IT can scarcely fail to be interesting to such of our readers as take an interest in the subject of saving lives from shipwreck to know what is being done in furtherance of that humane object in other countries than our own. To learn how far a calamity of so world-wide a character has awakened a world-wide sympathy. To know if the British seaman or the British emigrant is provided in other and far-off lands with the same succour in his distress as one of the subjects of foreign countries whom the intercourse of nations brings to our own shores. To ascertain whether the means provided to rescue shipwrecked persons are similar in amount, character, system of maintenance and management, on the shores of other kingdoms to those in use around the British isles.

In pursuit of this information our. thoughts are naturally, in the first place, directed to those transatlantic shores peopled by a race that has sprung from the loins of our own, who possessing the same enterprise, and the same maritime and commercial spirit as ourselves, have already erected a mercantile navy only second to our own, and which, in accordance with the colossal proportions of most other things in that vast country which they inhabit, bids fair ere long to leave ours in its wake. We are not aware that prior to the year 1847 any efforts of a public or national character were made to afford rescue to shipwrecked persons in the United States of America; but we find that in that year Congress made an " appropriation for furnishing the lighthouses on the Atlantic coast with means of rendering assistance to shipwrecked mariners, of five thousand dollars, to be under the control and direction of the Secretary of the Treasury." This appropriation was expended mostly on the coasts of Massachusetts.

In 1848 an appropriation was again made by Congress, not confined to lighthouses, but " to be expended on the coast of New Jersey, between Sandy Hook and Little Egg Harbour, to the extent of ten thousand dollars, under the supervision of such officers as should be detailed for this duty by the Secretary of the Treasury, to provide surfboats, rockets, carronades, and other apparatus, for the better preservation of life and property from shipwreck." In succeeding years Congress has made grants of a similar character.

In the year 1849, a number of gentlemen resident in the city of New York, and personally connected with its maritime commerce, prominent amongst whom was WALTER JONES, Esq., who is its present Chairman, formed an Association to aid in the good work that had already been commenced by the government of their country, and which, under the title of " The Life-Saving Benevolent Association," was incorporated as a benevolent and charitable society by the Legislature of the State of New York in March 1849, and authorized to hold property to the extent of ten thousand dollars of annual income. Its objects, as expressed in its charter, are, " To encourage meritorious conduct, to grant rewards, donations, and premiums in money and medals, to procure and use life-boats, boat and stationhouses, with articles and materials to afford facilities in saving life, in cases of shipwreck or otherwise, and, by themselves or others, to perform any similar services of benevolence and charity." Impressed with a sense of the urgent necessity for placing life-boats and forming stations for refuge and shelter in the neighbourhoods of the places of most frequent shipwrecks, the earliest endeavours of the Association were directed to the provision of those means for saving life.

From the first institution of the Society, it appears that it has acted in unison with the Legislature of the State, which, in fact, has confided to it (in concert with a Government Agent selected by the Secretary of the Treasury) the expenditure of the sums voted by the Congress, for the erection of boat-houses, purchase of life-boats, apparatus, &c. Accordingly we find that out of 8,881 dollars expended.in 1850, on life-boats, boathouses, boat-carriages, and mortar apparatus, as much asj 8,467 dollars were contributed by the appropriation of Congress.

In that year ten life-boats were procured, ten houses built to receive them, and four were furnished with carriages. Each station was also provided with cooking apparatus and other articles for relieving the immediate wants of shipwrecked persons.

In 1851 three more life-boats and one surfboat were stationed.

In January 1854, when a Report of the Association was published, it possessed 27 life-boat stations on the coasts of Long Island, New York, and of New Jersey, an extent of about 300 miles. Each of these stations, besides a life-boat or surfboat, with a carriage for its conveyance, and all necessary gear for its proper management, is also provided with a rocket and a mortar apparatus for effecting a communication with stranded ships, with a life-car for drawing shipwrecked persons by a line through the surf, and with ample supplies of shot, rockets, lines, and such other gear as is necessary or useful. We have not an exact return of all the lives saved by the life-boats and other apparatus of the Life-saving Association, but we are told that many hundreds have been rescued from drowning by means of the life-boats and apparatus. Amongst others are recorded the saving of 204 emigrants and the crew of the English, ship Henry by the surf-boat at Bridgehampton Station on Long Island in June 1851. Of 270 emigrants and crew from the English ship Catherine by the life-boat and apparatus at the Amaganset Station on Long Island.

Of 100 persons from the ship Chauncey Jerome Jun., by the life-boat and life-car of the Long Branch Station, New Jersey, in January 1854. Of 201 passengers and the crew of the ship Ayrshire, through a terrific surf and during a severe snow-storm, by the apparatus and life car of the Squam Beach Station, New Jersey, on the 12th January 1850. Of 290 persons from the ship Georgia, by the apparatus and life car of the Long Beach Station, Long Island, in December 1852. Of 234 persons from the ship Cornelius GrinneU by the apparatus and life-car of the Squam Beach Station, New Jersey, on the night of the 13th January 1853. Of 200 passengers and the crew of the ship Seaduck by the apparatus and life-car of the Long Beach Station, New Jersey, in April 1853.

The above-quoted instances alone, accounting for the saving of upwards of 1,500 persons within the short space of two and a half years, form a striking illustration of the important services to humanity rendered by the instrumentality of the Association, as also of the serious character of the wrecks on those parts of the American coast, so large a number of them being Emigrant ships, numbering their inhabitants by hundreds.

It will be observed that two-thirds of the persons saved, as above quoted, viz., 1,000 out of 1,500, have been so through the instrumentality of a life-car drawn through the surf by lines, after a communication has been effected with the stranded ship by means of a mortar or rocket apparatus; to us a striking circumstance, as in this country a much greater number of persons are saved by lifeboats than by the mortar and rocket apparatus : indeed, we are not aware of any instance where so great a number as even 100 persons have, on any one occasion, been rescued by means of the apparatus on our own coasts. Judging from the descriptions given of the life-car in use in America, we conceive that it must be of a superior character to anything of the kind in use in this country. It is said to convey ordinarily four or five persons perfectly dry and unexposed through the heaviest surf, and to have brought from the wreck of the Chauncey Jerome Jun., as many as six children and one woman at one time. At the wreck of the Ayrshire,it is stated that " every soul, men, women, children, and infants, came through the surf during that cold snow-storm, dry and comfortable." The lite-car was invented by Captain DOUGLAS OTTINGER, of the- United States Revenue Service, in 1849. It is constructed of galvanized iron, and encloses its occupants entirely within it, excluding the water from without, yet affording ventilation of air. Captain OTTINGER has not patented it, fearing that his doing so might restrict its adoption.

The life-boats of the Association are also made of iron, and are known as 'FRANCIS'S galvanized iron life-boats." One of them has been tried in this country, but was not approved of; and indeed, judging from the description given of them in the Report of the Association, and notwithstanding the valuable services rendered by them, we cannot conceive them to be equal to the lifeboats now placing by the National Life-boat Institution, on Mr. PEAKE'S design. For instance, it is stated in approbation of one of FRANCIS'S boats, " that with 25 persons on board, she floated with her gunwale 9 inches above the surface of the water, after shipping a sea, and steered steadier than when without water in her." Now one of Mr.

PEAKE'S 30-feet life-boats, with 25 persons in her, would, if filled by a sea, relieve herself of nearly the whole of it in 25 seconds, leaving only from 2 to 3 inches in depth of water above the deck, and floating with the gunwale from 18 to 20 inches above the water's surface, in addition to which quality, and to very great stability, they will selfright if upset, which we believe FRANCIS'S boats will not do: they are also very fast.

In concluding this sketch of the New York Life-Saving Association,' we would draw attention to the circumstance, which we think reflects much credit on the United States Legislature, that it has from the first incorporation of the Society, given it a support worthy of the magnitude and the national character of its objects, and has heartily co-operated with it in its endeavours to fulfil what we must consider to be, in every maritime country, a national duty.

We trust that, with God's blessing on its " labour of love," the Association may long continue, through the aid of the American public, and the support and co-operation of their Legislature, to extend a helping hand to every hapless crew whose tempest-driven barque may be stranded on their shores !.