THE following Circular*, which has been issued by the Board of Trade to Life-boat Committees throughout the United Kingdom, provides, under certain indispensable conditions, for the increased efficiency of the lifeboat service.

We have no doubt that, if this important measure be carried out with tact and discrimination, the valuable assistance offered, on the part of the Government, will greatly tend to improve the management of this most important service. To prove how important this service is on our coasts, it is only necessary to adduce the fact that, in the course of last year (1854), upwards of 1540 persons perished from wrecks on the shores and in the surrounding seas of Great Britain and Ireland.

It is supposed that 'a very considerable number of those persons who thus unhappily perished might have been rescued from their untimely end, had there been life-boats at or near many of the places where these calamities occurred.

We cannot therefore too frequently impress on the supporters of this humane cause, that it is the desire of the Board of Trade to stimulate and encourage local exertions in this good work, by adding its pecuniary aid to perfect the machinery already in existence, rather than to supersede the same; and that accordingly, not only will the assistance of the Board be conditional on local exertions being made, but the Board may see fit at a future time to withdraw its assistance to the cause altogether, if it shall be found to have a contrary effect to that which the Board has been led to anticipate.

We believe that this appeal to the generosity of our countrymen will not be made in vain, that the life-boat cause will not form an exception to the many excellent works of charity and benevolence which are so liberally supported by them, and that the Royal National Life-Boat Institution and kindred local societies, will be enabled to do more than they have ever yet been able to do to lessen the number of persons lost from shipwreck on our coasts.

" OFFICE or COMMITTEE OF PRIVY COUNCIL FOR TRADE, 22nd February, 1855.

" SIR,—With reference to the Circular from this Board, of the 13th of September last, I am now directed by the Lords of the Committee of Privy Council for Trade to inclose, for the information of the Life-Boat Committee at , the rules upon which my Lords propose to exercise the powers conferred upon them by the ' Merchant Shipping Act, 1854," sections 458, 459, 441, and 442, for extending the means of saving life from shipwreck, and of conferring rewards on persons assisting in such service.

" My Lords feel confident, that the measures they have in view will receive full support and co-operation from all existing Life- Boat Committees in the 'United Kingdom; but they feel that such support and co-operation will be best secured, and that the formation of similar local agencies will be most successfully promoted, by the adoption on the part of this Department of such steps as will stimulate local and voluntary exertion; and my Lords have therefore determined to afford the assistance which it is in their power to give, in proportion as they are satisfied that every local effort has been used to form Committees and procure funds from local sources, for the purposes in view.

" In the wealthier and more populous portions of the Kingdom, my Lords anticipate that the public spirit of the neighbourhood will supersede the necessity of recurrence to this Board for aid.

" In cases where a necessity for such assistance exists, the assistance contemplated by the Board of Trade will be confined to assisting towards the manning and exercise of boats, and towards defraying expenses connected with actual service, rendered in saving, or endeavouring to save life from shipwreck. The construction and maintenance of boats and boat-houses will, my Lords anticipate, be provided for, as heretofore, by funds voluntarily raised.

" My Lords have entered into correspondence with the National Life-Boat Institution, which offers many advantages to Local Committees in correspondence with it, and they propose also to communicate from time to time with any Local Committee which may desire to address their communications directly to this department.

" The conditions and rates of payment upon, and according to which the Board of Trade will render assistance in cases where such assistance appears to be indispensable, are as follows:— " 1.—Every Life-Boat Committee is to have as one of its members an officer of the Coast Guard, or of the Customs, or some official person connected with the Board of Trade, and specially appointed for this purpose.

" 2.—The Local Committee, or other body, shall be provided with a boat and boat- house, of a kind and in a situation satisfactory to this Board.

" 3.—The boats, boat-houses, gear o! boats, &c., shall be kept in complete and efficient order, and shall be at all times accessible to the Inspector of the Board o) Trade, who will occasionally visit the spot.

" 4.—Each boat shall have a coxswain, and if he is selected by the Committee, the Board of Trade will pay half the salary, but if by the representative of the Board of Trade, the Board of Trade will pay the whole. The salary of the coxswain shall be eight pounds (8?.) per annum, and he will share in the rewards in the same proportion as the rest of the crew.

" 5.—Where crews are willing to be enrolled, or where from the fact that proper men to man the boats cannot always be obtained at once and on the spot, it is desirable to enrol a permanent crew; this step may be taken, and in all such cases the number should be at least one-half more than is required to man the boat.

" 6.—The coxswain and crew are to act under the directions of the Local Committee, but the coxswain may, with the sanction of the representative of this Board, have a general power to launch the boat whenever danger to life is imminent, without first acquainting the Committee. He will, however, do this on his own responsibility.

" 7.—On every occasion of the boat going off to save life, the crew shall be paid ten shillings (10s.) per man, for service by day, and one pound (1Z.) for service at night " 8.—On extraordinary occasions of great danger, fatigue, and lengthened exposure, they will be paid from one pound (11.) to two pounds (21.) per man, on the case being submitted by the Committee, with full particulars, and signed by the representative of the Board of Trade, and approved by the Board of Trade.

" 9.—For exercising, from three shillings (3s.) to five shillings (5s.) will be paid per man; the latter sum if the weather is rough.

" 10.—Exercising to take place once a quarter at least.

" 11.—When it is considered necessary, by order of the Committee to assemble a crew, and nothing is payable under the above Rules 8 and 9, they shall receive two shillings (2s.) per day each, and if at night, three shillings (3s.) each.

" 12.—In the event of any loss Of life occurring on any occasion of going off to save life, and widows or children being left in distress, the Board of Trade will contribute sums ranging from five pounds (51.) to fifty pounds (50/.), to any subscription which may be raised for them on the spot, or give such relief as they may deem fit according to the circumstances of the case.

" 13.—'No payments will be recognised by this Board, as due to any person under these rules, unless the same be certified by the signature of the Customs, Coastguard, or other ofiicer representing this department, as a member of the Local ComKuttee.

" Charges incurred in conformity with these rules, and with such sanction as aforesaid, will, after examination by the Accountant of the Board of Trade, be repaid to the Local Committee through the Paymaster- General.

" In making the proposals, contained in the above rules, my Lords wish to call to the especial notice of the Committee, the following clause (sec. 459) of the 'Merchant Shipping Act, 1854.' " ' Salvage, in respect of the preservation of the life or lives of anj person or persons belonging to any such ship'or boat as aforesaid, shall be payable by the owners of the ship or boat in priority to all other claims for salvage; and in cases where such ship or boat is destroyed, or where the value thereof is insufficient, after payment of the actual expenses incurred, to pay the amount of salvage due in respect of any life or lives, the Board of Trade may, in its discretion, award to the salvors of such life or lives, out of the Mercantile Marine Fund, such sum or sums as it deems fit, in whole or part satisfaction of any amount of salvage so left unpaid in respect of such life or lives.' M The effect of this clause is, that persons saving life from wreck, are entitled to recover salvage in priority of any other claim for salvage out of the property saved, and when no property, or not sufficient property is saved, the Board of Trade is enabled to allow reasonable remuneration out of the Mer- cantile Marine Fund. These last-mentioned payments are not included in those to which reference has been made in the foregoing rales, and will be provided for, as may hereafter be found expedient.

" The rockets and Manby's mortar apparatus, on the Coast, will remain under the charge of the Coastguard, to be used as heretofore in all cases when they can be of service. But as this Circular may possibly fall into the hands of shipowners, my Lords think it may be worth while to suggest, that as the ' Merchant Shipping Act, 1854,' sec. 301, provides, that every steam-passenger ship shall carry a cannon or other means of making signals of distress, owners might substitute for the cannon, Manby's 24-pounder mortar and apparatus, which, while it would answer the purpose of signals, would, when required, be useful also as a means of effecting a communication with the shore.

'' I am, &c., (Signed) " T. H. FAERER.

" To the of the Life-Soot Committee.".