REPRESENTATIONS having been made to the Committee of the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFEBOAT INSTITUTION regarding the crews of its life-boats making claims on owners for rescuing the crews of their wrecked vessels in cases where property of trifling value had only been saved, the Institution has issued the following Circular to its several branches on the Coast. It will be observed that the life-boat crews are dissuaded from making any demands on owners for saving the crews of their vessels, from which property of less amount than 1002. had been saved, the Society undertaking to pay the men their usual allowance in cases where that amount had not been realized.

It will also be seen that the Circular refers exclusively to the saving of life, and not to property. In cases where the life-boat shall succeed, either alone or in conjunction with other boats, in saving a ship, or property of considerable amount, the life-boat's crew will of course receive, as heretofore, their share for such services in proportion to the amount realized:— "With reference to the claims of lifeboat men upon the owners of wrecked vessels, for saving their crews, in virtue of the 459th sec. of the Merchant Shipping Act of 1854, I am instructed to acquaint you, that as the subject is of much importance to this Institution, and as it is most desirable that no unnecessary claims o& ship-owners should be made by life-boat crews, this Committee request that the following rules be in future acted on by the Local Committees and life-boat crews in connection with the Institution, — *f 1. That in no case where the value of the property saved is small in amount, say under 100?., shall any claim be made on the owner of the same.

" 2. That in every case where the amount of risk incurred by a life-boat crew is of only the ordinary character, they shall look for payment to this Institution alone, and make no claim whatever on the owner of a wrecked " 3. That in cases of an extraordinary character, where the ordinary scale, of payment by this Institution might be fairly considered inadequate for their proper remuneration, a claim on the owner of the vessel, by the life-boat crew, in virtue of the 469th sec. of the Merchant Shipping Act of 1854, will be admissible; but the amount of the same, unless voluntarily ceded by the owner or his agent, must in every case be submitted, in the first instance, to the Central Committee for approval.

" I am farther directed to request the Local Committee to take this opportunity of urging upon the boatmen who man the life-boats the importance of their refraining from making any excessive clams on ship-owners, for the salvage of lives, §s tending to stamp with a mercenary character a work which all should be desirous to render from a purer and higher motive, viz., the great Christian duty of aiding a fellow-creature in distress." (Signed) RICHARD LEWIS, Secretary.

In connection with the foregoing Circular, the following alterations have been made by the Committee in the Life-Boat Regulations of the Institution. (The Regulations will be found printed at length in Number 27 of the Life-Boat Journal') :— 1. Rule 5.—In lieu of the share of the life-boat to cover risk of damage being one fifth in case of salvage of property, it will hereafter be two shares. For example—If the life-boat be manned by 12 men, and the amount of salvage be 100l., the life-boat's share will be 15l. 7s. 8d., and not 201, as heretofore.

2. Foot-note, Rule 5.—That as the Lifeboat's crew are in every case entitled, from the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, to a fixed payment for saving, or attempting to save life, the crew are expected to make no claim on the owners of wrecked vessels, except the services rendered be of an extraordinary character, the amount of property saved from the wreck be of considerable value, and the sanction of the Committee be previously obtained.