WE are desirous of calling the attention of Commissioners of harbours, docks, and piers to the following clauses of an Act of Parliament, relative to the providing of life-boats and the life-preserving apparatus by the undertakers of such works. Considering the great importance of the subject and the dreadful consequences that not unfrequently result from not being sufficiently prepared with means for saving life at such places, we trust that their trustees will manifest a laudable desire to comply with these salutary clauses, and thus avoid a repetition of such scenes as have sometimes been witnessed ; and we would also earnestly impress on them the heavy responsibility which they incur either by an evasion of the Act of Par-liament in this matter, or by an only apparent compliance with the same by retaining in their service life-boats and apparatus of an imperfect and inefficient character.

HARBOURS,. DOCKS, AND PIERS CLAUSES ACT. (10 Viet., cap. 27.) " And with respect to life-boats be it enacted as follows:— " Section 16. Life-boats, $c. to be provided by Undertakers.—Unless it be provided by the special Act that the undertakers need not provide life-boats, the undertakers, before they shall be entitled to take any rates in respect of the harbour, dock, or pier, shall provide, and always thereafter maintain, in good repair, an efficient and wellappointed life-boat, a Manby's mortar, and a sufficient supply of Carte's rockets, or such other mortar and rockets as the Lords of the Admiralty, by writing under the hand of the Secretary of the Admiralty, shall approve of, with all necessary tackle, and a competent crew and proper persons for the effectual working thereof, for the assistance and succour of vessels in distress; and the undertakers shall cause such life-boat, mortars, and rockets, to be stationed at, or upon, the most advanced works of the harbour, dock, or pier, or such other place as the Lords of the Admiralty shall approve of as aforesaid, and to be used on all necessary occasions.

" Section 17. Penalty for not providing Life-boat, fyc.—The undertakers shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding two pounds for every twenty-four hours during which the said life-boat, mortar, and rockets, or any of them, or the tackle belonging thereto, shall not be provided or maintained and stationed as aforesaid."