THE Committee of this Institution have found it necessary to reconsider the question regarding payments to their Life-boats' Crews, after they have rendered important assistance in saving property as well as lives, and accordingly the annexed Circular has been issued to its Branches for the information of the Local Committees, coxswains, and crews of the Life-boats.

"SALVAGE OF PROPERTY BY LIFE-BOATS.

" The Coxswains and Crews of the Lifeboats belonging to the NATIONAL, LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION will be guided by the following Rules in all future cases when they use the Life-boats to assist in saving vessels or other property:— "In accordance with the 19th Section of the Life-boat Regulations, the Life-boats of the Institution are not, as a general rule, to be employed to save property, so as to interfere with private enterprise. When, however, other aid is not available, their crews are at liberty to use them on the following conditions:— " 1st. On all occasions when used to save vessels or property, their crews will consider that they are lent to them for that purpose, and will look to be paid for the same by the owners of the property saved, and not by the Institution.

" 2nd. They are never to be launched expressly to perform such service, when lives are not endangered, without the sanelion of the Honorary Secretary or other representative of the Local Committee of Management. When, however, a Lifeboat has been launched to save life, and on reaching a wrecked vessel, it is thought that the latter may be also saved with the aid of the Life-boat's crew, the Coxswain will use his own discretion in allowing his crew to afford such aid or not.

" 3rd. The greatest care must be taken of the boats, and they are never on such occasions to be exposed to serious risk of damage or destruction.

" 4th. Their crews are not to make exorbitant demands from the owners of property saved.

"5th. To cover risk of damage to the boats, two shares of all salvage payments received—that is, a sum equal to the shares of two men of the crew—is to be paid to the Institution.

"In those cases when vessels and their crews are saved by the Life-boats, and when the salvage payments made by the owners are less in amount than the usual award of the Institution for saving lives, the Institution will make up the deficiency to the Lifeboat men.

" By order of the Committee, " RICHARD LEWIS, " Secretary." ROTAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, 14 JOHN STREET, ADELPHI, LONDON, W. (X May, 1863. ..