LIFEBOAT MAGAZINE ARCHIVE

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Summary of the Meetings of the Committee

Thursday, 4th April, 1861. THOMAS CHAPMAN, Esq., F.R S., V.P., in the Chair.

Head and approved the Minutes of the previous Meetings, and those of the Finance, Correspondence, and Wreck and Reward Sub-Committees.

Elected the Members of the Sub-Committees for the ensuing year.

Read letter from FRANCIS LEAN, Esq., K.N., Secretary of the SHIPWRECKED FISHERMEN AND MARINERS' SOCIETY, of the 22nd March, forwarding a contribution of 1007, collected by the agents of that Society from its seamen-members and others, in aid of the funds of the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION.— To be thanked.

from Capt. S. GRANT, Secretary of the ROYAL THAMES YACHT CLUB, and R. S. WILKINSON, Esq., Chairman of its Annual Ball, of the 9th and 20th March, forwarding additional liberal contributions, amounting to 301., in aid of the funds of the Society.—To be thanked.

Also from Mr. WILLIAM OVERINGTON, of Philadelphia, of the 26th Feb., forwarding SI. in aid of the funds of the Chichester and Selsey Branch of' the Institution.—-To be thanked.

Also from Sir SAMUEL CDNARD, Bart., of the 26th March, transmitting a donation of 501. in aid of the funds of the Institution, from the BRITISH AND NORTH AMERICAN ROYAL MAIL STEAM-SHIP COMPANY.— To be thanked.

Also from Capt. MENDS, R.N., C.B., Deputy Controller-General of the Coast-guard, of the 12th March, stating that it would afford him much pleasure to assist in every way in his power to carry out the objects of the Institution.— To be thanked.

Also from Mr. JORDESON, of Eastcheap; Mr.

JOHN FAWCETT, of Huddersfield; Mr. SAMUEL GRONDY, of Radford; Mr. JOHN M'CLAY, of Maryport; and Mr.. HUGH BUIE, of Greenock, calling attention to their respective plans for saving life from shipwreck.— To be acknowledged.

Also from DANIEL BARKER, Esq., of Horselydown, and WILLIAM WATKINS, Esq., of Limestreet Chambers, of the 7th and 20th March, stating that they would have much pleasure in allowing their steam-tugs to tow out the Walmer life-boat on occasions when her services would be required on the Goodwin Sands.— To be thanked.

Paid 7401. Os. 6 J. for sundry charges on various life-boat establishments.

Voted I3/. 7s. to pay the expenses of the Holyhead life-boat, belonging to the Institution, in putting off and rescuing 4 men from the schooner Elizabeth, of Bridgwater, which had driven close to the Clipera Rocks, off Holyhead, during a strong gale of wind, on the 6th March last. On the following day the life-boat again went off with, toe ship's crew, who, assisted by some of the life-boat men, succeeded in bringing the vessel, which had held on during the night, into Holyhead Harbour.

Also 147. to pay the charges on the life-boat of the Institution at Portmadoc, in putting off and saving 17 persons from the ship Danube, of Belfast, which was totally wrecked on St. Patrick's Causeway, during a gale of wind, on the 6th March last. 8 of the crew had succeeded in reaching the shore in one of the ship's boats; but one of them unfortunately lost his life in the surf whilst attempting to land.

Also 162. 16s. to pay the expenses of the Boulmer life-boat belonging to the Institution, for going off and rescuing 4 out of 5 of the crew of the Hanoverian schooner Hartensia, which had struck on Boulmer North Steel Rocks, during stormy weather on the night of the 27th March last.

Also 651. Is. 6rf. to pay the expenses of the lifeboats of the Institution at Rhoscolyn, Yarmouth, Barmouth, Aberdovey, Arklow, Whitburn, Ayr, and Padstow, for going off to vessels which had shown signals of distress, but which, on the approach of the life-boats, had either got out of danger or declined their services. Some of the crews of the before-mentioned life-boats had also assembled during stormy weather, so as to be ready for any emergency that might arise.

Voted the Silver Medal of the Institution to JOSEPH Cox, who had been for many years past the coxswain of the Appledore life-boat of the Institution, in testimony of his long and gallant . services in the life-boats on that station, in assisting to rescue shipwrecked crews.

Also the Institution's Silver Medal to Mr. HUGH COOPER, chief boatman in charge of the Dingle Bay coast-guard station, and I I . each to 3 other men, for putting off in a coast-guard boat, and saving, at much risk of life, 2 men from the barque Florence Graham, of Liverpool, which, during a strong gale of wind, was wrecked on Inch Strand, Dingle Bay, on the 24th Jan. last.

Also 42. 10s. to a boat's crew, for putting off and rescuing the crew of 7 men of the brig Graces, of Seaham, which, during a strong gale of wind, was wrecked in Robin Hood's Bay, on the night of the 9th Feb. last.

Also 92. to the crews of two fishing-cobles for going off and rescuing, at considerable risk of life, the crew of 8 men of the" brig Juno, of North Shields, which was also wrecked in Robin Hood's Bay at the same time as the brig Graces.

Also 62. to a boat's crew of 6 men, for going off and rescuing, at much risk of life, 4 out of 5 of the crew of the brig Sir Allan M'Nab, of Maryport, which, during a gale of wind, was wrecked about three miles north of Courtown, on the Irish coast, on the 10th Feb. last. The salvors had also received 102. from local subscriptions.

Thursday, 2nd May. His Grace the DUKE OF NORTHUMBERLAND, K.G.,F.R.S., President of the Society, in the Chair.

Read and approved the Minutes of the previous Meeting, and those of the Finance, Correspondence, and Wreck and Reward Sub-Committees.

Read and approved the Report of the Inspector of Life-boats, of his visit to Whitby, and of the trial of the new self-righting life-boat and transporting carriage just sent there by the Institution.

He stated that everything in connection with the trial had passed off most satisfactorily.

Read letter from the Rev. H. J. HUTCHESSON, M.A., of the 4th April, transmitting a draft for 1802. to pay the cost of the Dungeness life-boat, which lie wished to be. called The Providence. He likewise forwarded an additional donation of 202.

in aid of the general funds of the Institution.— To be thanked.

Reported that a gentleman had called at the Institution to ascertain whether, in the event of his leaving the Society a legacy of 3,000/., it would undertake .to provide three 10-oared life-boats, thoroughly equipped, to place them respectively on stations in England, Scotland, and Ireland, to keep them permanently in a state of efficiency, and to permit each life-boat to bear his own name.

Resolved—That the legacy, on the above conditions, be accepted with thanks.

Reported, the transmission of the Irvine lifeboat and carriage to their station, and that the Glasgow and South-Western Railway Company had given the same a free conveyance on their line from Carlisle to their destination.— To be thanked.

Head letter from JOHN WOODALL, Esq., of Scarborough, of the 15th April, forwarding copies of resolutions which had been passed at a meeting of the Local Committee, held on that day, when it was unanimously decided to put the station in connection with this Institution.

Decided—That the Scarborough Life-boat establishment be brought into connection with the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, and that a new life-boat and transporting-carriage be provided for the station.

Read letter from the AGENTS-GENERAL of the CROWN COLONIES of the 16th April, reporting that they were in communication with Messrs. FORRESTT respecting the building of a 33-feet lifeboat, thoroughly equipped, and a transporting carriage, for the Cape of Good Hope, and requesting the co-operation of the Institution in the construction of the same.

Decided—That their request be complied with.

Also from THOMAS SOPWITH, Esq., F.R.S., of the 10th April, forwarding, on behalf of himself, Captain WASHINGTON, R.N., F.R.S., and JAMES GLAISHER, Esq., F.R.S., three different models of, Barometer Indicators.— To be respectively thanked, Also from Mr. P. MASTERS, of St. Dunstan's, Canterbury, and Mr. JOHN TBEHAIB, of Newlyn, Cornwall, forwarding their respective plans for communicating with stranded vessels.— To be acknowledged.

Paid 1,0642.12s. 4z2. for sundry charges on various life-boat establishments.

Voted 62. 10s. to pay the expenses of the Middlesborough life-boat in putting off and rescuing 4 out of 5 of the crew of the schooner Oregon, of Stonehaven, which had sunk during stormy weather on the South Gaze Sand Bank, Tees Bay, on the 7th April last.

Also 222.5s. to pay the expenses of the Margate, Drogheda, and Arklow life-boats, for putting off with the view of rescuing the crews of various vessels'which had shown signals of distress, but which did not afterwards require the assistance of the life-boats.

Also the Silver Medal of the Institution to Inspecting- Commander THOMAS Goss, R.N., of the Queenstown Division of Coast-guard, and JOHN STARKE, chief boatman of the same service, together with 22. to the latter; and also 22. each to 8 other men, in acknowledgment of their gallant and persevering exertions in putting off in a coastguard boat to some outlying rocks offGuilleen, on the Irish coast, and there rescuing, at great risk of life, by means of the rocket apparatus, 12 out of 13 of the crew of the Austrian brig Uredan, which, having missed Cork Harbour, had driven on shore near Guilleen, during a heavy gale of wind, on the 27th Jan. last. Capt. Goss, R.N., received in 1851 the Gold Medal of the Institution for his very distinguished services, in assisting to save, at great risk of life, during a heavy gale of wind, the crew of 28 men from the ship Mountaineer, from Quebec to Newport, which was wrecked off Dunmanus, on the coast of Cork, on the 15th Dec., 1850.

Also the Society's Silver Medal to Lieut.

RICHARD PARSONS, of H. M.'s 35th ,Regt., and Lieut. WILLIAM HUTCHINSON, of the Royal Dublin City Militia, in testimony of their gallant exertions in rushing into the surf and attempting to rescue, at the peril of their lives, the master of the brigantine Industry, of Whitehaven, which was wrecked off Kingstown in a gale of wind, on the 9th Feb. last.

Thursday, 6th June. THOMAS CHAPMAN, Esq., F.R.S., V.P., in the Chair.

Bead and approved the Minutes of the previous Meeting, and those of the Finance, Correspondence, and Wreck and Reward Sub-Committees.

Read and approved the Inspector's Report of the 30th May, of his visits to the life-boats of the Institution on the Sussex and Kentish'coasts.

Reported the receipt of a legacy of 450Z. to the Institution, from the Executors of the late Mrs.

SHEDDEN WATSON, who had been for many years an annual subscriber of 1(M. 10s. to the Society.

She had requested that the amount of the legacy might be applied in building a life-boat to be called The Brave Robert Shedden, in memory of her late son, who was a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy, and who had been round the world in his own yacht.—Approved.

Read letter from ROBERT HITCHINS, jun., Esq., of Bristol, stating that he had collected an additional sum of 321.11s., including his own annual subscription of 5/. 5s., in that city, in aid of the funds of the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION.

— To be thanked.

Also from Mr. JAMES DARLING, of Blyth, of the 4th May, forwarding, on behalf of the seamen of that port, an additional contribution of 6Z. towards the objects of the Society.— To lie thanked.

Also from the Rev. B. RING, Chaplain of H.M.S.

S*. Jean d'Acre, of the 6th March aad 8th May, transmitting contributions amounting to 22J.16s.

fid. in aid of the funds of the  NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, from Capt. the Hon. C. J. ELLIOT, R.N., C.B.; Commander M'CKEA, R.N.; the Ward Room, Gun Room, Engineer, and Warrant Officers, and the ship's company,—including Mr.

RING'S own annual subscription of 11. to the Society.

— To be thanked.

Reported that E. W. COOKE, Esq., A.R.A., had furnished the Institution with a sketch of the service of the Ramsgate life-boat, at the wreck of a Portuguese brig on the Goodwin Sands, as narrated by the Rev. J. GILMOHE, M.A., and published in the last Number of the Life-boat Journal.

— To be thanked.

Read letter from Mr. C. J. PERRY, of Melbourne, Victoria, forwarding a copy of his Treatise on Collisions at Sea and Shipwrecks, and on the use of the Patent Anti-Collision Dial and Shipwreck Preventer.

— To be thanked.

Also from Capt. LORD, of the Royal Navy of Spain, transmitting' a copy of the second edition, published by the Government of that country, of his translation into Spanish of the pamphlets of this Institution on the Management of Boats in Heavy Surfs and Broken Water, the Restoration of the Apparently Drowned, and the Use and Management of Barometers.— To be thanked.

Paid 515/. 14s. 4d. for sundry charges on various life-boat establishments.

Voted 15Z. 6s. 6rf. to pay the expenses of the Arklow life-boat in putting off with the view of rendering assistance to two vessels which were in distress off Arklow, on the 29th April and 9th May, but which did not ultimately require the services of the life-boat.

Also the Silver Medal of the Institution to JOHN LARGE, Master Gunner, Royal Artillery, in testimony of his gallant exertions in wading into the surf at the peril of his life, and assisting to rescue 3 of the crew of the brigantine Harmony, of Waterford, which was wrecked during a gale of wind, in Freshwater West Bay,Milford Haven, on the 19th Feb. last.

Also the Institution's Silver Medal to Lieut.

HUGH McNEILL DYER, R. N., and Mr. GEORGE FARRIN, Master Gunner, of H.M.S. Ajax, in testimony of their gallant exertions in rushing into the surf and attempting to save, at the peril of their lives, the crew of the brig Neptune, which, during a heavy ga!e of wind, was wrecked off Kingstown on the 9th Feb. last.

Also 21. to a fisherman named CHARLES GILBERT, for rescuing, at the risk of his life and at some danger to his boat, 4 men whose boat had sunk off Sutton Bridge, on the Lincolnshire coast, on the 26th April last.

Also 12i. to a boat's crew of 12 men for putting off from one of the Blasquet Islands, on the west coast of Kerry, and rescuing, at some risk of life, 15 persons from a boat belonging to the ship Middlesex, of New York, which had been abandoned in the Atlantic in a sinking state, on the 12th March last; 45 persons were left on board the vessel, and were supposed to have gone down with her.

Thursday, 4th July, 1861.—THOMAS BARING, Esq., M.P., F.R.S., Chairman of the Institution, presiding.

Bead and approved the Minutes of the previous Meeting, and those of the Finance, Correspondence, Wreck and Reward Sub-Committees.

Read and approved the Inspector's Report on his recent visit to the Selsey, Guernsey, and Isle of Wight life-boat statious, and to Jersey.

Read letter from Captain MENDS, K.N., C.B., Deputy Controller-General of the Coast-guard, of the 17th of June, forwarding a communication from JAMES KEARNEY WHITE, Esq., Inspecting Chief Officer of the West Cove Coast-guard Division, and a draft for 16/. 14s. 6d., being 71. 10s. in annual subscriptions, and 9/. 4s. 6rf. in donations, collected by Mr. WHITE, in aid of the funds of the NATIONAL LIPE-BOAT INSTITUTION. — To be thanked.

Also from Messrs. MOLISON and Co., of Dundee, of the 5th June, transmitting 14Z. in donations, and 8/. in annual subscriptions, collected by them in that city for the Society.— To be thanked.

Also from E. POWER, Esq., Treasurer of the Tramore Branch, of the 18th June, stating that he had collected 391. 17s. in aid of the funds of the Institution, a draft for which he forwarded.— To be thanked.

Reported the receipt of the legacy of 1QOZ., free of legacy duty, of the late T. F. HEMISGTON, Esq., of Uplyme, Devon, to the Lyme Regis Branch of the Society.

Also that a lecture had been delivered at Ackworth, near Pontefract, on the objects of the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, on the 20th June, under the joint superintendence of Messrs.

T. PCMPHRET, JOHN NEWBY, and W. WILKIE, and that the proceeds had realized 10?. 11*. 6d.~ To be thanked.

Head letter from Mr. W. B. BYSG, Manager at the works of Messrs. RANSOMES and SIMS, of Ipswich, of the 23rd June, stating that he was arranging with the Ministers of all denominations in Ipswich to preach sermons on a given Sunday in November, in aid of the funds of the Institution, when he hoped that a sufficient sum would be raised to defray the cost of a life-boat to be called The Ipswich.—To be thanked.

Read letter from Messrs. FORRESTT, of the llth June, stating that they had received an order to build two twelve-oared and five ten-oared lifeboats, on the plan of the NATIOSAI, LIYE--BOAT INSTITUTION, for the Spanish Government.— To be acknowledged.

Reported the transmission of the Campbeltown life-boat, transporting-carriage, and stores, to their Station on the 21st June, and their safe arrival on the 24th June. Lady MURRAY had paid the whole cost, amounting to 431?., of the life-boat establishment, in memory of her late husband, Lord Murray, of the Court of Session.

Decided—That the special thanks of the Institution be presented to Lady MURRAY in acknowledgement of her munificence.

Also that the Selsey life-boat, carriage, and stores, had been, forwarded to Chichester on the 5th June, and had safely arrived there on the following day. A public trial of the life-boat took place there on the 7th June, and on the following day at Selsey, under the superintendence of the Inspector of the Institution. The cost (ISO/.) of this boat had been generously presented to the Institution by some members of the Society of Friends, who had also contributed 30?. 1«. in annual subscriptions towards its future support. The contributions had been collected by H. B. WILKINSON, Esq., of Stoke»Newington, and JOSEPH BECK, Esq., of Coleman Street.— To be thanked.

Read letter from PHILIP DE ST. CROIX, Esq., of Jersey, of the 28th June, requesting that a lifeboat and transporting-carriage might be ordered through the Society for the States of Jersey.

Ordered—A life-boat and carriage to be built accordingly.

Also from HENRI TUPPER, Esq., of Guernsey, of the 31st May, forwarding, on behalf of the Guernsey Life-boat Committee, a series of Resolutions which had been passed at a Public Meeting held there on the previous day, requesting the ROYAL NATIONAL LIIE-BOA.T INSTITUTION to receive the station as one of its branches.

Decided—To take the establishment into connection with the Institution ; and ordered a transporting- carriage and boat-house to be built for the life-boat.

Also from Mr. Samuel CAVAN, of Kirkcudbright, of the 24th May, stating that an English gentleman had generously presented to that Port a sufficient sum to defray the cost of a life-boat and transporting-carriage, and requesting this Society to take the station into connection with it.

Decided—To take the station into connection with the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, and ordered a life-boat, and transporting-carriage to be built Paid 726?. 7*. 6d. for sundry charges on various life-boat establishments.

Voted 28?. 12». to pay the expenses of the New Quay (Cornwall), Arklow, Tyrella, and Carmarthen Bay life-boats, for either putting off or assembling their crews with the view of rendering assistance to vessels which were in distress, but which did not ultimately require the services of the life-boats.

Also 2?. to 2 fishermen for rescuing, at some risk of life, 3 young men who had been capsized from their boat during a gale of wind off Carrickfergus on the night of the 5th June last.

Also the Silver Medal of the Institution to HENRY PUXLEY, Esq., of Dunboy Castle, Berehaven, Ireland, in testimony of his gallant exertions in swimming off, and afterwards rescuing, at the peril of his life, by means of a small boat, 4 men who had been capsized from their boat, during blowing weather off Dunboy Castle, on the 7th June last.