AT the Annual General Meeting of the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, held at the London Tavern on Thursday, the 19th day of March, 1857, His Grace the DUKE of NORTHUMBERLAND, K.G., F.R.S., in the Chair, The following Report of the Committee was read:— ANNUAL REPORT.

THE Committee of Management of the Royal National Life-Boat Institution have once more the satisfaction to present to its supporters, and to the public, the customary Annual Report of their proceedings, and Record of the present position and circum- stances of the Society. .

It is with heartfelt gratitude, that the Committee have to report the continued and rapid progress which the Institution has made during the past twelve months, and which it is still making. A steady and uniform progress, whether as regards the number and efficiency of its Life-boat Esta- blishments ; the number of human lives it has been instrumental to save; or, what may be in general fairly considered an index of efficiency, a progress in public estimation, as evinced by public support.

If, indeed, the Committee be allowed to accept this latter substantial evidence of public favour as a criterion of the utility and success of their labours, they must receive, therefrom, the most ample reward for their past exertions, and encouragement to a zeal- ous continuance of them; for in no previous year of the Society's existence has it received so large an amount of pecuniary public aid.

By means of that aid, and the-continued important grant from the Board of Trade, the Institution has been enabled, during the past year, to build several new life-boats, carriages, and boat-houses, and to maintain its increased scale of payments and awards to the coxswains and crews of its life-boats, and to others who have exerted themselves to save lives from shipwreck.

Relying on the continued support of the British public to this Institution, which is now every year assuming more of a national character, the Committee have undertaken to add several new life-boat establishments to those it now possesses.

The Committee are thankful to be able to report a continued immunity from accident to the life-boats of the Institution, and that their crews have, as hitherto, the utmost confidence in their safety and efficiency.

The following statistical returns will show the extent of the Society's operations, under various heads:— Life-Boats.—During the past year new life-boats have been built for Drogheda and Dundrum Bay in Ireland; and for Dungeness, Padstow, Bideford, Walmer, and Hornsea, on the English coasts; whilst others are in course of construction for Arldow, Cahore, Kilmore, Yonghal, and Ballycotton in Ire- land; for Camber in Sussex; for Seaton Carew in Durham; and for Penmon in the Island of Anglesea. Boats are also ready to be furnished to Westport and to Wicklow in Ireland.

The life-boats belonging to, and in con- nection with, the Institution have, since the last Report, saved the crews of the foJlowing vessels, and have proceeded to the assistance of many others in. reply to signals of dis- tress :—• Reliance, of London .... 15 Tennant, of Stockton .... 8 Ptiisher, of Sunderland •. . . 7 Georgina, of Inverness .... 5 Sophie, of Oporto 31 Mary Ann, of Liverpool ... 8 Temperance, of Belfast. . ; -. 4 Ratcliffe, of Whitby .... 8 Coble, of Berwick 3 Bonne Marie; of Nantes ... 8 WStiam Carey, of Pwllheli . . 39 BaJaMava Coble, of Newbiggin . 4 Nuevo Torcuvato, of Valencia . 9 Provence, of Norway .... 6 Ann and Catherine, of Bannouth 3 Henry, of Montrose . . . . 12 ffibernia, of Teignmouth . . 4 129 Carriages. — New carriages have been built during the past year for Alnmouth, Hornsea, Dungeness, Lyme RegiSj Sennen, I Padstow, Bideford, Fishguard, and Rhyl, in England; and for Dundram Bay and Kil- more, in Ireland. Others are also building for Walmer, Arklow, Cahore, and Youghal.

The Committee have spared no pains to improve and increase the efficiency of these valuable adjuncts to a life-boat establishment.

Boat-Houses. — New boat-houses have j been built during the past year at Eye, j Walmer, Rhyl, Castletown, Drogheda, and j Westport. Others are also in conree of erection at Eastbourne, Camber, Wicklow, Arklow, Cahore, Kilmore, and Youghal.

Local Committees.—The Committee con- tinue to receive the invaluable co-operation of the local honorary committees who have undertaken the superintendence of the life- boat establishments in their several localities.

Shipwrecks.—From the elaborate and in- teresting Return of the Wrecks and Casual- ties which occurred on and near the coasts of the United Kingdom during the past year, presented by the Board of Trade to Parliament, it appears that the total number of wrecks in that period was 1,153. About one-half of that number took place, as usual, on the east coast, thus showing, in the most striking manner, the great want of available harbours of refuge on that part of the coast The loss of lives from shipwreck during the past year was 521. Although this number is considerably less than has oc- curred in previous years, with the excep- tion of the year 1855, when the number was 469, it is yet lamentably large; and the Committee feel persuaded that, in future years, if the present vigorous exertions that are now being made are sustained and in- creased, this loss of human life on our coasts will be still farther considerably reduced.

" The sacrifice of human life and the loss of property which are crowded into this sad record are not, perhaps, understood by the casual reader, but are keenly realized in.

many a home throughout these islands and in many a house of business. The founder- ing of the vessel amidst the wild tumnlt of the elements—the wreck beaten into staves on a lee shore—the terrible collision on the watery highway, when one or, per- haps, both vessels sink with their living freight and costly cargo, perhaps to rise no more—such incidents as these are recorded, it may be, in a brief line or two, yet what a volume of loss and of anguish are embraced in the few words in which each tale is told!" It is, however, gratifying to find that the number of lives saved from shipwreck during the past year has been'unprecedentedly large.  In the year 1855, the lives of no less than 1,388 were rescued from shipwreck on the coasts and in the seas of the British Isles; but last year that number was in- creased to 2,243—a most satisfactory result, and affording a striking proof of what may be accomplished in this work of humanity by co-operation, by exertion, and by the skilful and courageous use of all the means that are available for the preservation of life from shipwreck. The means by which this large number of lives were saved was as fol- lows :—By life-boats ...... 362 By luggers, coastguard-boats, and small craft. . . . -. 1,184 By assistance from shore with 407 262 ropes, mortar apparatus, &c.

By ships and steam-vessels By individual exertion of a meritorious character.

28 Total 2,243 The total number of persons saved from shipwreck since, the first establishment of this Institution, for rescuing whom the Committee have granted honorary and pecu- niary rewards, is shown in the following list:— No. of lives Saved.

124 218 175 163 301 463 372 287 810 449 214 364 225 272 456 279 No. of Lives Saved.

353 128 276 236 193 235 134 157 123 209 470 230 778 678 355 406 473 In the Year 1824 1825 1826 1827 1828 1829 1830 1831 1832 1833 1834 1835 1836 1837 1838 1839 In the Year 1840 1841 1842 1843 1844 1845 1846 1847 1848 1849 1850 1851 1852 1853 1854 1855 1856 Total . .

10,101 Who can contemplate this large number of lives saved from a watery grave with- out heartfelt satisfaction! And to those who have directly, by their individual ex- ertions, or to others who have indirectly, by their subscriptions, contributed to that happy result, that satisfaction must be greatly enhanced.

Rewords for saving life.—The frequency of wrecks brings with it, as usual, corre- sponding .gallant and laudable exertions to save Life; and many have been these acts during the past year of individual daring, which have not only called forth the acknow- ledgments of .the National Life-Boat Institu- tion, but have also, from the publicity given to them by the press, elicited the admiration, of the public at large.

During the past year the Institution has awarded 21 silver medals, and 18 honorary testimonials inscribed on vellum. It has also voted 4627. in pecuniary rewards to persons who have saved or endeavoured to save lives from wrecks. Through the valuable assistance of the Board of Trade the Society has been enabled to continue its advanced scale of pecuniary rewards, which, the Committee believe, has been attended with the best results. Sensible of the importance of a judicious and impartial distribution of the rands applied to this object, the Committee have devoted much and careful attention to the subject; and they have in no instance granted either pecuniary or honorary rewards without minute inquiry into the circumstances at- tending the service performed. In this, as in other respects, they have been materially assisted by the Comptroller-General, Deputy Comptroller-General, and the officers of Her Majesty's Coast Guard Service. In granting these rewards, the Committee have endea- voured, as fat as possible, to proportion them in each case to the degree of risk incurred and intrepidity displayed.

The operations of the Committee may be thus briefly stated:—Since the establish- ment of the Institution in 1824, 79 gold medallions and 577 silver medals for distin- guished services have been voted for saving life, besides pecuniary rewards, amounting together to 10,1212.

Finances. — From the annexed financial statement of the income and expenditure of the National Life-boat Institution during the past year, it wili be seen that 2,6-37?. have been expended in the building, 'repairing, fittings, exercising, &c. of life-boats; 1,0537.

on life-boat carriages; 6907. on life-boat houses; 4907. on rewards and medals for saving life from shipwreck: these being the principal and legitimate objects of the Insti- tution. The total expenditure having been 5,7107., while the receipts of the society, exclusive of the grant of 2,2167. 13s. 2rf.

fr-om the Board of Trade, haye been 2,7677.

The liabilities of tie Institution for life- boats, .carnages, and boathouses are still 2,7607. It .will thus be seen that the Com- mittee have spared no efforts to carry out fully the truly philanthropic objects of the Institution.

The Committee would, however, call attention to the fact that, notwithstanding so much has been done by the Institution, more still remains to be accomplished; and they sincerely trust, that the detailed account herein given of the pecuniary necessities of the Society and of its proceedings will induce the public at large to extend to it their assistance. In exemplification of what has been done, the Committee would draw attention to the circumstance that, since the year 1852, it has built and stationed no less than thirty-six new life-boats, and several new carriages, and for most of them it lias erected new and substantial boat-houses; whilst, above all, in consequence of the superior character of the new boats, the care which the Society has evinced to supply their crews with every available security to their own persons, and the encouragement which the higher scale of payments and rewards has afforded them, it has secured the willing and efficient services of the boatmen on the coast, who have perfect confidence both in their life-boats and in the Institution which employs them.

The Committee would desire to refer with gratitude to the munificent legacy to the In- stitution of 10,0001. by the late Captain HAMILTON FITZGERALD, R.N., a previous liberal contributor to the funds of the So- ciety, and one of its Vice-Presidents. They would observe that Captain FITZGERALD has in no way restricted the application of his bequest; but the Committee, deeply sen- sible of the confidence he has reposed in them, and desirous to carry out fully his humane object, have decided to expend the whole amount of his legacy, :if necessary, in placing life-boats on every point of the coast where it can be shown, first, that one is wanted in consequence of the fre- quency of wrecks in the locality; secondly that an efficient crew can be found to naari the boat; thirdly, that some local contribu- tions will be raised to assist to pay for the erection of a boat-house, and the permanent maintenance of the life-boat station. The cost of a life-boat establishment, including boat, transporting-carriage, and boat-house, varies from 3001 to 4001. To this decision of the Committee the attention of influential persons on the coast is particularly requested.

The Committee wish to draw attention to three gifts of a special character during the past year.

The first is that of 1601. 17s.—the cost of a first-class life-boat, contributed by some members of the Royal Thames Yacht Club: This life-boat has been stationed at Walmer, near Deal. She has already rescued, during a dark tempestuous night on the 5th of January last, 15 persons from the barque Reliance, of London.

The second is that of 1501.—being the value of a life-boat from a previous liberal contributor to the Institution, Mrs. ANN WOOD, of Eltham. This life-boat is sta- tioned at Hornsea, near Hull.

The third is that of 1801.—being the cost of a first-class life-boat, her gear, and life- belts for her crew, from WM. M°KERRELL, Esq., of Hillhouse, Ayrshire. This life-boat the Committee have decided to station, with Mr. MCKERRELL'S approval, at Seaton Carew, at the mouth of the river Tees.

On any lives being rescued from ship- wreck by either of these life-boats, these generous donors will have the peculiar sa- tisfaction of feeling that the same had been the result of their individual gift to the Institution.

Amongst the other liberal contributors to the Institution during the past year, the Com- mittee would refer to the subscription ot 251. from the East India Company; a third donation of 105?. from the Royal Exchange Assurance Corporation; a second donation of 1051. from the London Assurance Corporation; 501. from the late Vice-Ad- miral Sir Joshua R. Rowley, Bart.; 501. from the late Earl of Ellesmere, K.G., V.P., which was sent by him only a few weeks before his much-lamented death; from the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company 101. annually; the Marine Insurance Company 50?.; T. N. Hunt, Esq., 501.; and from that valuable sister institution, the Shipwrecked Fisher- men and Mariners' Royal Benevolent Society, a fifth donation of 1001., chiefly collected in small sums from its members towards the placing life-boats on the coast.

In conclusion, the Committee, while grate- fully acknowledging the liberal support ex- tended to the Society, appeal again with continued confidence to the public for assist- ance to enable them to carry out fully the truly benevolent and national objects of the Institution, in the prosperity of which they believe all classes of the community cannot fail to take a deep interest. The Committee, moreover, feel assured that an Institution, which in addition to having granted rewards for rescuing 473 persons from shipwrecks during the past year, whose life-boats have,.

in the same period, been the means, under God, of snatching 129 of our fellow-crea- tures from a watery grave-—an Institution which has had its origin in the purest phi- lanthropy, and which is so truly Christian in its character, has only to make its claims extensively known to be fully appreciated and liberal!/ responded to by the affluent and humane throughout the land.

The Committee feel that it would be unbecoming in, them to conclude this report of their proceedings during the past year— a year in which their humble exertions have been so pre-eminently crowned with success —did they not publicly acknowledge with thank/olBess the goodness of that Divine Being whose blessing has to signally rested on their labours..