WE have from time to time advocated in the strongest terms the supply of efficient life-belts to the crews of all our merchantships, and have pointed out the duty that devolves on shipowners to provide'the same, although the law of the land does not require them, as it ought, to do so. The proofs of the value of life-belts to persons who are upset from boats at sea, and especially on landing through surfs, have been so numerous, that the owner of a vessel, whose crew have perished from the want of such a simple and inexpensive source of safety, ought to feel the same as a burden on his conscience to the end of his days. Only a few months since (as recorded in the 31st Number of this Journal), on the upsetting of a life-boat in a heavy surf, fifteen boatmen who had on cork life-belts were all saved, whilst three gentlemen who were without belts, although swimmers, perished by the same accident. No other instance need be quoted.

We think we cannot do better than record, as they arise, such instances as the following, which appeal in a more eloquent voice than can be expressed by words, in behalf of our ocean's sons to their employers, who thus literally send them " down into the great deep " :— " FOUNDERING OF THE ' BLENHEIM.' " The news reached Lloyd's of the loss of the fine ship Blenheim, Captain HEADLEY, in the Bay of Bengal, and the loss by drowning of her commander, the second officer, and eleven of her crew. The Blenheim was one of the fine fleet of Indiamen owned by Messrs. DUNCAN DUNBAR AND SONS, of Limehouse. She was on her return voyage, and left Akyab on the 7th of June for Calcutta.

On the 16th she encountered a fearful gale, which caused the sea to break over her, and it becoming apparent that she would founder, the captain and crew took to the boats, and had scarcely done so when the ship went down. They succeeded in sighting land, and one boat reached shore on the island of Rawree; the other, however, was swamped in the surf which swept the beach, and the captain, second mate, boatswain, cook, and nine men perished.".