c., a copy of which, oneach occasion of Wreck, is to be forwarded,by the Local Cpmmittee, to the Secretary ofthe Institution in London.

24. The full Instructions of the Institu-tion for restoring suspended animation, to beposted in each Boat-house; and a copy ofthe Abstract to be kept with the Boat'ssmall stores, and taken off in the Boat, so asto be at all times at hand. -

25. On returning from service, the Boatis not to be left in the surf on the beach,but is to be as soon as possible got on hercarriage, and placed in the Boat-house. Onthe first fine day after use, the boat is to bedrawn out, to dry np any wet that mayremain about her, and any damage is to beimmediately made good.

26. The Coxswain will be held respon-sible for the efficiency and general goodorder of the Boat-house, the Boat, and hergear. And it is hoped that a sense of thetrust confided to them in the cause 'ofhumanity will lead the Coxswain and Crewto be most careful on these points, and todistinguish themselves by the readiness andseaman-like manner in which their Boat ishandled. ^

NORTHUMBERLAND,Vice-Admiral,

President.

PAINTING LIFE-BOATS.General Rules.

1. IT will be desirable, that in or aboutthe month of May in each year, or as soonas fine summer weather shall have fairly setin, and the exercise for the current quarterhave been performed, the Life-Boats shouldundergo their periodical examination, paint-ing, and refit.

When it is intended to apply to the In-stitution for payment of the cost for thesame, estimates should be forwarded to theInspector of Life-Boats at the Institution

before the work is performed, and in everyinstance it will be desirable, that when com-pleted to the satisfaction of the Local Com-mittee, their Secretary should report thesame to the Inspector, in order that theGeneral Committee may be informed whenall the Boats in connexion with the Institu-tion have been painted and refitted in readi-ness for the work of the ensuing winter.

2. The exterior of the Life-Boats to bepainted annually. If a boat has been machused during the preceding twelve months,she should have two coats of paint; if butlittle used, one will suffice ; but it should bevery carefully performed, and well workedinto the seams, more especially in thoseboats which are clench built

3. The interior of the boats to bepainted once in two years: on those oc-casions the side air-boxes (where detached)should be taken out of the boat and sepa-rately painted, not being replaced until thepaint on them has become dry and har-dened. The deck should however be payedover with black varnish every year, andthe side air-boxes be then taken out, care-fully examined, and not replaced until thedeck is perfectly dry.

4. If the boat continues tight, never use acaulking-iron except to the keel seam, andthat only once in three years (unless teaky).It should then be used with great care andjudgment. In fact paint should supply theplace of caulking, unless under peculiar cir-cumstances.

The cost of painting the Life-Boats of theInstitution in London is, for a 30-ft. boat,11. Is. each coat, and for a 27-ft. boat, 18s.each coat, externally, and the same sumsinternally, including the decks and air-boxes,or 21. 2s. for one entire coat to a 30-ft. boat,and 1L 16s. for the same to a 27-ft. boat.These accounts, as an average, may be somecriterion as to price.

; LIFE-BOAT GEAR.

1. Anchor and.Cable; Anchor for a 30-ft. boat, notless than 75 Ibs. weight; Cable 60 fathomsof 3j-inch rope. The Anchor and Cable tobe secured to the deck of the boat amidships.

2. A grapnel 25 Ibs. weight, for letting go fromthe stern, to prevent the boat rangingahead when at a wreck.

JAN. 1,1858.] THE LIFE-BOAT. 11

3. A spring for the Cable in case of need. Aboat's Painter.

,4. A Norman, -with forelock, to ship in the stepof the boaf a mast when in tow, or ridingat anchor.

5. A set of short fir Oars complete,'with lan-yards; and a spare Oar for each two theboat pulls.

6. A set of rope Grummets and iron Thole Fins* (with forelocks), and with half the number

of each, spare.7. Two steering sweep Oars; two Boat-hooks,

with lanyards.8. A hand Grapnel, with Heaving Line (of

2-inch Manilla rope).9. A sharp Axe secured under the main thwart;

and a small sharp hatchet at each end ofthe Boat.

10. One Life-Buoy with line attached (of 1-inchManilla) ; Short knotted Life-lines to hangover the side at each thwart.

11. Boat Binnacle and Compass (where neces-sary) ; Lamp (kept trimmed); Oil-can;Matches (to be kept dry).

12. Spy-glass (where necessary); Lantern; Fisher-man's White Light, or Port-Fire.

13. Hand Rockets for throwing a line on board aWreck (when thought necessary).

14. Boat's Hand Lead and Line for Sounding incase of fog.

15. Hammer, Nails, Chisel, Marlinespike, Grease,Oakum, Sheet-lead, &c.

16. A Cork Life-Belt for each of the Crew.17. A Breaker of Fresh Water, and Biggin (where

necessary).18. A Boat's Carriage, Luff-tackle, Handspikes,

&c. (where necessary).19. A Chest for Small Stores in the Boat-house.20. Masts, Sails, Gear, and Rudder (when re-

quired).The Coxswain-Superintendent is to keep a List

of the Stores, which should be examined everyquarter by the Local Committee, in order totheir being repaired, or replaced with new if inthe least degree doubtful.

Form of Return of Wreck and Services of Life-Boat at .

1. Name of Vessel, and where belonging to?2. Name ot Master, and of Owners ?3. Big, tonnage, No. of Crew ?4. Where from ? Where bound to ?5. What Cargo ? or in Ballast ?6. Wind and Weather ?7. Time of day ? State of Tide ?8. Exact spot where Wrecked ?9. Number of Lives Saved?

10. Number of Lives Lost ?11. Supposed cause of Wreck ?12. Was it a total Wreck, or Stranded, or Sunk ?13. Time«f Launching Life-Boat?14. Time of reaching Wreck?15. Tine of returning Ashore ?16. Dili the Boat behave well?17. Was any damage done to the Boat ? Extent

ef Repairs required ?

18. Number and Names of men employed, andnumber of times they have been off in theLife-Boat to a Wreck; noting any specialcase of individual exertion ?

19. Amount, if any, of Reward received, locallyor from elsewhere ?

20. Amount, if any, of Salvage?21. Remarks, &c.

(Signed)

Dated,_

Coxsu!ain-Superintendent,_(Certified) Secretary,_

LIFE-BOAT SERVICES.

BERWICK-ON-TWEED.—On the 2nd ofSeptember a strong gale and heavy seahaving sprung up, two large herring-boats,in attempting to get into Berwick Harbour,got to leeward of it, and went on shore. Asteam-tug proceeded to their assistance, butwas unabfe to approach near enough to effecta communication with them. The Berwicklife-boat, belonging to the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, was then quickly launch-ed, and, proceeding into the surf, succeededin conveying lines from the boats to thesteamer, which was thus enabled to towthem off and to take them into the port.Without the aid of the life-boat, both boatswould probably have soon been lost, withthose on board them. The boat was re-ported to have behaved remarkably well onthe occasion.

TEIGNMOUTH.—On the 27th Novembera boat with four men in her was upset inthe entrance to Teignmouth harbour, whenattempting to board a vessel coming in.One man succeeded in getting on board theship, but the boat herself, with two menclinging to her, and the third man holdingby an oar, were carried by the ebb tide overthe bar and out to sea through a very heavysurf. The life-boat was launched and pro-ceeded over the bar, but it having becomedark nothing could at first be seen of theboat or men. Fortunately, however, theircries were presently heard, and the two menclinging to the swamped boat were pickedup. The other unfortunate man, HESRYWHITEAWAY, a pilot, was nowhere to beseen. The life-boat was very highly re-ported on upon the occasion.


The ALDBOROUGH, LOWESTOFT, PAKE-FIELD, POETMADOC, and EHTL life-boats,belonging to the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT IN-STITUTION, have also recently been taken outto assist wrecked vessels ; but as their ser-vices did not immediately result in savinglives we need not remark on them furtherthan to state that the life-boats are oftentaken out through heavy seas, in reply tosignals of distress or where danger is ap-parent, yet on arriving at the object theirservices may not be required, or the vesselmay be found to have been previously de-serted by her crew.

RAMSGATE.—The Ramsgate life-boat hasbeen so frequently off to the GoodwinSands, towed by the harbour tug, in replyto night signals of distress from the floatinglight-vessels moored off those fatal shoals,that we cannot attempt to describe them.In the great majority of these cases, althoughmuch risk and exposure has been incurredby her gallant crew, her services have notbeen made available to save life. On the26th of November her last service was per-formed, when at 9 P. M,, it blowing a hardN.E. gale at the time, in reply to signal-rockets from both light-vessels, the Rams-gate harbour steam-tug Aid, and her con-stant attendant the Northumberland life-boat, were quickly on the spot, and founda large brig on shore on the face of the sand.The life-boat proceeded through the surf tothe brig, and found the Broadstairs smalllife-boat under her lee, and her crew of 5men on board the brig. As the officers andcrew would not leave their vessel, althoughit was evident she could not be saved, theNorthumberland life-boat remained by heruntil 2-30 A.M., when she filled and beganto break up. The Broadstairs life-boatbeing also damaged and disabled, her crew,together with that of the brig, numbering18 in all, were then taken into the North-umberland, which, with her load of 30 per-sons, including her own crew, and with thesmall damaged life-boat in tow, made sailthrough the broken water across the sandsin the direction of. Ramsgate. Strikingheavily on the sands, she came in contactwith the smaller boat and completed her

destruction ; but driving safely over theshoals herself, she arrived, together with herliving freight, safe and sound in RamsgateHarbour.. The^ master of the steam-tug,DANIEL READING, having lost all trace of thelife-boat, lay to until daybreak, under someanxiety for her safety. When returninginto port, he, as reported by the harbour-master, Captain Marten, " to his great joyfound them all safe and right."

The NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTIONhas awarded the master of this life-boat,JAMES HOGBIN, its silver medal, in appre-ciation of this very gallant service, and of themany previous occasions on which he haddistinguished himself in command of thisvery valuable boat. On this occasion he andhis gallant crew have the satisfaction ofknowing that they were the means of savingfrom perhaps certain death no less than 18of their fellow-creatures.

This life-boat hi this instance, when shedrove over the shoals through a heavy surf,striking violently and repeatedly on theground, has again shown the great strengthof the principle of her construction, which,together with other sources of strength, in-cludes an iron keel of 15 cwt. and 4 inchesin thickness. She was built by Messrs.BEECHING of N. Yarmouth on the Northum-berland " prize model," but her iron keelwas subsequently added, and other altera-tions made in her under the superintendenceof the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, toassimilate her to the further improved boatsof that Society. The services which shehas since rendered have been constant, andwe believe she has been off to the GoodwinSands in reply to signals of distress, chieflyin the night, no less than 60 or 70 timesduring the past five years.

LOSS OF LIFE ON THE EASTCOAST OF SCOTLAND.

ANOTHER of those terrible visitations whichhave so frequently of late years befallen thefishing population on the east coast of Scot-land, has again occurred, by which calamityno less than 44 men, mostly in the prime oflife, have lost their lives, and no fewer than

JAN. 1,1858.] THE LIFE-BOAT. 13

27 widows and 79 orphans are left to bewail jtheir loss.

On the 23rd of November last, the wholefleet of large fishing-boats belonging to thesmall ports of Portknockie, Buckie, andPortgordon, were caught in a N.E. gale,which produced the above disastrous results,together with the destruction of a largeamount of valuable property.

From Portknockie 14 boats, with 9 menin each, had left port at from 2 to 3 A.M.They had arrived at their fishing-ground,and had cast their lines, and it was near theusual time for drawing them, when the firstsigns of the coming storm gathered aroundthem; the atmosphere thickening, the windshifting to the N.E., and each moment in-creasing in force. Certain that they were tobe overtaken by a gale, they instantly got onboard their lines, and made sail for the shore,which, alas! many of them were never toregain.

From Buckie no less than 29 boats hadgone out, and from. Portgordon, five. Andthey, too, at the first warning of the gale,fled for the land. But a fleeter one thanthey—" the demon of the storm"—was fastfollowing in their wake, and had alreadysingled out the victims who were to beencircled within his cruel embrace. Howmany an anxious fear must have disturbedthe bosoms of those hardy men as the wavesgathered height around them ! How manya poor soul with palpitating heart andstraining eye awaited them in agony uponthe strand! We will however leave it to theimagination, of the reader to complete theharrowing picture; suffice it to say, that ofthe Portknockie fleet, 2 boats were lost, and18 men drowned, and that 12 widows and34 orphans are left to bewail them. Thatof the Buckie boats, 2 were lost, and 15 mendrowned, leaving 8 widows and 22 childrenunprovided for. And that of the boats fromPortgordon, 1 was lost, together with hercrew of 9 souls, leaving 7 widows and 23orphans bereaved of their chief earthly stayand support.

Yet, great as this calamity is, it is onlyone of a series which has been of periodicaloccurrence on the N.E. coast of Scotland intime past, and which will as surely be

again and again repeated in time to come,unless some means be contrived to preventits being so. Thus, in the single gale ofAugust 19th, 1848, the results of whichwere so ably inquired into, and reported on,to the House of Commons by CaptainWASHINGTON, R.N., no less than 100 menwere drowned,'and 124 boats lost ordamaged, involving a pecuniary loss of7,0112. In August 1845, a large numberhad perished in the same manner; and solate as the spring of the past year, the portof Wick, on the Caithness-shire coast, wasagain a scene of desolation from a similarcause.

Now surely it were sufficient that thesepoor men are our fellow-creatures and fellow-countrymen, to make us sensible of theirclaim on us for sympathy and protection;but over and above those natural ties, arethey not a class who have especial claims onus? For whose benefit do they pass theirlives in a dangerous avocation ? For whoseuse do they gather in the living treasures ofthe deep ? What class of their fellow-coun-trymen is there who partakes not of the fruitof their labour and of their peril ? Whetherit be the costly turbot at the rich man'sfeast, or the prolific herring at the poorman's humble meal, how often has dear lifebeen hazarded in its capture! How com-monly have the long and bitter hours of thewinter's night been employed by these hardymen in providing it, or in seeking it, whilstthe more effeminate world on shore has beenhushed in sleep!

But there is a further reason why thecommunity at large are interested in pre-serving this valuable class of men; in thatthey not only form the great nursery of ourfleets, but also tend perhaps more than anyother class, to keep alive and in activity thatspirit of maritime enterprise, that love ofthe sea, which, under Providence, is as thevery life-blood of an island-kingdom like ourown.

We have dwelt thus long on the claimsand on the importance to us of this class ofmen—the fishermen of the United Kingdom—preliminary to specifying the manner inwhich we think they may be helped andprotected, as such efficient help and pro-


tection can only be afforded them by publicaid.

The manner in which we conceive thefishermen on our coasts may be thus aided isthreefold. 1st By the making, the enlarge-ment,, or the improvement, of fishing-har-bours and ports, of refuge for fishing-boatswhen overtaken by storms at sea.

2nd., By the improvement of fishing-boats, and especially by their being generally,so &r fitted as life-boats, that is, providedwith the properties of life-boats, in that theyshall not be submergible if filled by a sea,and that their stability or obstruction to up-setting shall be very greatly increased.

3rdlv. By the establishment of life-boatsat all fishing-stations, where they are notalready provided, for the purpose of pro-ceeding to the rescue of fishing-boats upsetby a sea, and of attending on them whencrossing a bar, or through any dangeroussurf on their return to the land. The workunder the first of the above heads will be oneof great magnitude, and which can only beeffected by the Government of the country.That under the second head would probablycome under the same category. That underthe third head might be undertaken by theNATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, but theInstitution would have especial claim in suchcases for the Government's pecuniary aid.

We have said that the work under thefirst head would be one of great magnitude,but we conceive it also to be one of incalcu-lable importance, and for which no amountof cost should be grudged. To be surethere would be no Holyheads required,costing millions of pounds; for very many ofour small fishing-harbours a few thousands,or even hundreds,'expended in adding toor improving a pier, or deepening the water,or removing a few rocks, would suffice.Yet the aggregate would amount to millions,and the only question should be, over howmany years: should it be distributed. Wethink that at the least 50,0001 should beannually voted by Parliament to this greatnational object, until every body of fisher-men in the kingdom be provided with allthe protection and convenience that can beshown to be alike available arid important.

As a first step, an especial Fishery Board

should be appointed, for carrying out theabove objects round the whole coasts of theUnited Kingdom, combined of naval andengineering talent, who might take a certainnumber of fishing-ports in hand together,completing and perfecting each in every re-spect before proceeding with others. TheseN.E. ports of Scotland, where there seemsto be the most crying need for help, mightbe first commenced with. The want of safeharbourage for the fishermen on that coast,and the especial advantage of a harbour ofrefuge, at Wick, on the Caithness shore, wasurgently advocated by Captain WASHINGTONin his valuable Report to the House ofCommons, above alluded to, and otherhigh authorities have likewise done so sincethat period. A special Harbour of RefugeCommittee of the House of Commons is, webelieve, at this time engaged in the consider-ation of Wick, amongst other pkces, as aharbour of refuge. If our space admits ofour doing so, we will add at the conclusionof this article some quotations from aninteresting pamphlet which has just beenput into our hands in the shape of anappeal on the behalf of Wick, to theHarbour of Refuge Committee, by JOHNMACKIE, Esq., of that place, editor of theNorthern Ensign.

On our second head, the improvementof fishing-boats, and their partial life-boatequipment, might be readily brought aboutby a Government Board, and a vastly im-proved ek»ss of boats would, we think, bethe infallible permanent result. Thus, as inthe case of the improvement of fishing-ports,the boats of a certain number of localitiesmight be at first taken in hand. One ofeach class at each port would be carefullyexamined in, detail, and the various require-ments of each be well considered, and theopinions of all the most experienced of _thefishermen attentively heard and weighed,having reference to the character of theshore, shoalness of the water, nature of thesea, amount of stowage-room required fornets, lines, cargo, masts and sails,, warps,&c. The form and size thought best calcu-lated to meet these requirements, and at thesame time to insure stability, speed, handi-

strength, general safety, and cheap-


ness, would then be decided on; andnext, the important question as to whatspaces within-board could'be spared to oc-cupy with the buoyant air-cases or life-boatproperty, would be maturely considered anddecided on. On this latter point we be-lieve it will be found that the space whichcan best be spared, is just that which ismost conducive to safety, viz., the extremesides and the extreme ends of a boat beneaththe thwarts. Few persons, indeed, whohave not considered the subject have anyconception how greatly the safety of aboat is increased, independently of her be-coming insubmergible, by the simple occu-pancy of the spaces along the sides and at theextreme ends of a boat by water-tight cases orcompartments of air : without them the mo-ment the side or end of a boat is forced, underwater, all buoyancy of the part submergedis at once lost, and tfie boat of necessity sub-merged or upset: with them the upward orfloating power of the submerged air is im-mediately brought to bear against the up-setting power, to the amount of about 64 Ibs.for every cubic foot. The effect of thesecases alone along the sides would preventmany a boat's upsetting on her broadside,and their extra buoyancy would enable aniron keel of moderate weight to be safelyadded, which forming the most powerful de-scription of ballast, would still further in-crease lateral stability, whilst a large buoyantcompartment at the bow, or the space underthe forecastle deck, fitted with a water-tightdoor, would make it impossible for a boatto run her bow under water, and wouldthus often, if not always, prevent her up-setting when running before a sea, by the actof broaching-to, which is by far the mostfrequent cause of loss to fishing-boats whenrunning for the shore in a gale.

Having decided on the improvements onthe above heads, the Fishery Board mightthen cause a model-boat or boats to be builtfor each locality, and might place it or themin the hands of a selected party of fishermenfor a full trial. Its superiority being settled,and every available improvement made in it,it might be either sold by public auction orprivate contract to the highest bidderamongst the fishermen of the port; and for

the improvement of all the other boats, byfurnishing them with the life-boat fittings,and for conforming all future boats built tothe Board's model, a proportional grantmight, for a certain number of years at least,be given from the funds at the disposal ofthe Board.

In the above manner we think that thetwo great objects of improved fishery-portsand improved fishing-boats might be readilyeffected. As regards the third proposition—the supply of a perfectly equipped life-boat,to be maintained ready for instant service,in every fishing locality on exposed parts ofthe coast—we may state that the NATIONALLIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION is at all times readyto receive overtures from any locality wherethe inhabitants themselves will be willing tosubscribe a sufficient amount to insure alocal interest in the establishment.

We will offer but one further remark onthis subject. There is a prevailing opinion,that it so happens, either fortuitously, or asthe result of experience, or by a specialProvidential provision, that the fishing andother boats in every locality are just thosebest adapted for it. Now, whilst admittingto a slight extent the truth of the conclusion,we cannot do so altogether. Fishermen, asa class, are an inert body; as a general rule,they are satisfied with what has been handeddown to them by their fathers, and thus aninferior description of boat, or gear, is aslikely to be perpetuated as one of a superiorkind. All we advocate is, that where thecombined wisdom of science and experienceshows that improvement may be made, itshall forthwith be so.

We now subjoin, in conclusion, the verygraphic and feeling remarks of Mr. MiCKlEon this subject, having especial reference tothe formation of a Harbour of .Refuge atWick, in Caithness-shire.

Another phase of the fishing question Is pre-sented in the fact that it furnishes to the nation atlarge a valuable article entering largely into thediet of the masses. 'Wick herrings are carriedaway on British and foreign bottoms to every portin the kingdom; and are found in the provisionmarkets of the most inland city and town ofEngland.

Here, then, as regards the fishing, the questionof a breakwater stands. Nine thousand men, mostof them unconnected with Caithness, for ten months

16 THE LIFE-BOAT. [JAN. 1, 1858.

in the year—engaged in a calling which yields avaluable article of national diet—which gives em-ployment to many thousands throughout the king-dom in producing the material required for itsprosecution, and which circulates a large sum ofmoney over the whole industrial districts of thecountry, are nightly, during the season, exposedto the perils of our northern coasts, and liableevery night to be overtaken by a sudden storm.These nine thousand men, manning boats and cast-ing nets into the sea of an aggregate value ofnearly a quarter of a million sterling—their all—proceed every night distances of from two to thirtymiles, and sometimes more, in pursuit of theircalling; and they do so without having on thewhole Caithness and Sutherland eastern seaboard,from the entrance of the Dornoch Firth to Dun-cansbay, one harbour accessible beyond half tide,•or even safe to enter at any time of the tide duringstorms from certain directions. And hence, as wasthe case in 1848, in a storm from the south-east,the boats ran for Wick Harbour, where there wasplenty of depth of water—and thirty-seven menperished in the attempt. Only those who haveseen the miserable creeks whence the boats proceednightly to sea can have the slightest idea of theperil to which these thousands of active and indus-trious men are exposed; and only those on the spotenter into the feelings of crushing and intenseanxiety in which the weary nights of the fishingare passed by the people on shore. On theslightest appearance of a gale, the shores are linedwith tremblingly anxious thousands, and sodreaded is the coast, that frequently hundreds ofboats return from sea before sunset, and withoutprosecuting the fishing, in comparatively fineweather, rather than run the risk of a threatenedgale, and destruction in the flight for safetywherever it may be faintly imagined to exist Andit is worthy of notice that the present state of ourbay and harbour—the former so open and thelatter so unsafe—has every year a most seriouseffect in retarding the progress of the fishing. Asan example, I may state that during greater partof a whole week in the past season, when thecoasts were teeming with herrings, when a smart,but by no means serious breeze was blowing fromthe south-east, and when the fishing could havebeen prosecuted at sea with the greatest safety,not a boat ventured out, the bay and harbourbeing in a condition that rendered it perilous forthe fishermen to attempt going out. This is a cir-cumstance of yearly occurrence; and 1 am borneout by the opinion of every fisherman of experi-ence when I state that its results is an annual lossof at least 30,0002. worth of herrings.

Were you to go over the whole Caithness sea-board, commencing at Duncansbay Head, and ter-minating at the Ord, during a gale from any pointof the compass, from north-eastward to south, youcould not fail to be struck with the totally shelter-less condition of the coast, nor to wonder at thefewness of the calamities—despite their numberand sadness—that occur. In fact, but for the cir-cumstance that the fishermen, too well aware ofthe nature of the coast, and the peril to whichthey are exposed, refrain from going to sea when

the weather threatens, we should almost weeklybe startled with such calamities as those of 1845,1848, and 1857, and others of a less disastrouscharacter.

Permit me also to state that time is everything.Not a year passes without some calamity of greateror less extent occurring in this neighbourhood,through its harbourless condition, involving nume-rous individuals and families in desolation andruin. The fishermen, wearied almost to exhaustionwith patient expectation that something would bedone for them, nightly exposed to the most immi-nent peril, and yearly alarmed at events whichresult in the drowning of their fellows and the de-struction of their property, are becoming moreand more afraid to venture themselves in such adangerous occupation. Need this excite wonder,when on a seaboard of little more than twenty-five miles, on a coast of unbroken projecting rockyheadlands, without a creek where refuge for onehundred boats can be obtained, seventeen hundredboats, with 10,000 precious lives on board, everynight during the season, venture on the treacherouswaters of the Caithness coast, in open boats, notknowing but that in a few minutes the storm mayassail them, and the whole seventeen hundred boatsmay have to flee to land for shelter? Whithershall they fly ? Eastward there is nothing but onevast expanse of ocean. Northward the perilousand troubled waters of the Pentland Firth mocktheir attempts at gaining shelter in Orkney, andthere they have never been known to run. South-wards sixty miles of treacherous sea lie betweenthem and Fraserburgh, to which only one boat hasbeen known to escape during the last twenty years;while to both Fraserburgh and Cromarty, the lat-ter at a distance of sixty miles to the south-west,the general direction of the winds of our autumnstorms prevents the possibility of escape; whilstalong the westward shores, to which alone theycan fly, with the shadow of a hope of gafety, thereruns one long chain of towering rocks, brokenhere and there by creeks, over which the seasbreak with a surging violence, and where hundredsof boats and scores of precious lives have beensacrificed.

MEETINGS OF THE COMMITTEE.

Thursday, 6th Aug. 1857. THOMASCHAPMAN, Esq., V.P., F.R.S., in the Chair.

Read and confirmed the Minutes of theprevious Meeting, and those of the Finance,Correspondence, and Wreck and RewardSub-Committees.

Reported the death of Captain STEPHEN-SON ELLERBY, a member of the Committeeof Management of the ROYAL NATIONALLIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, and one of theElder Brethren of the Trinity House. TheCommittee passed a vote of condolence tothe family of the deceased gentleman.

!' JAN. 1,1858.] THE LIFE-BOAT.' 17

The Deputy Chairman reported, thatduring a recent visit on the west coast,he found the Appledore life-boats, whichbelong to this Institution, in excellent order.

Laid before the Committee, four differentlithographic drawings of the Life-beat Car-riages adopted by the Institution for varyinglocalities. The same are to accompany thelithographic drawing of the Life-boat adoptedby the Society.

The Inspector reported that various altera-tions and repairs were required for the tubularlife-boat at Rhyl, and that the same werenow lying done, at the cost of this Institu-tion, at Manchester, by the original builderof the boat.

Ordered a 30-feet, and a 28-feet life-boat, to be built by Messrs. FOKRESTT, tobe ready for exigencies.

Also a life-boat carriage to be built forthe Cahore life-boat.

Also the erection of a life-boat house atCamber, near Bye, at a cost of 757.

Reported that the South Eastern Railwayhad offered to take, free of charge, the Wal-mer life-boat carriage, from London to Deal.—To be thanked.u Eeported that the Youghal life-boat had

b^en "•' gratuitously conveyed to Dublin, onboard one of the steamers of the Britishand Irish Steam Packet Company.—To bethanked. .

; Read letter from Mr. JOSEPH WALKER,President of the New York ShipwreckSociety, of the 5th July, calling attention toCaptain BUNKER'S life-preserving and bathingshirts, three of which the former gentlemanhad presented to this Institution.—To bethanked.

Read letter from Mr. R. C. PAULING, ofDenbigh Street, Pimlico, calling attention tohis invention for keeping vessels from sink-ing.—To be acknowledged.

Read letter from Mr. ROBERT TAYLORSON,of Tryon's Terrace, Hackney, detailing hismethod for Improving the Construction ofIron Ships.—To be acknowledged.

Captain KYNASTON, R.N., C.B., presenteda copy of his pamphlet for Lowering andDisengaging Ships* Boats at Sea.—To beacknowledged.

Read letter from Mr. J. MCGREGOR,

Barrister at Law, of the Inner Temple, pre-senting a copy of his pamphlet relative toMarine Propulsion.—To be acknowledged.

Read letter from Captain MARTIN, of the3rd July, stating the services rendered bythe life-boat of the Royal Harbour Commis-sioners, Ramsgate, to shipwrecked crews onthe Goodwin Sands.

Paid 4AI. 3s. 4d. for altering the New-biggin life-boat house and roadway, and2777. 16s. 3d. for sundry charges on life-boats, life-boat carnages, and life-boat houses.

Read the Report of the services of theLytham life-boat, manned by 13 men, tothe schooner Philanthropist, of Aberyst-with, ^which was observed in a dangerousposition on the verge of the Crusader Bank.The life-boat had been taken out for inspec-tion and exercise on the occasion.

Voted the silver medal and 21. each toHENKY POMEEOY, chief boatman of theCoast-guard at Mevagissey, JOSEPH LEY,pilot, and WILLIAM CLOKE, pilot; and 28Z.to 14 other men, in acknowledgment of theirintrepid services in saving, at great risk oflife, the crew, consisting of 5 men, of theschooner RocheUaise, of Cette, which wasstranded on Mevagissey Bar on the 14thJuly last.

Also a reward of 1Z. 10s. to 3 persons whohad waded into a heavy surf to the rescueof a boy, who was seen on the bottom of acapsized boat, off the Pigeon House Light-house, Dublin Bay, on the 30th June last.

Also the silver medal and 21. each to Mr.PETER INKSTER, Master of the steamer Wil-liam Tell, and JOHN BLANCE, apprentice-boy,in testimony of their courageous services inrescuing, with a small boat, at great hazardto their lives, 2 out of 4 persons who hadbeen capsized from their boat, during a galeof wind, off' Grief Skerry, Shetland, on the17th June last.

Thursday, 3rd Sept., 1857. CaptainLAMBERT PERROTT in the Chair.


Elected C. H. COOK, Esq., HonoraryArchitect and Surveyor to the Institution.

18 THE LIFE-BOAT. [JAN. 1, 1858.

Read and approved the Inspector's Reportof his recent visit to the life-boats on theLancashire and Welsh coasts.

Resolved—1. That a new life-boat house and a winch

be erected at Rhoscolyn. Also a winch atCeralyn.

2. That the launching-ways at Penmonbe made efficient.

3. That the Llanelly life-boat be broughtto London, to be altered to Mr. PEAKE'Splan.

Ordered the erection of a new life-boathouse on the Braunton Sands.

Also the building of a life-boat carriage,furnished with Bojdell's Endless RailwayApparatus, for the Wicklow life-boat.*

Read letter from the President and otherMembers of the Boulogne Shipwreck Society,of the 6th Aug., requesting that the Institu-tion would allow the Inspector of Life-boatsto visit their establishment, in order thatthey might have the advantage of his expe-rience to make their life-boats as efficient aspossible, having especial reference to pro-viding them with self-righting power.

Resolved—That the Inspector of Life-boats do visit Boulogne accordingly, andthat Mr. PEAKE be requested to accompanyhim.

Reported the transmission, on the 12thAug., of the Danube life-boat to her station.She had been thoroughly equipped withevery kind of store.

Reported the transmission from .Ipswichof the Arklow life-boat carriage.

Paid Messrs. BOYPELL and GLASIER fortwo pairs of Endless Railway Apparatus,109?.; and 115?. 8s. 4d. for sundry chargeson life-boats, life-boat carriages, and life-boathouses, to various other parties.

Voted a reward of 6Z. to a boat's crew of6 men, who, at the risk of their lives, hadsaved 2 out of 4 persons who were capsizedduring squally weather, off Hamnaroe, Shet-land, on the 6th July last.

Also a reward of 6'. to 3 Coast-guardmen, in testimony of their intrepid servicesia going off in their boat and rescuing 4 outof 5 men, who had been capsized duringheavy weather from a boat near Barr Mouth,Coleraine, on the 22nd July last. |

Also the silver medal and 21. each toWILLIAM WEDGE, JAMES TUEPIE, andDAVID THOMAS WARDER, Coast-guard menof Salcombe Station, for putting off in asmall boat and rescuing, at great risk of life,2 out of 3 persons who had been capsizedfrom their boat, on Bantham Bar, Devon, onthe 22nd Aug. last.

Thursday, 1st October, 1857. CaptainLAMBERT PERROTT in the Chair.


Read letter from Captain KENNEDY, R.N.,Deputy Comptroller-General of the Coast-guard, of the 17th September, stating thatthis Committee would always find him bothwilling and ready to forward in every waythe objects of this most valuable Institution.

Also from Captain KENKEDY, R. N.,of the 17th September, transmitting, agree-ably to the request of the Committee, theopinion of a large number of medical menresiding in the neighbourhood of the severalCoast-guard Divisions on the coasts of theUnited Kingdom on the relative merits ofthe two methods of treatment of personsapparently drowned, as described in theCircular of this Institution.

Recommended—That the special thanksof this Committee be given to the Com-modore Comptroller-General, and to theDeputy Comptroller-General of the Coast-guard for their courtesy in aiding theInstitution to obtain the valuable infor-mation contained in the said opinions.

Read and approved the Report of Mr.PEAKE and the Inspector of their visit tothe Boulogne, Calais, and Dunkirk Life-boatStations. They reported that they had beenmost kindly received on the French coast,and that the Boulogne Society had decidedto alter one of their life-boats to Mr. PEAKE'Splan.

Resolved—That the thanks of the Com-mittee be presented to Mr. PEAKE for thetrouble he had taken in visiting the Boulogneand other life-boat stations on the Frenchcoast.

Read also the Inspector's Report on his

. l, 1858.] THE LIFE-BOAT. 19

visit to the Eastbourne, Rye, Margate, andWalmer life-boats, and approved of theseveral recommendations therein made.

Reported that Miss BURDETT COOTTS hadpresented a life-boat, on Mr. Clarkson's plan,to the Margate boatmen.

Resolved—That a set of life-belts bepresented to the Life-boat Committee atMargate.

Ordered the paper entitled " Our Life-Boat," which appeared in the Septemberand October numbers of the Unitecf ServiceMagazine, to be reprinted, and circulated ina pamphlet form.

Read letter from MATTHEW PARKER, Esq.,Hon. Sec. of the Youghal Branch, conveyingthe thanks of the Local Committee for thenew life-boat and carriage which this Insti-tution had placed on that station.

Ordered a warp and anchor to be suppliedto the Southwold life-boat.

Read letter from Mr. JOHN GHAVEY, boatbuilder of Hastings, of the 21st September,calling attention to his plan of life-boat.—To he acknowledged.

.Read letter from H. D. P. CUNNINGHAM,Esq.,.of Gosport, of the llth September,calling attention to his new plan of life-boatcarriage.—The Inspector was directed toexamine the same at an early opportunity.

Read letter from M. LOUIS VITTU, ofJIaJignon, France, requesting that a modelof the life-boat of the Institution might besent to the Society of Arts at Paris, in orderthat the attention of the French Governmentmight be directed to the same, who wouldprobably build from it life-boats for exposedpoints on the French coast.—Decided, thatdrawings of the life-boat be furnished.

Resolved—That the Cpmroodore Comp-troller and Deputy Comptroller-General ofthe Coast-guard be addressed by the Insti-tution requesting the co-operation of Coast-guard Officers in forwarding the objects ofthe Society by aiding the Local Life-boatCommittees in lie management of -theirlife-boat establishments.

Reported—That the Board of Ordnancehad forwarded the stores of Manby's Life-preserving Apparatus to R. B. FORBES, Esq.,Chairman of the Massachusetts ShipwreckSociety, United States.

Paid 75Z. for the Camber life-boat house,and 55L 8s. 2d, for sundry charges on life-boats, life-boat houses, and life-boat carriages.

Voted a reward of one sovereign to JOHNROE, master of the barge Bessie, in acknow-ledgment of the services he had rendered to3 out of 6 sergeants of the Royal MarineArtillery, whose boat had been capsized,near Southsea Castle, on the 6th Augustlast.

Also a reward of one sovereign to 2fishermen for saving 3 men who had beencapsized from a boat off Innisturk Island, onthe coast of Mayo, on the 24th May last.

Also three sovereigns to 3 pilots who hadsaved 17 persons from a boat which hadbecome unmanageable on the Patch Sand,Bristol Channel, on the 17th August. Thepilots had very laudably exerted themselveson the occasion.

Also the silver medal to CommanderTUDOR, R.N. He and 13 other men hadput off, on the 9th October, in the Wick life-boat, and had attempted to save the crew ofa Hanoverian galliot, which was observed ina dangerous position, in a gale: of wind, offWick. The life-boat, which had behavedvery well on the occasion, had been rendereduseless by the heavy seas which had sweptover her, which had broken or carried awayall her oars. One of the crew had, unfortu-nately, been thrown out of the boat, andperished on the occasion. He had left awife and seven children. His name wasMr. ALEXANDER BAIN, retired master-mariner and part shipowner.

Voted a gratuity of 201., in aid of thesubscription raising for the widow and chil-dren of Mr. BAIN.

ADDITIONAL STATIONS AND NEW

LIFE-BOATS.

WICKLOW, IRELAND.—A branch of theNATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION has beenrecently founded at Wicklow, and a life-boaton Mr. BEECHING'S prize model modifiedin correspondence with the boate on the In-stitution's plan has been stationed there.This boat is 30 feet i» length, and rows 10oars, double banked. She is supplied with


a transporting carriage, so that she may beconveyed along the coast to any favourableposition for launching to assist a wreckedcrew. A substantial house has also beenerected for her reception. This boat wasgratuitously conveyed to Dublin from Lon-don by the liberality of the British and IrishSteam-Ship Company.

CAMBER, SUSSEX.—A new life-boat hasbeen stationed by the NATIONAL LIFE-BOATINSTITUTION at Camber near Eye, and isplaced under the general care and superin-tendence of the Rye branch of the Institu-tion. This boat is on Mr. PJEAKE'S plan, is28 feet long, and rows six oars single banked.She will be manned by the Coast-guard sta-tioned at Camber and its vicinity, under theimmediate superintendence of the Lieutenantin command of that station. She is pro-vided with a suitable carriage, and a goodhouse has been built for her. By the esta-blishment of this life-boat the inhabitants ofRye, in conjunction with the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, have now provided fullprotection to their port, Camber lying on oneside of the entrance to their harbour, andWinchelsea beach, where their other life-boat is placed, being on the opposite side.

NEWHAVEJI, SUSSEX.—The Newhavenlife-boat, on Mr. BEECHING'S model, theproperty of the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT IN-STITUTION, has been taken to London, andaltered at considerable expense by Messrs.FOKRESTT, builders to the Institution, to itsplan after Mr. PEAKE'S design. On a sub-sequent trial, she has been reported on byher crew as being very greatly improved inseveral respects.

GUERNSEY.—A new life-boat on Mr.PEAKE'S plan has been provided by the in-habitants of Guernsey, and is stationed onan exposed point on that island. She is28 feet long, and rows six oars single banked;she was built by Messrs. FOREESTT, of Lime-house.

MARGATE.—A life-boat has been pre-sented to the boatmen at Margate by thatwell-known benevolent lady, Miss BURDETTCOUTTS. And the boatmen, aided by sub-scriptions from their wealthier neighbours,

have also purchased another life-boat fromMessrs. WHITE of Cowes. The former ofthese boats will, we believe, be furnishedwith sails, and the latter be used solely as arowing-boat. Miss BURDETT COUTTS pur-chased the above boat, together with ano-ther one from Mr. T. C. CLARKSON; thelatter, which, we understand, she lias pre-sented to the seamen of Sunderland, iswholly constructed of Mr. CLARKSON'Spatented material, consisting of layers ofcork, wood, and canvas, cemented togetherby marine glue. The Margate boat is awooden boat, which was formerly stationedat Dover, and which Mr. CLARKSON alteredand fitted up with air-cases of his material.

The NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION,in appreciation of the public spirit of theMargate boatmen in providing themselveswith a life-boat, presented them with a setof life-belts of the best description, for theuse of their boat's crew.

CLIFFORD'S IMPROVED METHODOF LOWERING BOATS AT SEA.

IT is now two years since, in conjunctionwith other plans, we reviewed this noveland ingenious mode of lowering boats, andwe then emphatically declared our opinionas to its value, and expressed our hope thatit might meet with that encouragement fromship-owners, steam companies, and theGovernment authorities, to which it appearedto us to be entitled. During the above-namedperiod, we are lappy to say that it hasmade rapid progress, and is now extensivelyin use; whilst the high encomiums passedon it in all quarters fully justify the favour-able opinion we entertained of it when butyet in its infancy. We now again drawattention to it, hoping that our doing somay be instrumental to making its meritsmore universally known, and thus lead toits still more general adoption. We alsofeel it due to Mr. CLIFFORD, that we shouldthus publicly acknowledge the extraordinaryzeal, energy, and public spirit which he hasexhibited amidst difficulties and discourage-ments of no ordinary kind; and withoutthe exertion of which, we believe that nostep would yet have been taken to render

JAIL 1,1858.-J THE LIFE-BOAT. 21

the process of lowering boats at sea more safe and expeditious than of yore, and without which the public would have been thus deprived of a highly useful and most important invention.

We are happy to say that the Emigration Commissioners now require all ships char- tered by them to have their boats fitted with Mr. CLIFFORD'S apparatus-that the Board of Admiralty, after receiving the highest testimonials of its value from the Captains of several men-of-war in which it had been experimentally fitted, have ordered its geneml adoption, both in the vessels of the Royal Navy and in the Transport Service- that the East India Company have directed that it shall be fitted to all their vessels of war-and that the example has been fol- lowed by several of our large steam companies. Even during the short time that it has been in use, and that to a very limited extent, it has been the means in several Cases of saving lives. From H.M.S. sljannon, twice on her passage to the Cape- from the emigrant ships, Cc-mnwdore Perry, Blwxdell, Washington Irving, Hqlikq, Black Iiizgle, and Ebba Brahe, .and from the Transatlantic, belonging to Messrs. THOMP- SON, of Aberdeen-have lives been saved by the ready and almost instantaneous means for lowering a boat ready manned, which Mr. CLIFFORD’S plan affords ; and in each of these cases have the officers in command given their written testimony to the value of the invention, in two instances admitting that such would have been the danger of lowering the boats by the ordinary tackles, in consequence of the heavy sea running, that they would not have felt justified in risking the lives of their crews in attempting the operation.

NOW, it must be remembered that all the above cases have occurred within the past twelve months, attended by the drawbacks naturally attendant on a new invention, which, although simple, is perfectly novel in its mechanical action and mode of applica- tion. What a vast number of lives may not then in proYpective be saved through its instrumentality, when all ships that carry outside boats have them so fitted !

In illustration of the entire trustworthiness . __

and perfect safety of the plan, as also of Mr. CLIFFORD'S confidence in it, and of his own energetic character, we mey state that, during the last two years, he has himself not only personally superintended the fitting of the appardtns in nearly every instance of its first adaptation, but that he has been lowered literally hundreds of times in boats so fitted on their first experimental trials, fquently when proceeding in steamers rapidly through the water, in order to show its prdCti& efiiciency and to give confidence to those about to use it for the first time.

We are of opinion that Mr. CLDFORD is entitled to the greatest credit for thus per- severingly carrying out his invalaable plan, constantly in the face of the prejudices and difficulties of no ordina;y kind, such as so often beset the way of the inventor. “We think him the more entitled to credit in that be is not by profession a sailor, and that nearly his whole time and labour, for the space of three years, to the detriment of his worldly and pecuniary interests in his proper calling, have been consumed in this work.- Very great additional loss has been also eu- tailed on him by experimental and travelling expenses in effecting his determination to bring, if possible, into general use, an invention which experience has now shown he was justified in considering to be one of great, and even national importance.

From what we have ourselves seen of Mr. CLIFFORD, we .feel sure that his chief rewal:d wiIl be the knowledge that he luzs rendered an important service to suffering humanity; but nevertheless we trust that the Government, the commer&l and shipping community, and indeed all those who are directly or indirectly benefited by the invention, will together aid, if not in a substantial remuneration to Mr. CLIPFORD, in acknow-ledgment of his public service, at least to remove the stigma that he has been suffered to accomplish it only at great pecuniary loss.

‘.

SHIPWRECE OFF BRIGHTON.

ON the 10th olZOct&er last at an early honr the inhabitants of Brighton were aroused from their beds by the report of an approach-


vious to the life-boats reaching the wreck,several rockets with lines attached had beenfired under the superintendence of CaptainWILLOUGHBY, R.N., Inspecting Commanderof Coast-guard, to effect, if possible, a com-munication with her by line, but it appearswithout effect.

There are three reasons why we thinkthis case of shipwreck especially deservingof record:—1st. It was a very gallant caseof saving life under difficulties. For each ofthe three life-boats engaged in the servicewas of an inferior character, as evinced bytheir filling with water and being therebydisabled, it being one of the most necessaryqualities of a life-boat that all water shippedshould be self-ejected, and the buoyancy ofthe boat be thereby preserved. 2nd. Thepublic spirit of the boatman, WRICHT, inproviding and maintaining a life-boat on hisown account, and his courage, determination,and perseverance, in making four successiveattempts, undeterred by failure, until he hadattained his object and rescued the remainderof the shipwrecked crew, are deserving ofespecial record. 3rd. The occurrence of awreck at Brighton, where such accidents arenot frequent, and the narrow escape of thecrew owing to the imperfect character of themeans available to afford relief, is an illus-tration of the fact—that, because wreckshave been unfrequent in any exposed locality,its population are not justified in expecting apermanent immunity from them—and, thatfact being granted, of the duty that devolveson certainly every wealthy or populousneighbourhood to provide the most efficientmeans to meet such calamities in the eventof their occurring.

We are happy in being enabled to add,that at a public meeting held at Brightonshortly after the above occurrence! it wasresolved to immediately take steps to pro-vide the most efficient life-boat protection;which has resulted in the formation atBrighton of a Branch of the NATIONALLIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, which Society isnow having a first-class life-boat constructedfor the locality, the inhabitants providinga house for the reception of the boat, andundertaking to subscribe annually a suffi-cient amount for its permanent support.

CORRESPONDENCE.

COMMUNICATION WITH STRANDED VESSELS.

SIR,—I have recently read with painfulinterest strictures upon the failures on theNorfolk coast to establish prompt communi-cation with a wrecked vessel. Few persons,indeed, are aware of the difficulty of cover-ing with a sure aim from the shore, bymeans of mortars or rockets, so small aspace as that occupied .by a wrecked vesselin a storm of wind. Is it not melancholy,then, to perceive the continued neglect onthe part of the owners and masters of ves-sels in not providing on board some re-sources for immediate communication withthe shore ? Could a shot from the ship missthe shore ? and if a wooden cone in 4leu ofit was attached to the line and fell short,would it not be cast on shore by the windand sea ? Would not a rocket, carrying itsline before the storm, progress farther andin a more certain direction than when It hasto drag the line against it? Or, if the ves-sels were too small for-these valuable appli-ances, would not the boat preserver (themodels of which the ROYAL NATIONALLIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION did me the honourto accept), which can be easily and quicklyattached to any boat, with a crew supportedalso in their attempt by Captain WARD'Slife-belts, convey a line to the shore before,the wind and sea, and establish a commuui^cation by which the life-boat or other meanswould be available for rescue? It reallyappears to toe, from the state of the vesselsI receive in this harbour of refuge, that themore we see done for them, the less theyare disposed to do for themselves. A fewpounds in each case would give them re-sources of their own, which, combined withthe life-boats of the above Institution, wouldnot only give courage and confidence to allengaged, but be the means of saving manyvaluable lives. I do hope to see the daywhen a policy of insurance shall b§ vitiatedif the lost or damaged ship is proved to bedeficient in certain necessary auxiliaries forthe preservation of life and property.

I am, &c. K. B. MARTIN.Royal Harbour Office, Ramsgate,

Oct. 30, 1867.

ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION,For the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck.

IK 1824.

Supported by Voluntary Subscriptions.PATBOBESS.

HEB MOST GBACIOUS MAJESTY THE QUEEN.VICE-PATRONS.

HIS BOTAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE CONSOBT, K.G.HIS MAJESTY THE KING OP THE BELGIANS, fc.G.

PHE3IDEWT.-*» " VICK-AUMIBAL HIS GBACE ALGERNON DUKE OP NORTHDMBEBLAKD, K.G., F.B.S.

COMMITTEE OF HAHASEHEHT.THOMAS BARING, Esq., M.P., V.P., Chairman.THOMAS C'HAFHAS, £sq., F.8.S., Kf., 0eptav O/ufintaH.

Vfce-Admiral BOWLES, C.B.Bear-Admiral C. B. D. BETHUNE, C.B.C«neral BLANSBARD, C.B.ALEXANDER BOETEFEUR, Esq.Captain Sir GEORGE BROKE, Bart., R.N., r.P.Bear-Admiral F. BULLOCK.Lord HENRY CHOLHONDELET.Bear-Admiral BERTIE C.CATOR.WILLIAM COTTOH, Esq., P.B.S.Vlce-Admlral Sir DEANS DDNDAS, K.C.B.Captain-gEOHGE DAVIES, B.N.Commaner FHANCIS W. ELLIS, B.K.MONTAGUE GORE, Esq.Bev. C. B. GRIBBLE, M.A.Captain W. H. HALL, B.JT., C. B., F.R.S.Captain G. A. HALSTED, B.N., Secretary to'Lloyu's.Commander J. C. HEASLOP, H. N.Commodore EDEN, B.N., C.B.. Comptroller-General of

Coast Guard.Vice-Admiral Sir THOJCAS HERBERT,K.C.B.EDWARD HBRRY, Esq., V.P.Captain E. A. IXGLKFIKLD. R.N., F.B.S.Captain A. JEENINGRAH, B.N.Captain W. H. KENNEDY, B.N., Deputy Comp.-Gen. Coast

Guard.Commander J. S. LEAK, R.N.

GEORGE LYALL, Esq.Captain J. B. B. kcHA RDY, B.N.Captain OHMAKNKT, B.N.LonLALFRED H.PAGET, M.P.Major GEORGK PALKEB.JAKES PEAKE Esq., Assistant Master Shipwright in H.JT.

Dockyard, wWwlch.Captain LAXBERT PEBBOTT.JOHN DISTOH POWLES, Esq.Commander ROBERTSON, B.N., Surveyor-General to the

Board of Trade.Sir ROBERT C, BOWLET, Bart,Bear-Admiral B.SAUMARF.Z, K.li.Captain SHEPHERD, H.C.S., V.P., Deputy Master of the

Trinity House.Bear-Admiral The Marquis TOWNSHESD.Captain SULIVAN, B.N., C.B., Board of Trade.Colonel TULLOH, B, A., Director of the Carriage Department

Royal Arsenal, Woolwich. 'Captain Sir BALDWIN W. WALKER, Bart.. B.N.. K C.R

Surveyor of the Navy. •Captain WASHINGTON, R.N.,F.B,S.,KP.,Hydrographerof

the Admtrafty.Commander J, R. WARD. RJf.ISAAC WATTS, Esq., Assistant Surveyor of the Navy.

TaOXAS BARING,THOMAS CHAPH AN,

THTJSTEE8.I JOHK DISTOSJ Po.P., V.P.

F.B.S..V.P. 1•RA WK MM—Messrs. WILLIS, PEKCIVAI., and Co., Lombard Street

? 8ECRETAKY—BICHARD LEWIS.

IIFE-BOAT IHSPECTOIl-Commander J. E. WARD, R.W,

•tES, Esq.

AUDITOE—G. C. BF.SBIE, Esq.

The Committee of the Royal National Life-Boat Institution would earnestly call tfre attention of the Public to thegreat and extraordinary exertions which the Society has recently made to provide efficient Life-boats at various parts ofthe coasts of the United Kingdom, including Seaton Carew, Walmer, Camber (Rye), Appledore (Devon), Braunton(Devon), Penmon (Anglesea), Arklow, VViokiow, Yonghal, and Westport. To supply these Life-boats, together withTnnsporttag-eairiages and Boat-houses fot aome of them, has involved an expenditure of upwards of £3,000.

The establishment of Life-boats at Hastings, Brighton, Holyuead, Groomsport (near Belfast), Kilmore and Rosslare(JWesfiinf), fcod AidmoK *nd Coartmacatwrrr (CwJf), has sance been nn&eitaken by the Committee,

This important work, can only ne continued by the aid of a generous Public. The rescue of shipwrecked persons fromdrowning is a work of mercy and humanity, which so manifestly claims the sympathy of all classes of persons in thisMaritime and Commercial Country, that the Committee feel assured that the present urgent demands on the Institutionneed only to be known to insure for it the liberal support of the Community at large.

The Committee grateftMy achnavHeOge the following aMitional Cantributiont :•£. i. d.

A. II. A (Donation) 50Arden, The Hon. Miss . . . (2nd Donation) 10Ballineall James, Esq., Melbourne, Australia

(Annual) 1Barclay, Mrs. E.,BlacVweU . (3rd Donation) 5Cocbrane, Admiral Sir Thomas, K.C.B., and

LadyCochrane (Donation) 10Frenda, the Misses, the Black Friars (Donation) 60Hollings, John, Esq., Victoria Road (Annual) 1Lambert, Miss E., Kyde . . • (3rd Donation) 5Larking, Rev. Lambert, per>- Moore, Esq. (Don.) 1Limerick, the Bishop of . . . . (Donation) 3Middleton, Sir William, Bart. . . (Donation) 5Murray, Lord (Donation) 5

t 0

£. t.Parry, Lady Jones, Madryn Park . (Donation) S 0Procter, John, Esq., Highbury . . (Donation) 10 10Reynolds, Joseph, Esq. . . . (<th Donation) 5 0Selkirk, Lord (Donation) i 0Shearman, J,, ESQ. . . . . (and Donation) 0 loSherborne, Lord (Donation) 20 0Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners' Society,

collected from it) Members . (4th Donation) 150 0Smith, Rev. Edward, Ashley . (2nd Donation) 0 10Tayler, James, Esq., FnmivaTs Inn (Annual)'Wensleydale, Lord • . . . . (Donation)Widow's Mite « . (Donation)Wilder, Edmond, Esq., Stanstead Park (Don.)Wilson, Thomas, Esq., Waterford . (Donation)

000000

00

1 ) 05 0 o0 10^0

10 10 os o u

Donations and Annuat Satteriptions will be thankfully received by Messrs. Wittn, PEKCTVAI, and Co., 7« LombardStreet, Bankers to the Institution; Messrs. HEREIES, FARODHAB, and Co., 16 St. James's Street; Messrs. COUTTS andCo S9 Strand; LONDOS and Constl BANK, 21 Lombard Street; by all the London and Country Bankers; by theseveral Metropolitan Army and Navy Agents; and by the Secretary at the Office of the Institution, 14 JOHN STREET,

Payments may be made by cheques (crossed), or by Post-office Orders, to Messrs. WILLW, PE&CIVAL, and Co.; or to theSecretary.

Printed by GIOEOI CI.OWM, of 61 Unssell Square, in the County of Middlesex, at the Printing Office of Messrs.Clowes and Sons, Duke Street, Stamford Street, in the Borough of Lambeth, County of Surrey; and published byCHARLJS KHIGHT, of 90 Fleet Street, in the Parish of St. Bride, in the City of London. Friday, January 1,1858.

the life-boat,...the life-boat. [jan . 1, 1858 and increasing suppor to th before-namete d...

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