A leading object of this publication being to draw attention to the deplorable loss of life from shipwreck which periodically takes place on our shores, we propose, in our pre- sent Number, to take a brief general review* of the subject, for the information of such of our readers as may not be already acquainted with it.

As stated in out last, it has been com- puted that an average of about 700 deaths from shipwreck and accident at sea, annually occur on the coasts of the United Kingdom, With this fact before us, and with the in- stinctive appreciation of the blessing of life, which, each one of us bears in his own bosom, we need surely do no more than revert to the fact, and to the Scriptural injunction, to "do to others as we would they should do unto us," and we feel persuaded that we shall at once carry the minds of our readers with us when we affirm the necessity that exists for adequate and immediate means being em- ployed to diminish so tearful an amount of human calamity.

But, that necessity being granted, the question next presents itself—On whom de- volves the duty of supplying it? From the circumstances attending shipwreck, the suf- ferers are necessarily unable to help one another, and they must, therefore, receive extraneous aid, or perish.

Shall they, then, look to the inhabitants of the locality where they are stranded ? But the coat of constructing life-boats and provid- ing other appliances for their succour is great, and the residents on our coasts, excepting at large sea-port towns, are proverbially poor; consequently, although they may possess amongst them generous spirits, stout hearts, muscular arms, and a ready will, yet these valuable qualities are insufficient of them- selves, a fact to which, striking and melan- choly testimony is boroe by the number of widows and orphans to be met with on our coasts, who mourn for those, who, whilst endeavouring, with imperfect means at com- mand, to rescue the lives of others, have lost their own.

Besides, if the inhabitants of our coasts were better able than they are to bear the cost of providing life-boats, &c., we see not why it should fall exclusively as a tax on them, from the mere accident of their resid- ing on the coast. Neither do we perceive any reason why the cost should be borne alone by the charitable portion of the public.

The history of this country attests that she has attained her present commercial greatness through the instrumentality of her seamen, and who have thus established a claim on the whole community, for what class, or even individual, is there amongst us who is not benefited by our commercial pros- perity? There are probably few persons, if any, who are not better fed, better clothed, and better housed as a consequence of it.

Have not, then, a class of men who con- tribute so largely to the comfort and there- fore happiness of their countrymen—who are the amassers of wealth for others rather than themselves (for their catting is not a lucra- tive one)—who are exposed, in the exercise of that calling, to so many more dangers than the followers of any other occupation what- ever, and who, when falling into those dan- gers, have no means for helping themselves.

Have not such a class of men a strong claim on their countrymen of all classes, whether residing on the coast or inland, to extend a hand to their rescue. And indeed we look forward to the time as not being far distant when this claim will be generally recognized, as it has already been by the merchant princes of the City of London, and when the nation shall atone for her past neglect of her " sons of the wave " (alas ! too often its victims), by adding such an annual Parliamentary Grant to the sums raised by voluntary con- tributions, as shall provide suitable and ade- quate means for the rescue of shipwrecked crews on every coast of the United Kingdom, Hitherto all efforts to save the shipwrecked mariner have been confined to the National Shipwreck Institution, supported, but most inadequately so, by voluntary contributions; to the various local Associations on different parts of the coast; and to those brave men who, in their own open boats, and without the prospect of pecuniary reward, have nobly and disinterestedly imperilled, and often lost, their own lives in making those efforts.

Another valuable institution, The Ship- wrecked Fishermen and Mariners' Benevolent Society, has now, also, in addition to fee object for which it was originally established, undertaken to provide life-boats and rocket and mortar apparatus for saving life.

It might be supposed by some, that thus ample means are already furnished, but on reference to the Report of the Northumber- land Life-boat Committee, quoted in our last Number, it will be found that all means hitherto adopted have been wholly inade- quate—life-boats have been too few in num- ber—of imperfect form and construction— oftea HDsuited to the »ature of the locality where stationed—they have, at many places, been under indifferent management—their crews have seldom or never been practised in them—and in many instances they have been suffered to fall into decay, and have become totally useless.

We have not made these statements with a view to pass strictures on those public bodies who have hitherto undertaken the provision of life-boats, &c. They have done what they could. They have come forward amidst general apathy. Honour, therefore, to whom honour is due. Their imperfect working has arisen from the want of adequate pecuniary support; from the necessarily dis- united and desultory nature of their efforts; and from public indifference to the subject.

Let us hope, however, that a new era is .before us. As a first advance towards it, thanks to the liberality and public spirit of His Grace the Duke of NORTHUMBERLAND, a far nearer approach to a perfect life-boat has been obtained than previously existed.

Such an amount of public attention has been drawn to the subject, as must, we feel satis- fied, ensure a large increase of voluntary con- tributions towards the cause, which we trust may hereafter be yet further assisted by a National Grant. And lastly, if the Crown could be induced to appoint an Inspector of Life-boats and life-preserving apparatus, who would be invested with the supervi- sion and inspection of all those boats towards the establishment and mainte- nance of which the aid of Government had been contributed; doubtless his general ex- perience would soon be taken advantage of even by those local bodies who wholly sup- port their own boats, and he might thus become a medium of union which, by lead- ing to a uniform system of management throughout the country, would impart to the whole means every where employed for the preservation of life from shipwreck, the ad- vantages always derivable from combination and unity of direction.