At the Annual General Meeting of the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, held at the London Tavern on Tuesday the 17th day of March, 1863, The Eight Honourable LORD LOVAINE, M.P., P.O., in the Chair, The following Report of the Committee was read:— THE Committee of Management of the Royal NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, in making their Annual Report of the proceedings and position of the Society, have to express their deep sense of the confidence which has been placed in them by the British public, as evinced by its continued liberal support.

In 1850 the late deeply-lamented PRINCE CONSORT consented to become, with great advantage to the cause of humanity, a Vice- Patron of the Institution. The Committee have recently felt it their duty to make H.R.H.

the PRINCE OF WALES acquainted with that fact, and to solicit that the patronage of His Royal Highness might be extended to an Institution whose praiseworthy objects he, like the lamented Prince his Father, could not fail to appreciate. The Committee have very great pleasure in announcing that their expectations have been fully realized by a prompt response, stating " that His Royal Highness had great pleasure in becoming a Vice-Patron of the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, and in contributing a donation of 30?. for the purposes of the Society." In consequence of the unhappy internal divisions of a kindred people, by whom the raw material of one of the chief manufactures of this country is principally produced, an unprecedented demand has everywhere been made on the benevolence of our countrymen to preserve from starving the vast numbers of operatives who have by that calamity been deprived of the means of subsistence.

As a result of that demand, it might have been reasonably expected that a considerable falling off would take place in the amount of pecuniary support afforded to this Institution in common with others during the past year, as compared with more prosperous times.

Such, in fact, has been the result to a considerable extent, and the Committee therefore, mindful of the great permanent expense entailed by the now extensive lifeboat fleet of the Institution, and of the responsibility which rests on them to maintain that fleet in a state of the utmost efficiency, feel called on to urgently appeal to all the friends of the Society to aid them in the furtherance of the humane and important work which they have undertaken.

The proceedings of the Institution during the last twelve months may be thus epitomized under the usual headings:— Life-boats.—During the past year the Institution has placed 14 new life-boats on the coast, viz.: at Tynemouth, Withernsea, Blakeney, Thorpe, Newhaven, Porthleven,Appledore, New Brighton, Fleetwood, Kirkcudbright, Howth, Poolbeg, Kingstown, and Guernsey ; six of this number occupying new stations and the remainder replacing worn-out or inferior boats. Other life-boats are in course of construction for Swansea, Budehaven, and other places.

Six life-boats hare also been built to the order of Admiral Sir G. Sartouus, for the Portuguese Government, by the Messrs'; Forrestt, on the Institution's plan, and one for the Colonial Government of New Zealand; The Institution has now 124 life-boats on the coasts of the United Kingdom. Of the 14 new boats placed on the coasts during the past year, no lees than 8 have been the special gifts of individuals, and another, that at Thorpe, in Suffolk, was presented to the Society by the town of Ipswich.

: The life-boats of the Institution, during the year 1862, saved 358 persons from wrecked ships, nearly the whole of them under circumstances of imminent peril, when BO other description of boat could have performed the service, including the crews of twenty-one vessels also safely brought into port through the help of the life-boats during the same period. On fortyeight other occasions the Society's boats have gone to the aid of vessels that were in apparent danger, or that have shown signals of distress, but have not eventually required their services; and the crews of the life-boats have also assembled on various occasions in stormy weather so as to be ready for any emergency. For these services the Institution has granted rewards amounting to 915Z. 18s. Id.

These valuable services have happily been performed without the loss of a single life to those who have manned the life-boats.

Life-boat Carriages. — Transporting carriages have been built for the whole of the above-named boats, except those at New Brighton and Newhaven. New carriages have also been provided for the life-boats at Tenby and Teignmouth.

i.— New boathouses have been erected at Blakeney; Kirkcudbright, Poolbeg, Howth, Withernsea, Tynemouth, Braunton, Dundee, Southwold, Tenby, and Porthleven.

The Fleetwood boat-house which had been undermined and washed away by the unusually high and destructive tide and gale of the 20th of January last, is also in course of re-erection. Other houses are in course of construction. .

Shipwrecks and Loss of Life.—A large wreck chart was exhibited at the International Exhibition of last year, by the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, and attracted considerable attention. It is only by examining and studying that chart that the fearful scenes, in the way of shipwrecks, which take place every year on the coasts of the United Kingdom, can be fully realized.

Taking into account a considerable series of years, the average number of shipwrecks on our coasts is 1,000, and the loss of life therefrom amounts to 800 persons.

The gales of the past year" were unusually heavy, and the result is that the number of shipwrecks was 1,490, accompanied by a loss of 644 lives.

In contemplating these lamentable and striking facts, two questions naturally arise: first, Are the means now in use for saving life from shipwreck on our coasts, of an adequate character ? and secondly, Are these means efficiently maintained and worked ? So far as the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION is concerned, the Committee have no hesitation in stating that its 124 lifeboats are thoroughly efficient, and that they are most willingly-worked by the gallant crews that man them in the fiercest storms Without dread or hesitation. The Committee have laboured assiduously for many years past to bring about this most satisfactory state of things, and they congratulate the contributors to the Institution on the result.

It is for the British public to decide whether they are satisfied with the sufficiency of the means for saving life from shipwreck now in use on our coasts. The Committee of this Institution, on their part, are prepared to continue the responsibility of maintaining, and, if necessary, of extending, their system of life-boats, resting in entire confidence on the generosity of that public which has, during the last ten or twelve years, enabled the Institution to expend Dearly 63,0001. in establishing such a fleet of life-boats on the coasts of the British isles as cannot but excite the admiration of every one acquainted with, its extent and character, Lines saved*—The following is a summary of the lives Saved from wrecks on the coasts of the United Kingdom during the past year:— By life-boats 415 By rocket and mortar apparatus . . 308 By ships' own boats, shore boats, steamers, &c. . . . . . . 8,347 By individual exertion . , . , 13 Total 4,081 It will be seen that, as usual, ships, ships' boats, and smacks have saved more lives in that period than the life-boats and the rocket and mortar apparatus. This apparent discrepancy is capable of easy explanation.

When a disaster takes place in British waters, it generally happens that either a ship or smack is fortunately at hand to render assistance to the crews of the distressed vessels. Such help is seldom  attended with any very great danger, (although sometimes it is so), and the men are frequently brought ashore before any tidings at all have reached a life-boat station. But the great value of the services rendered by life-boats can only be appreciated by considering that they are mostly performed on occasions when no other craft could be launched from the shore with safety. It will aid in illustrating the character of the Work the life-boat has to perform if one or two cases of life-boat services are given:— The large American ship Annie E. Hooper, bound from Baltimore to Liverpool, arrived at the entrance of the River Mersey in tow of B steam-tug at an early hour of the 20th Oct. A gale was blowing furiously at the time', and the sea ran so fearfully high, that the captain and pilot deemed it prudent to put out to sea again. The vessel was put about, and an endeayour was made to work free of the land; but this unfortunately failed; the vessel became Unmanageable, and, drifted by wind and tide, went ashore on the Horse Bank, near Southport.

The sea broke furiously over the bank, and the surf and spray shut from view for a time the actual position of the unfortunate ship. Eventually, the signals of distress were observed both from Southport and Lytham, when the life-boats of the Institution at those places immediately put off to the vessel's assistance. As showing the dreadful state of the weather, it may Be mentioned that though the Horse Bank is only four stiles from Southport, yet it took that boat four hours, and a half before she reached the ship. Endeavours were at once made to rescue the crew, and after great exertions the whole of those on board the vessel, eighteen in number, including a Liverpool pilot, were saved by the two life-boats.' On hearing of this noble service, through the American Minister, the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES presented to the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION l(XH.,and 311. to the crews of the two life-boats. On the Liverpool pilot relating to his co-pilots the service of the LATHAM life-boat in saving him and thirteen of the ship's crew, they spontaneously subscribed amongst themselves 14J.

and presented that amount to the crew of the life-boat.

Again, at Caistor, near Great Yarmouth, on the 22nd Jan. last, while the wind was blowing hard from the W.S.W., the beachmen observed a vessel burning lights in the direction of the Scroby Sands. Knowing the danger of her position, they launched their largest yawl to her assistance, but owing to the violence of the sea, they found they could not render any help to the vessel with the yawl, and therefore returned at once for the lifeboat of the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION stationed at Caistor, and immediately proceeded to the ship. On arriving alongside the vessel, which was in the midst of the broken water on the sand, the life-boat crew let go their anchor and veered down towards her. Twice they had to shift their anchor and the life-boat before they could place her in a proper position to bear down to the vessel. They, however, succeeded at last, and put some of their crew on board. 'With, the assistance of a steam-tug, which, came up at the time, they were then enabled to take the vessel, which proved to be the schooner Emily, of London, safely into Yarmouth Harbour. The night wag very dark, and the schooner could not have been in a more perilous position, nor could she have been more gallantly rescued, as the sea was running mountains high. The vessel's crew had been in the rigging two hours when the life-boat arrived alongside.

The Rev. E. P. Nicholl, Honorary Secretary of the Porthcawl Branch, reported on the 20th Dec. last, that while it was blowing a strong gale from the N.'W'., With rain, a vessel wag diseovWd at anchor to the eastward of Scarweather Sands, with mainmast gone and signal of distress flying.

With all haste the Porthcawl life-boat, belonging to the NATIONAL LITE-BOAT INSTITUTION, was launched through a heavy surf, and despatched to the rescue; and nobly did she and her crew Behave, returning in the course of two hoUrs with the whole of the crew, consisting of the captain and eight men, with one passenger. The vessel was the brigantine Champion, timber laden, from Miramichi, in North America, for Liverpool. She had struck on the Scarweather Sands about midnight, and had received great damage, her bottom being nearly out.* The total number of persons saved from shipwreck from the establishment of the Institution in 1824 to the end of the year 1862, either by its life-boats, or by special exertions for which it has granted rewards, is as follows:— In the Year 1824 1825 1826 3827 1828 1829 1830 1831 1832 1833 1834 1835 1836 1837 1838 1839 1840 1841 1842 1843 i: 1844 , No. of Lives Saved.

124 218 175 J63 301 463 372 287 310 449 2H 364 225 272 456 279 353 128 276 236 193 Total 12,854 How inadequately can words express the aggregate amount of misery which the saving of so many thousands of lives must have prevented! It can only have been rally appreciated by the parties themselves, and by their relatives and friends, whose expressions of gratitude for such important benefits are often of the most feeling character.

Rewards.—In the Appendix will be found a summary of the cases in which, honorary and other rewards have been voted by the Institution. During the past year 13 silver medals, 14 votes of thanks, inscribed on vellum, and 1,125Z. 8s. Id. have been granted for saving the lives of 574 persons by lifeboats, shore-boats, and other means, on the coasts and outlying banks of the United Kingdom.

The Committee have abundant proofs of the local appreciation of these rewards, and especially of the high esteem in which the Society's medals and other honorary distinctions are held on the coast. Public meetings are often convened to present them ' » The cost of this valuable life-boat and that of another •was presented to the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT DESTITUTION by a lady bearing the initials M. A. C. S, resident in Staffordshire.

to the gallant men. No other proof is needed of their beneficial effect as an encouragement to daring exertions in the rescue of shipwrecked persons. In order to enhance the value of the medals of the Institution, they are never granted except when risk of life is believed to have been incurred; and the most careful investigation is made of every case before it is decided on.

In that important work the Committee have continued to receive the prompt and cordial co-operation of Rear-Admiral YELVERTON, C.B., late Controller-General,and Capt. J. W.

TARLETON, E.N., C.B., Deputy Controller- General, and of the officers of the Coastguard service, to whom the best thanks of the Institution are hereby tendered.

The Committee again acknowledge the valuable assistance received from the Mercantile Marine Fund, through her Majesty's Board of Trade, which enables the Institution to continue its liberal scale of payments to its life-boat crews.

The operations of the Committee may be thus briefly stated :—Since the formation of the Institution it has expended on life-boat establishments 67,7807., and has voted 82 gold and 718 silver medals for saving life, besides pecuniary awards, amounting together to 16,4787.

. Local Committees.—The Committee desire to acknowledge the cordial co-operation of the local Branch Committees, which constitute so important a portion of the* machinery for the supervision of the several life-boat establishments of the Institution.

They have likewise expecially to express their sense of the valuable and gratuitous services of the zealous Honorary Secretaries of those Committees, who conduct the correspondence with the central managing body.

Finances.—The total receipts during the year 1862 amounted to 14,8257. 5s. 5d.: of this sum no less than 2,7Ibl. was given by individuals to defray the cost of ten lifeboats as follows :— £. i. d.

250 0 0 300 0 0 ISO 0 0 Tynemouth—G. J. Fenwick, Esq.

"Withernsea—Miss S. Lechmere .

Blakeney—Miss Brightwell . .

Thorpeness—Inhabitants of Ipswich 400 0 0 Plymouth—Miss Burdett-Coutts . 240 0 0 Porthleven—T. J. Agar Robartes, Esq., M.P. 150 0 0 Appledore — Mrs. Ellen Hope, as Executrix of the late Key. F. W.

Hope 840 0 0 Fleetwood—Miss M. Wasey . . . 340 0 0 Kirkcudbright—N. L. of Manchester 250 0 0 Howth (Dublin) — General Sir G.

Bowles, G.C.B 265 0 0 The Committee gratefully acknowledge the receipt of the following special contributions from foreign countries:— 100Z. from the PRESIDENT OP THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, " in testimony of his sense of the important labours of the Institution to American shipwrecked seamen." 50Z. from the MARITIME INSURANCE COMPANY of FINLAND, " as an expression of their gratitude on becoming acquainted with the blessed results which had attended the efforts of the Life-boat Society, the Company being convinced that the Institution had been the means of saving many a Finnish life from a certain death.

251Z. 15s. from China, collected at Hong Kong and Shanghai by the kind exertions of the Committee's respected colleague, W. H. HARTON, Esq. during his visit to those dependencies, assisted by Messrs.

OILMAN and Co., and others.

The Committee have likewise to express their best thanks to HUGH TAYLOR, Esq., of Backworth Hall, for his zealous exertions in collecting 350L towards the cost of the Tynemouth life-boat and rocket-house.

The Committee have also to tender their best acknowledgements for the following liberal contributions, viz.:— 3171. 18s. lOd. in small sums, collected from British and Foreign Sailors by the Agents of the Sister Institution, the Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners' Society, and byH.M.'s Collectors of Customs; 400/.

from a lapsed Chancery fund, by order of the Lord Chancellor (Lord WESTBURY), and H.M.'s Attorney-General (Sir WILLIAM ATHERTON, M.P.); 210?. as a second donation from the Corporation of the City of London; 1001. from a lady friend at Leith per favour of W. G. SLATER, Esq.; 200Z.

from a Friend; 1001. as a fourth donation from G. H. K.; 1001. from A. B., of Dublin; and 501. from the Trustees of the Cholmondeley Charities.

The following legacies have also been left to the Institution since the last Report: Mrs. ANN COTTO, of Old Kent Road, London, l.OOOZ.; T. A. VENABLES, Esq., of Worcester, 500Z.; Mr. JOHN JOLLY, farmer, of Enstone, Oxford, 210?.; Mr. THOMAS ROBINSON, commercial traveller, of Cheetham, Manchester, 210Z.; Dr. C. T. WEST, of Kingston-upon-Hull, 1007.; WILLIAM LOTTON, Esq., of Salford, 100Z.; Miss ALICE GEDGE, of Great Yarmouth, 3041 16s. Od.; and E. E. VIDAL, Esq., of Brighton, 51.

The expenditure during the same period was X2,177Z. 17s. 2d., of which sum 5,269Z. 6«. Od. were expended on additional life-boats, transporting-carriages, boat-houses, and necessary gear; and 3,977Z. Os. 4d. on the necessary expenses of repairs, painting, refitting, and inspection; 1,0241. 6s. Id. in rewards for services to shipwrecked crews; and 2,2421. 9s. lOd.

(including payments made from the local Branch funds) for coxswains' salaries, and the quarterly practice of the boats' crews.

For a considerable saving in the item of transport to their stations, of new life-boats and carriages, the Committee have again to express their thanks to the several Railway and Steam Packet Companies, who. have most liberally conveyed them to all parts of the United Kingdom, free of charge.

The Committee have also to tender their acknowledgments to the Council of the Royal Horticultural Society, for their kindness in allowing the Institution to exhibit, in their beautiful gardens contiguous to the International Exhibition during the past summer, a specimen of a British life-boat fully equipped, and mounted on her transporting- carriage ready for service.

The items of receipt and expenditure are detailed in the financial statement annexed to this Report, from which it will be seen, that the Committee have incurred further liabilities amounting to 3,100Z. 6s. for various life-boat establishments, &c.

It has already been observed that 358 shipwrecked sailors have been snatched from a watery grave, during the past year, by the life-boats of the Institution. No less than 62 lives were thus rescued daring the fearful gales of January last The Committee feel persuaded that an Institution of such national interest and importance will not have to appeal in rain for continued support to the British public.

No Society has a stronger claim for general sympathy and support than the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, whose life-boats, under the blessing of Divine Providence, have so often preserved to an otherwise desolate home a husband, father, or brother.

The Committee therefore appeal with confidence to the country at large, to assist them to maintain in a state of thorough efficiency the numerous life-boat establishments of the Institution.