IT is now thirteen years ago that the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, called previously to that time the " NATIONAL INSTITUTION FOR THE PRESERVATION OF LIFE FROM SHIPWRECK," seriously undertook and commenced the national work of renovating and multiplying the life-boat establishments on the coasts of our sea-girt islands. The splendid success which the sympathy and open-handed support of the British public, the cordial and hearty co-operation of the dwellers on our shores, and the assiduity of its own Committee of Management and officers have enabled it to achieve, is now known to nearly every one.

It would, however, be a mistake to suppose, as we believe is sometimes done, that, in devoting its more especial attention to this chief vehicle for rescuing our drowning fellow-creatures, the Institution has in the slightest degree restricted the sphere of its operations. From its first foundation in the year 1824, its mission—we may truly say, its glorious mission—has been to save human lives from death by shipwreck, by any and every available means from the shore.

This it has effected by the establishment of life-boat stations, and by rewarding, with honorary and pecuniary awards, those who have been instrumental in saving lives from shipwreck by any means whatever. But now that the shores of our country are nearly everywhere provided with Life-boats, or with the Rocket and Mortar Life-saving Apparatus, the Institution has turned its attention to another subject, viz., aiding to provide some simple and inexpensive means of safety on board our Merchant-ships, so that, in the event of their meeting with accident, whether by stranding or collision, or foundering in positions where no help can be received in time from the shore, or in the hours of darkness when they may not be seen from it, their crews may in many cases be saved, when without such aid they must be drowned.

As every merchant-vessel is private property, the Institution could of course take no action in the matter without the consent, and indeed co-operation, of the owners of ships. Its Committee of Management have therefore thought that their best mode of proceeding would be to introduce an efficient description of life-belt of a cheaper character than those hitherto in use, and to supply them to the ship-owners without profion them, at the same time making an appeal to them to embrace the opportunity of relieving themselves of the great responsibility of lives being lost in their employ, without any, even the most simple, means being provided to save them.

The Committee have accordingly issued the following Public Notice to the shipowning community of the United Kingdom, and they now earnestly appeal to it to second their efforts in this humane cause.

The general community on the land is nobly doing its share—and more than its share— of this great work. Inland towns, and benevolent individuals living far from the view of the sea and the sounds of its waves, are providing life-boats at their sole expense, whilst the fishermen and pilots and boatmen on our coasts are every winter nobly [risking their own lives to save our shipwrecked seamen. We trust that this laudable example may now be emulated by the shipping community also:— "LIFE-BELTS FOR SHIPWRECKED SAILORS.

" The Committee of the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFEBOAT INSTITUTION have for several years been painfully impressed by the fact that, notwithstanding all tiie efforts made to rescue shipwrecked seamen by means of the numerous life-boats and rocket and mortar establishments which now happily surround our coasts, there are yet large numbers of sailors, amounting to several hundreds annually, who miserably perish on our shores.

" After a full consideration of the subject, and taking for their data the results of accidents to life-boats, the crews of which have been provided with efficient life-belts, and of others which have not been so, the Committee have come to the conclusion that many of the unfortunate men who are thus every year lost to their friends and their country might have been saved if they had been invariably supplied with really efficient life-belts.

" With a view to bring about so desirable an end, the Committee of the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION have, in the first place, caused to be prepared by their Inspector of Life-boats, Capt.

J. K. WARD.,R.N.,an efficient cork life-belt of so simple and inexpensive a character that its costliness, at all events, should be no barrier to its universal supply to our merchant-seamen. Secondly,— They have decided to make an appeal to the owners of all merchant-vessel , but especially of those in the home and coasting-trade, on behalf of the seamen who work their craft, and whose lives are risked in their service, and to implore them to provide their servants with this important means of safety. Thirdly,—The Committee have determined to undertake, at least for a time, the supply of life-belts of the description above referred to, at cost price, with a view to bring about their general use on board our merchant-ships.

" It is proposed to supply these belts in chests, containing the requisite number for every size of vessel, through the Custom Houses, Shipping Offices, and Sailors' Homes, at the principal ports, and to which sample chests have been forwarded.

" Lest any shipowner should, without reference to amount of cost, think that it is not his duty to provide his men with such a means of safety, it ii suggested that, whilst he should provide, in the first instance, the chest of belts, as a part of the ship's furniture, he should require his master and crew to pay Ed. each man annually, or Id. each on short voyages, in consideration of being thus provided for, which amount would be a good interest on the sum thus invested; and it is thought that it would rarely happen that men would decline to insure their lives at so trifling a cost.

" It had at first occurred to the Committee that the Life-boat Institution might undertake the gratuitous supply of life-belts to the crews of merchant- vessels ; but, on further consideration, the magnitude of the undertaking appeared so great as to be likely to interfere with the present ample sphere of its operations on the coasts of the United Kingdom.

" It is hoped, however, that those immediately interested in the movement, namely, the owners of ships and fishing-vessels, and the crews themselves, will so readily undertake its direction that there will be no need for the more direct action of the Society.

View of the Life-belt, with the Shoulder-strings tied a» worn.

Life-belt as worn—Front and Sack View.

" INSTRUCTIONS AS TO THE MANNER OF PUTTING ON AND TYING TOE BELT.

" The life-belts should be kept in the chest, which should be stowed and lashed on the upper deck, each belt with the upper or shoulder-strings ready tied in a half-bow, so that it can be put quickly on over the head without untying, the head being put through the central opening (1) and the arms through the side openings (2). The lower or waist-strings are then brought round from behind, and tied in front. The shoulder-strings, it will be observed, cross behind like trouser-braces. They should be drawn tightly over the shoulders, so as to keep the belt close up under the arms, and being tied close to the breast-corks in front, they can be readily pulled up tighter and re-tied at pleasure. They will not interfere with the free use of the arms either in rowing or swimming.

The belts are to be occasionally examined and exposed to the air in dry weather, and the crew to be shown the manner of putting them on.

" Should these life-belts, or any of them, be the means of saving lives, it is requested that the Secretary of the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION be at once informed of the same, with the attendant circumstances.

"Applications to be supplied with chests of life-belts are to be made to the Institution, through the Collectors of Customs, Shipping Masters, and Superintendents of Sailors' Homes at the several ports to which the vessels belong, or from which they sail; the Honorary Secretaries of the Branches of the Institution; or direct to the wholesale manufacturer, Mr. JOSEPH BIRT, 4 Dock Street, London Docks, London, E.

Sample chests of two sizes may be seen at some of the principal Custom Houses, Shipping Offices, and Sailors' Homes of the United Kingdom.

The smaller chests contain six belts; the largest ones twelve. The cost of these belts is 4«. each when bought in chests, or in numbers above six; and that of single belts, 5s. each.

The belts are of two sizes, and are distinguished by the colour of the shoulder-strings.

THE PRICES Or THE CHESTS AND BELTS ABE AS FOLLOWS:—' Containing 6 belts . . . £1 19 0 8 „ . . . 2 9 0 „ 10 „ . . . 2 19 0 I, 12 „ . . . 3 9 0 NOTE.—It has been proposed by Mr. CHARLES KILBURN, of Richmond Hill—who has taken much interest in this subject, and has himself planned a very ingenious description of life-belt, composed of used bottle-corks—to establish a special Society for providing life-belts, and placing them on board merchant-vessels. The field of operation, however, is large, and there is room for all coadjutors in this good work.