Thursday, 5th Jan., 1865. THOMAS CHAPMAN, Esq., F.R.S., V.P., in the Chair.

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

Read letter from the Secretary of the Shoreham Master Mariners' Mutual Benevolent Society, of the 4th Jan., forwarding a donation of 51. to the Institution, with the following resolution:— " Resolved unanimously, that a cheque for 51. be sent to the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, as a Donation from this Society, and with the earnest wish of the Members that its noble efforts may always be crowned with success."— To be thanked.

Read and approved the Report of Capt. WARD, R.N., on his recent visits to Birmingham, Derby, and Boston, on the occasion of life-boat demonstrations at those places ; and also to the life-boat stations at Donna Nook, Theddlethorpe, Sutton, Skegness, Barmouth, Portmadoc, Porthdinllaen, Llanddwyn, Rhoscolyn, Holyhead, Cemlyn, Moelfre, Penmon, Orme's Head, Rhyl, Piel,Tynemouth, and Sunderland. He had also visited Liverpool, Leek, Maryport, and Newton (Northumberland).

Also the Report of Capt. D. ROBERTSON, R.N., the Assistant-Inspector of Life-boats, on his visit to the life-boat establishments at Exmouth, Teignmouth, Plymouth, Fowey, Lizard, Porthleven, Penzance, Sennen Cove, St. Ives, Newquay, Padstow, Bude Haven, Appledore, and Braunton.

Also to Manchester, Leeds, Boscastle, and Clovelly.

Produced extracts from wills, in which the following legacies were bequeathed to the Institutions —The late Hon. HANNAH FITZROY, 400Z., for a life-boat, to be called the Arthur Frederick, after her late son; the late JAMES McNAB, Esq., of Guildford, 1001.; and the late EDWARD KING, Esq., of the National Debt Office, 191. 19s.

Reported the receipt of 1001. from ELMS Bos- TOCK, Esq., of Hunter Street; 1001. from JOSEPH PEASE, Esq., of Darlington; and 50/. from Miss JACOMB HOOD, of Lee, in aid of the funds of the Institution.— To be severally thanked.

Also the receipt of 5(W. from " Hibernia." The benevolent donor had previously given three donations, amounting to 1501., to the Institution, and had now suggested that a life-boat might be named the Cross of Salvation.— To be thanked.

Also that Dr. H. W. WATSON, of Derby, had paid the Institution ISO/, promised it by his late sister. Miss WATSON, for a second life-boat for Whitby, to be named the William Watson. Miss WATSON had died intestate, but Dr. WATSON had benevolently carried out her wish in this respect.

— To be thanked.

Decided, on the application of the seamen of Sunderland, to take their life-boats into connection with the Society, and that one of the boats be replaced by the Florence Nightingale life-boat, the cost of which had been collected in the town and county of Derby.—( Vide p. 704) Read letter from the Secretary of the Colonial Office, New Zealand, stating that steps had been taken to circulate extensively in that colony the Institution's New Instructions for the Restoration of the Apparently Drowned.

The Committee expressed their deep sympathy with the bereaved family of the late A. W. J AFFRAY, Esq., V.P., of St. Mildred's Court. He had been a warm friend of the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, having given it the cost of three lifeboats, stationed respectively at Whitby, Thurso, and St. Andrew's, in addition to a liberal annual subscription to its funds. The Whitby life-boat saved, on the night of the 15th April, 15Jpersons from the wrecked steamer Ocean Queen, of Newcastle, and on the morning of the 10th May last, 19 persons from the barque Maria Somes, of London.

Ordered Barometers, on the application of the Local Committees, to be supplied to the North Berwick and Porthdinllaen life-boat stations of the Institution.

It was moved, seconded, and carried unanimously that the best thanks of the Committee be tendered to THOMAS CHAPMAN, Esq., F.R.S., V.P., for his able conduct in the Chair during the past year; also to Capt. Sir EDWARD PERROTT, Bart., V.P., as Chairman of its preparatory Committees, accompanied with Models of the life-boats, respectively named the Thomas Chapman, stationed at Newhaven, Sussex ; and the Sir Edward Perrott, stationed at Fishguard, Pembrokeshire, as a further testimony of the Committee's high appreciation of the long and valuable services rendered by those gentlemen to the life-boat cause.

Paid 2,788/. 15s. 7d. for sundry charges on various life-boat establishments.

Voted 73/. 9s. 6d. to pay the expenses of the under-mentioned life-boats of the Institution in going off during heavy gales of wind, and saving the crews, consisting of 43 persons, of the following wrecked vessels:— Barque Jenny Lemetin, of Quebec, and her crew of 9 men, saved by the Pakefield life-boat.

Flat Morning Star of Carnarvon, and her crew of 3 men, saved by the Llandndno life-boat.

Brig Zorniza, of Lucine, and yawl Bravo, of Great Yarmouth: 20 men, saved by the Yarmouth large life-boat.

Smacks Pearl and Speedwell, of Carnarvon: 5 men saved by the Penmon life-boat.

Schooner Idas, of Nantes: 6 men saved by the Palling life-boat.

The particulars of these services will be found detailed in the Annual Report of the Institution, published in April last.

Voted also 561. 4s. to pay the expenses of various life-boats of the Institution, in going off in reply to signals of distress from vessels which did not, however, ultimately require the assistance of the boats.

Also the Silver Medal of the Institution to Mr.

ANDREW LUSK, farmer, and 11. each to five other men, in testimony of their gallant and persevering exertions in attempting to save, at much risk of life, the crew of the schooner Havelock, of Preston, which was wrecked, with the loss of all hands, off Raeberry, near Kirkcudbright, during a heavy gale of wind on the 30th Nov. last. One of the men on shore, named PETER McGuiN, unhappily lost his own life in his gallant endeavours to save those of his fellow-creatures. Voted 101. in aid of a local subscription for his widow.

Also 6/. to the crew of the smack Breeze, of Tenby, for going off and saving the crew of 7 men from the brig Union, of Milford, which was totally wrecked, during a heavy gale of wind, in Caldy Roads, Tenby, on the 18th November last.

Also 31. lOe. to the crew of 7 men of a dredgeboat for rescuing the crew of 5 men from the schooner Lydney Trader, of Cork, which was also totally wrecked in the Caldy Roads on the 18th November last.

Also SI. 10s. to the crew of the steam-tug Rainbow, of Lowestoft, for saving the crews, consisting of 16 men, from the brigs Mary Ann and Curlew, of North and South Shields, which foundered during a gale of wind in Pakefield Gat, on the 28th November last.

Also 61. to the crew of 6 men of a fishing-coble, for putting off and saving, at much risk of life, the crew of 4 men from the schooner Euphemia, of Aberdeen, which was wrecked during a heavy gale of wind near Fifeness, on the 17th November last.

Thursday, 2nd February. THOMAS CHAPMAN, Esq., F.R.S., V.P., in the Chair.

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

Read letters from THOMAS CHAPMAN, Esq., and Sir EDWARD PERROTT, Bart., stating that they had received, with much pride and gratification, the Model Life-boats presented them by the Committee ; and adding, that they hoped they might accept them as a testimony of that personal regard and esteem which they had endeavoured to win from colleagues who had so long acted with them with equal zeal, and an earnest desire to promote the welfare of so noble a Society as the Life-boat Institution.

Decided, to give the Assistant coxswains of the life-boats of the Institution a payment of 10s. each quarter.

Approved of an amended copy of the Life-boat Regulations accordingly, and of the same being printed and circulated.

Read letter from General W. T. KNOLLYS, of the 30th January, expressing the great satisfaction of their Royal Highnesses The PRINCE and the PRINCESS OF WALES, to learn that the Berwick life-boat (the Albert Victor) had been the means of saving the lives of 6 persons on a recent occasion.

Reported, that Colonel FiTzRoy CLAYTON, of the Grenadier Guards—a Member of the Committee of Management of this Institution—had recently delivered a lecture on Life-boats, at the Wellington Barracks, to the third battalion of his regiment.— To be thanked.

Also the safe transmission to their stations of the new life-boats for Girvan, Poole, Penzance, and Tramore. Also the return to her station of the Tynemouth damaged life-boat, which had been repaired. In each case the boats were conveyed free of charge by the several railway and steam-packet companies.— To be thanked, Also that the life-boats built under the superintendence of the Institution by Messrs. FORRESTT and SON, for the Marseilles and South Holland Shipwreck Societies, had been forwarded to their destinations, the General Steam Navigation Company taking them free as far as their steamers went.

Approved of a system of signalling, which had received the sanction of the Trinity House and the Coastguard, from the Caldy Lighthouse to the Coastguard Station at Tenby, a distance of two miles and a quarter, on occasions of vessels in distress in the vicinity, and the direction of the same, with the view to the life-boat being promptly launched.

Read letters from H. LINDSAY, Esq., Collector of Customs at Maryport, of the 6th and 14th December, making application for a life-boat to be stationed at that place, there being a considerable shipping-trade at the port, and from fifteen to twenty vessels having been wrecked in the neighbourhood within the last seven years.

Considerable local support would be afforded to the establishment.

Also read the Report of the Inspector of Lifeboats, recommending the formation of a life-boat station at Maryport.

Also letter from ROBERT WHITWORTH, Esq., of Manchester, of the 30th January, stating that HENRY NIXSON, Esq., of that city, had decided on giving the Institution 5501. to defray the expense of the Maryport life-boat station.

Decided to form a life-boat establishment forthwith at Maryport, and that Mr. NIXSON be thanked.

Produced an application from the Rev. CHARGES HARDY, for a lite-boat to be stationed on Hayling Island, near Portsmouth, as wrecks occurred occasionally in the vicinity.

Reported that Messrs. LEAF, SONS, and Co., of Old Change, had undertaken to give 5501. to defray the cost of the proposed life-boat establishment.

Decided to station a life-boat on Hayling Island and that Messrs. LEAF be thanked.

Read letter from Captain R. TRYON, R.N., of Bristol, of the 20th January, stating that the total amount of contributions he had collected to defray the cost of ,the City of Bristol life-boat was 628/. 3s. Wd.— To be thanked.

Reported the receipt of 399/. 10s. lid. from W.

BISHOP, Esq., Treasurer of the Commercial Travellers' Life-boat Fund, to defray the cost of two life-boats".—To be thanked.

Also a second donation of 1001. from "A Friend, in gratitude to God for having preserved his Wife for another year."— To be thanked, [This benevolent and affectionate husband had since died himself.] Also that Lady MAXWELL had remitted 1U. 13s. 3d., being the amount found in a contribution- box of the Institution in the hall of her mansion, Monreith House, N.B.— To be thanked.

Reported that the late Mrs. MORGAN, of Berkeley Place, Cheltenham, had left the Society a legacy of 2CKM.

Read and approved the Report of Capt. WARD, R.N., Inspector of Life-boats, on his recent visit to Holyhead and Liverpool.

Also the Report of Capt. D. ROBERTSON, R.N., Assistant-Inspector of Life-boats, on his visit to the Bridlington, Poole, Lyme Regis, Girvan, and Ayr life-boat stations.

Decided that the Penzance Life-boat be named the Richard Lewis, and that a model of the boat be presented to Mr. LEWIS as a permanent memorial of the Committee's high appreciation of his ability, and of his long and valuable services as Secretary of the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION.

Paid 2,337/. 13s. 3rf. for sundry charges on various lite-boat establishments.

Voted 111. 17*. to pay the expenses of the Holyhead life-boat, in going off and saving, during a furious storm, the schooner Henry Holman, of Plymouth, and her crew of 8 men from destruction.

After 4 of the life-boatmen had boarded the vessel and had taken her to a place of safety, the life-boat was returning to the shore thus shorthanded, when the gale increased to a hurricane and broke the clamp of her mainmast, which caused the mast to hang over to leeward, and the boat to fall off the wind, when she suddenly upset, from the joint action of the wind and sea, and the weight of the men on her lee side getting in the mast and sail. The life-boat immediately self-righted, her coxswain going round inside her, and 6 of her crew immediately again getting into her. The remaining 4 were carried away by the sea, and 3 of them were picked up, at great risk, by the steam-tug Constitution, of Liverpool; but the fourth man, named WILLIAM HUGHES, unhappily perished from exhaustion.—Voted a gratuity of tOl. to the poor man's widow and 3 young children. Also the Thanks of the Institution, inscribed on Vellum, to Mr. EDWARD EVANS, master of the steam-tug, and 41. to his crew, for their humane and skilful conduct on the occasion. The owners of the schooner had awarded the crew of the life-boat 190Z. for their valuable services in saving their vessel from destruction.

Voted the Silver Medal of the Institution to Capt. T. H. FELLOWES, R.N., Inspecting-Coramander of the Coastguard at Penzance, and Sl. 5s., to pay the expenses of the life-boat at that place, in going off and rescuing the crew of 8 men from the brig Willie Ridley, of Plymouth, which was in distress during stormy weather and a very heavy sea on the 29th Jan. Capt. FELLOWES and the crew of the life-boat behaved most gallantly on the occasion.

Also 6/. to pay the expenses of the Fowey lifeboat, in putting off and saving from destruction the French lugger La Maria Franfois Le fere Samson, and her crew of 4 men, on the 29th Jan.

The vessel was observed, with signals of distress flying on a lee shore, in St. Austell's Bay, during a gale of wind and in a heavy sea.

Also 121.14«. to pay the expenses of the Tramore life-boat in going off during thick weather, in reply to signals of distress, and rescuing from a very dangerous position the brig Stefania, of Palermo, and her crew of 12 men, on the 3rd Jan.

Also SI. 7s. 6d. to pay the expenses of the Rosslare life-boat in going off and saving the crew of 5 men and a pilot from the schooner Thomas, of Liverpool, which was totally wrecked on the Dogger Bank, Wexford, during a heavy gale of wind on the 14th Jan.

Also 105Z. 12«. 6d. to pay the expenses of the life-boats at Bude Haven, New Brighton, Middleshorough, Walmer, New Quay, St. Ives, Wexford, Arklow, Cahore,and St. Andrew's, in putting off with the view of saving the crews of various vessels which were observed in perilous positions, with signals of distress flying during the gales of January.

Reported the services of the Albert Victor life-boat, stationed at Berwick-on-Tweed, in going off and rescuing from destruction a fishing-yawl and her crew of 6 men on the 24th Jan. The crew of the life-boat made no charge for helping their fellow-fishermen.

Also the services of the Southwold life-boat in going off and bringing to a port of safety the brig Elizabeth, of Shields, and her crew of 7 men.

When the life-boat arrived alongside there was 7 feet of water in the vessel's hold, and it was with great difficulty she was saved from destruction.

Voted the Silver Medal of the Institution to Major F. W. TESTING, of the Royal Marine Artillery, in admiration of his intrepid conduct in putting off in an open boat with 12 fishermen, and rescuing 3 of the crew of the schooner Ocean, of Plymouth, which was wrecked during a heavy gale of wind on the Woolsiner Shoal, near Hay ling Island, on the 14th Jan. The vessel was driven in shore, and embayed by the force of the wind and heavy seas, and in attempting to tack when close in upon the shoals, her heel caught the outer edge of the shoal and caused her to miss stays.

The crew let go both anchors immediately; but the vessel bumped heavily on the shoal and filled, and the crew were driven to the rigging for safety.

The fishermen on shore launched their boat as quickly as possible, Major FESTING taking the helm, and after waiting some little time to allow the ebb-tide to run out at its greatest strength, the boat's head was laid for the schooner, and the men bent lustily to their oars. It was a matter of life and death to all those in the boat, as it was to the expectant men in the unfortunate schooner's rigging; and when the boat got at length fairly in among the breakers and close to the vessel, a minute, or may be longer, passed, during which the watchers on shore thought all had gone together —the boat, vessel, and their crews—all being hid in the blinding gray whirl that sprung up from the broken water. Immediately afterwards, however, the cutter, with her gallant crew, was seen leaving the wreck, and in a few minutes more she was high and dry on Hay Hug Island Beach, with the master, mate, and one man—part of the schooner's crew—safe on board. The remainder of the crew, one man and a boy, were washed overboard and drowned before help could reach them. The fishermen who so nobly assisted Major FESTING on this occasion had received a large sum from a local subscription for their gallant services.

Voted also 31. 10s. to the crew of a Coastguard life-boat for rescuing 2 of the crew of another boat of the same class, which had been completely submerged during a very heavy gale of wind off Valentia, Co. Kerry, on the 26th Nov. last.

Thursday, 2nd March. THOMAS BARING, Esq., M.P., F.R.S., in the Chair.

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

Reported the much-lamented death, on the 12th February, of Admiral His Grace the DUKE OF NORTHUMBERLAND, K.G., F.R.S., who had been the active President of the Institution for the past fourteen years.

A deputation from the Society had attended His Grace's funeral, and on that day the flags of the life-boats had been hoisted half-mast high at the different stations of the Institution.

Decided that the following Vote of Condolence be presented to the DUCHESS OF NORTHUMBERLAND: — " That this Committee, in recording the lamented decease of their President, Admiral His Grace ALGERNON DUKE OF NORTHUMBERLAND, K.G., who for so long a period had cordially and unceasingly co-operated with them in carrying out the great and philanthropic objects of the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, are bound by every principle of duty and respect to place on their minutes the large debt of gratitude which the Life-boat cause owes to their late President. It will ever be remembered that his liberality in 1852 brought into practical use the Self-righting Life-boat, which is now placed in large numbers around the coasts of the United Kingdom, and which has contributed, during the past twelve years, to the saving of thousands of Lives from Shipwrecks, not only on our own shores, but also on those of many Foreign Countries—and that the kindly interest which His Grace uniformly evinced in the welfare of the Institution has tended greatly to bring about the large amount of public support and sympathy now so generously extended to the Lifeboat Society.

" That this Committee respectfully tender their sincere sympathy and condolence to his sorrowful widow, ELEANOR DUCHESS OF NORTHUMBERLAND, with their earnest prayer that it may please the Almighty to sustain her in her sad bereavement.

" By order of the Committee, " THOMAS BARING, Chairman.

"THOMAS CHAPMAN, Deputy Chairman.

" Sealed with the Seal of the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION this 2nd day of March, 1865.

RICHARD LEWIS, Secretary."To this Vote the DUCHESS OF NORTHUMBERLAND caused the following acknowledgment to be "Alnwick Castle, '•SiH, "March 6th, 1865.

"I am instructed by the DUCHESS OF NORTHUMBERLAND to thank the Committee of the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION and yourself, for an Address to her Grace of condolence and sympathy with her in her bereavement.

" Identified as was the late DUKE OF NORTHUMBERLAND with the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, and deeply interested as he ever was in its welfare, the warm and earnest language of your address could not but be most acceptable and consolatory to his sorrowing Widow.

" Sir, the Committee have her Grace's heartfelt thanks for this mark of respect to the Dead, and of kindness to the Living, and her assurance that your Address will be placed with her most prized relics of the past, and be looked upon as one of her best treasures.

" I have, &c., "COURT GRANVILLE.

" RICHARD LEWIS, Esq." Approved of the Draft of the Annual Report and the proposed list of Officers of the Society for the coming year, and ordered the same to be laid before the Annual Meeting to be held at the London Tavern on the 14th March. ( Vide April Number of the Life-boat Journal).

Reported that his Grace the DUKE OF ARGYLL, K.T., P.O., had, on the application of the Committee, kindly consented to take the Chair at the forthcoming Annual Meeting.

Also that the Accounts of the Institution for the past year had been audited by Mr. G. C.

BEGBIE, Public Accountant, and had been found correct.

Read letter from General W. T. KNOLLYS of the 21st Feb., stating that their Royal Hignesses the PRINCE and the PRINCESS OF WALES would have " great satisfaction " in according their patronage to the Devon and Cornwall Bazaar, to be held at Teignmouth on the 9th and 10th August next, in aid of the funds of the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION.

— To be thanked.

Reported that Lord CREWE'S trustees had consented to the Institution renovating the Holy Island life-boat station, and that Lady W - had, through Sir W. G. ARMSTRONG, K.C.B., F.R.S., presented to the Society 600/. for the purpose of completely renovating that life-boat establishment, and aiding in its future support. — To be thanked.

Read letter from Admiral HARGOOD, of Worthing, of the 6th Feb., suggesting that the Institution might take under its charge the Worthing life-boat station.

Produced the Report of the Inspector of Lifeboats, on his recent visit to that place, concurring in that suggestion.

Decided that the life-boat establishment at Worthing be taken into connection with the Institution, and that it be completely renovated.

Also read letter from STEPHEN CAVE, Esq., M.P., of the 23rd Feb., forwarding a contribution of SOW. from Miss ROBERTSON, of Lowndes Square, to pay for a new life-boat, which she wished to be named the Ramonet. — To be thanked.

Decided that the Ramonet life-boat be stationed at Shoreham.

Reported that the Secretary of the Institution, Mr, LEWIS, had attended a Public Meeting convened by the Mayor of Reading, for the purpose of promoting the collection, in the county of Berks, of the cost of a life-boat, to be called The Royal Berkshire.

Also that the late JOHN APPLETARD, Esq., of Halifax, had left the Institution a legacy of 2,OOOJ.

Also that 311. 10*. had been received by the Society by favour of J. H. STEINMETZ, Esq., and J. R. ELLIS, Esq., as a donation from an undistributed surplus of a fund subscribed by underwriters for services rendered to passengers, per the Indian Queen, from Melbourne, 1859.— To be thanked.

Also that the North Deal life-boat (the Van Kook) had been sent to its station. This life-boat is the largest self-righting boat of the Institution, and has been constructed principally with the view of being of service to the crews of vessels wrecked on the Goodwin Sands.

Read and approved the Report of the Inspector of Life-boats, on his visit to North Deal and to Kingsdown, near that place.

Read letters from Mons. DELVIGNE, of Paris, of the loth and 16th Feb., reporting that the French Shipwreck Society was making good progress, and stating that on the same day the lamented death of his Grace the President of the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION of England took place, Admiral RIGAULT DE GENOUILLEZ had accepted the office of First President of their Society.— To be acknowledged.

Ordered a new edition of the large Working Drawing of the life-boat of the Institution to be printed forthwith.

Reported that Mr. W. WILKIE had recently delivered Lectures on the Life-boat, at Reeth, in Yorkshire.— To be thanked.

Decided that the Thanks of the Institution, inscribed on Vellum, be presented to WILLIAM A. FORRESTT, Esq., on his retirement from business, for his long and valuable co-operation in the construction of the large fleet of life-boats of the Society.

Also to the Rev. R. E. EATON, in acknowledgment of his long and valuable co-operation as Honorary Secretary of the Arklow Branch of the Society.

Ordered new life-boat houses to be erected at Upgang, near Whitby, and Piel, Lancashire.

Paid 1,5237. 10s. 6d. for sundry charges on various life-boat establishments.

Voted 157. 19s. to pay the expenses of the Newcastle (Dundrum) life-boat, in going off, during a strong gale of wind, and saving the crew of 4 men from the schooner Susan, of Dublin which was totally wrecked in Dundrum Bay, on the 31st January.

Also 141. 5s. to pay the expenses of the Ipswich life-boat, stationed at Thorpeness, Suffolk, in putting off and rescuing 1 man from the smack Leader, of Harwich, which was stranded in a heavy sea off Thorpeness on the 4th February.

Also 11. lOi. to pay the expenses of the Mary Hartley life-boat, at Broughty Ferry, Dundee, in going off in reply to signals of distress and saving, in conjunction with a steam-tug, from a very perilous position, the Dutch galliot Anffa, and her crew of 4 men, during a strong easterly wind, on the 8th February.

Also SI. Is. 6d. to pay the expenses of the Blakeney life-boat, in putting off and saving the crew of 13 men, and also 5 boatmen from the barque Amana, of Sunderland, which was totally wrecked three miles east of Blakeney harbour on the 17th February. It was blowing very strong from the N.N.W. at the time, and snowing hard. Immediately the shipwrecked men were taken off by the life-boat, the vessel completely broke up.

Also 42.6s. to pay the expenses of the Sir Edward Perrott life-boat, at Fishguard, in going out through a heavy sea and rescuing the crews, consisting of 11 men, from the schooners Albion, of Teignmouth, and Emma, of Barrow, which were in distress in Fishguard Bay, on the 19th February.

Also 6/. 2s. to pay the expenses of the North Berwick life-boat, in putting off and saving 3 men from the yawl Matchless, of Newhaven, which was in distress off North Berwick on the 20th February.

The poor fellows were almost perished with cold and hunger, having been exposed in their small boat for 28 hours.

Also 172. 8s. 6d. to pay the expenses of the Blackpool life-boat in going off, in reply to signals of distress, and assisting to save from destruction the barque Lexington, of Nassau, which had struck on the Salthouse Sandbank, on the Lancashire coast, during thick weather, on the night of the 6th Feb.

On the life-boat arriving alongside, the captain of the vessel gave his crew leave to abandon the ship, but said that he himself would stick to her while a plank remained if the life-boat would stay by her. The crew of the boat therefore undertook to remain by the barque, whose crew, thereupon, also kept by their vessel, and ultimately, on the weather moderating, by using very great exertions, the ship was got off the bank, and finally taken into Liverpool in tow of a steam-tug. The captain of the Lexington heartily thanked the life-boatmen for their services, and his crew cheered them when their vessel was got off the sandbank. The boat was away 28 hours, and the crew looked much worn when they came ashore. The vessel's cargo of cotton was valued at 80,0002. For these important services the lifeboat's crew received from the owners of the barque the large sum of 301.! The" Southport and Lytham life-boats, belonging to the National Institution, also went off to the stranded vessel, but finding the Blackpool life-boat already there, they returned to the shore. Voted 151. to pay the expenses of the Southport and Lytham life-boats.

Also 722.11s. 6rf. to pay the expenses of the lifeboats at Newcastle, Dundrum; Broughty Ferry, Dundee ; Ardmore, Rye, St. Andrew's, Skegness, Caistor, and Walmer, in going off with the view of saving the crews of various vessels in distress. 3 Reported the services of the Ballycotton lifeboat in going off and assisting to save from destruction the brig Hants, which was in distress during a gale of wind off Ballycotton on the 29th January.

Voted the Thanks of the Institution, inscribed on Vellum, to Dr. CRAWFORD POOLE, Honorary Secretary to the Ardmore Branch of the Institution ; and to Mr. THOMAS COVENEY, chief officer of Coastguard; and 32. 10s. to 7 other men, in acknowledgment of their prompt and laudable conduct in wading into the surf and otherwise assisting to rescue 10 of the crew of the barque Sextus, of Malta, which was totally wrecked at the Curragh Point, Ardmore, County Waterford, during a strong gale of wind, on the 29th January.

Also the Thanks of the Institution, inscribed on Vellum, to Mr. WILLIAM MAINARD, mastermariner, and to THOMAS BATE, coxswain of the Bude Haven life-boat of the Institution, with I/, to the latter, and also 22. to two other men, in acknowledgment of their gallant conduct in wading into the sea to a reef of rocks, and assisting to rescue 3 of the crew of the Spanish brig Juanito, of Bilboa, which was totally wrecked, during a heavy gale of wind, 5 miles north of Bude, on the 15th January. The remainder of the v-essel's crew were saved by means of the rocket-apparatus, under the management of Mr.

WILLIAM SIMPSON, chief officer of the Coastguard.

•—Jtfr. Simpson to be thanked for his valuable services.

[We may add that .the QUEEN OF SPAIN has ordered the Gold Medal of Honour to be also presented to BATE for his intrepid services on this occasion.] Also voted 81. to the crew of a fishing-yawl, for putting off and saving the crew of 4 men from the schooner Wave, of London, which was wrecked during a gale of wind off Winterton, on the 26th January.

Also 10s. to JOHN QUINE, officer of H. M. Customs, at Douglas, Isle of Man, for wading into the sea and assisting to rescue the crew of 4 men from the schooner Jane and Agnes, of Douglas, which was wrecked off that place during a heavy gale of wind on the 29th January.

Also 11. 10s. to the crew of a fishing-boat for going off and saving the crew of 6 men from the schooner Artemas, which was wrecked during a gale of wind on the Newcome Sands, off Lowestoft, on the 4th January.

Also 51. 10s. to 8 men for putting off in a shoreboat and rescuing the crew of 9 men from the Russian ship Libra, of Aland, which was totally wrecked during a storm from the S.S.E., on the Skerries Rocks, on the east coast of Shetland, on the 24th November.

Also II. to 2 men for going off and saving, during squally weather, 2 of the crew of the sloop Elizabeth Cecilia, of Carmarthen, which was wrecked off Milford on the 28th January.

Also I/. 5s. to the crew of the steam-tug Imperial, of Lowestoft, for putting off on the 21st February, during a heavy snowstorm, with the view of towing out the life-boat from that place to the rescue of a shipwrecked crew.

Tuesday, 14th March. The Annual General Meeting of the friends and supporters of the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION was held this day at the London Tavern, Bishopgate Street.

His Grace the DUKE OF ARGYLL, K.T., P.C., V.P., took the Chair.

The Chairman opened the Meeting with some very appropriate and interesting remarks on the important operations of the Institution.

The Right Hon. EARL PERCY, M.P., P.C., was unanimously elected President of the Institution.

The other officers of the Society having also been chosen, the Secretary read the Annual Report of the Committee.

Various Resolutions were afterwards moved, seconded, and carried unanimously, pledging the Meeting to renewed exertions on behalf of the benevolent and national objects of the Institution.

The Resolutions will be found in the preceding Number of the Life-boat Journal, p. 563.