IT is very gratifying to observe that the French Life-boat Society continues steadily to extend its beneficent operations on the broad basis of the system of the English NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, the ap- probation of which by our neighbours has been shown by their thorough adoption of it.

Their noble efforts have year by year been blessed by important success in saving life and property. During the twelve months ending March last, the life-boats started 31 times to the rescue of crews, and 55 lives and 8 ships were saved by these efforts; while by the rocket apparatus belonging to the Society 14 lives were also saved, making a total of 69. In addition to these valuable services, the life-boats rendered important and timely assistance to 148 vessels. Silver and bronze medals and votes of thanks were granted in numerous instances to those per- sons who had thus laudably risked their lives; and other rewards were given for services in saving life outside the Society's organization.

The receipts of this comparatively young Society show that the life-boat work begins to be widely appreciated in France, the sub- scriptions last year having reached nearly 11,OOOZ. The many ways in which those especially engaged in connection with maritime pursuits can add to the funds available for life-saving are being most satisfactorily developed. The collections made among their passengers by captains of the great French steamboat lines already form an important source of the Society's revenue. One of the captains of the Trans- atlantic Company, M. de BOCAND :, of the St. Laurent, who had already collected for it 480?., immediately after the lamentable wreck of the Queen of the South, set to work to collect the value of a new life-boat to be placed at the month of the Loire, and by the end of March had obtained 140Z. We also note with much pleasure such contributions as the following: 501. from Capt. FRANGEUR, of the Panama, the proceeds of a concert given during their passage in the ship by the New York Opera Company ; 141. from French residents at Singapore, and 25L collected in the French squadron on the Coast of Senegal.

In the year just closed the Society has been able to extend most materially its sphere of operations, no less than 15 new life-boats having been placed on various parts of the coast. The total number of life- boat stations in full working order is now 43, and several others are in course of forma- tion. In regard to the construction of the life-boats, an experimental innovation was sanctioned by the Committee. The well- known builder of Havre, M. NORMAND, ur- gently requested to be allowed to make a longer boat, with the view to give a sharper JULY 1, 1869.] THE LIFE-BOAT.

235 form to the stern and bow, and so increase the boat's speed. One was thus constructed, lengthened by 50 centimetres, or nearly 20 inches, which it was thought would not in- terfere with the facility of making the ne- cessary evolutions. This boat was tried and compared with one of the usual dimensions, but no increase of speed was the result; and we do not learn that any more boats of that length have been constructed.

On several points which our own Institu- tion has had to consider, the French Society has arrived at precisely the same conclusions.

With regard to life-boats being used in saving derelict or abandoned vessels, orders have been issued that they shall not be used unless the work cannot be accom- plished by ordinary open boats, nor on any service of this nature which would injure them, and that a portion of all salvage-money shall be paid to the local life-boat com- mittees, to meet any risk or damage done to the life-boats. The want of a trained body of seamen around the French coast has been severely felt, because in many places the crews are entirely composed of fishermen, who are liable to be occasionally absent when wanted. Inexperienced crews, unaccustomed to the life-boats, only endanger their own lives ; and it has been decided not to allow untrained men, other than the regular crews, to go afloat in the life-boats beyond the extent of half the crew, and this permission must be the exception. On one occasion both the coxswain and second coxswain were at the fishery, and only 3 out of 22 en- rolled men of the crew were present; and at last the life-boat put to sea with only 7 men. This proceeding the Central Commitee in Paris felt compelled emphatically to dis- countenance, though they fully recognised the courage displayed by the men.

One of the most valuable results hitherto obtained by the Society is undoubtedly the addition to the qualification for a captain's certificate in the French mercantile marine of a knowledge of the means of saving life from shipwreck. The order of the Minister of Marine, M. L'AMIRAL RIGAULT DE GENOUILLY, who is also President of the Society, bears date Jan. 15, 1869. The programme there laid down requires the candidate to be acquainted with the es- sential principles of life-boats—insubmersi- bility, ejection of water, and self-righting.

The mode, in which these properties are secured, and that in which some of them may be applied to ordinary ships' boats, also form part of the examination ; while a thorough knowledge of every process in the use of the rocket apparatus, and in effecting communication with a vessel from the shore, as well as an acquaintance with divers other forms of preservation of life in cases of ship- wreck (such as the use of the life-belt), is also demanded in this excellent scheme.

The Government professors of hydrography are directed to include this subject in their usual courses. It would be a great blessing if sailors of all maritime nations were familiar with the very practical points above referred to, which would probably be the cause of the preservation of hundreds of lives that are now lost through want of co-operation by those on board the vessel with their salvors. The French Government has in this instance set an example worthy of imi- tation by other countries.

The Central Committee has laboured most perseveringly and energetically to extend the usefulness of the gun and rocket apparatus, to cheapen it, and to secure its adoption as part of the stores of every ship. In these objects they have been well seconded by that indefatigable and ingenious officer, M.DELVIGNE, whose system has been adopted by the Society. In the opinion of the French Society, his efforts, both as regards ease of manipulation and lowness of cost, combined with the greatest efficiency, will probably yield important results.

Another signal success has been achieved by the Society, in having secured the supply of rocket apparatus to every ship of the French navy. This step was decided on after numerous trials, and M. DELVIGNE'S methods have been completely adopted.

This regulation will have an important ulterior effect in the diffusion of a know- ledge of this important life-saving apparatus throughout the entire French mercantile marine by those who have successively served in the navy. Organization of this means of saving life from the shore has been another branch of the Society's work, as there is no French Board of Trade to undertake it. Where no life-boat station existed, the life-saving apparatus, together with life- belts, &c., has been placed in charge of the custom-house officers; and 49 stations are now supplied on M. DELVIGNE'S system, and 39 with less costly apparatus. Already several lives have been saved by the use of these and by DELVIGNE'S apparatus.

Several other interesting subjects have recently attracted the attention of the French Society. The advantage or disadvantage of the use of the electric light on board ships 236 THE LIFE-BOAT, by night, to avoid collisions, and to throw a ' better light in other situations of danger, ! has been, and is still, under investigation by a commission. Several private individuals, from actual personal experience, have testi- fied to its high value in situations of great danger, while the results of the commission have as yet been unfavourable. The appa- ratus for producing it is said to be cumber- some and easily liable to deteriorate, and the light is said to dazzle the eyes without corresponding advantages. Its expense, not less than 6401., is another great difficulty in the way of its adoption. But the Central ; Committee very wisely remark : " It cannot ' be dissembled, however, that the real cause of most collisions must be attributed to want of watchfulness, and to carelessness on the part of the ships' crews; and the electric light will not do away with this carelessness, the extent of which is beyond conception." The disastrous accident which happened to the life-boat at Sables d'Olonne has been the means of directing strict attention to the , wearing of life-belts. Those of the crew of the life-boat in question who perished were found without their life-belts, which were picked up some distance off, several of them even having the cords cut. This seems to have arisen from their possessing too little confidence in these valuable belts; and orders were consequently issued for the life-boat j crews throughout France to be systematically exercised in fine weather, in casting them- selves into the sea with their life-belts on, so as to familiarize them with the use of such an important safeguard.

The French Society has not confined its operations to France, but has also extended them to Algeria and other colonies. We trust that it will continue to prosper, and that it will not rest satisfied till it has esta- blished in every locality of danger the most complete and perfect system of saving life.