LIFEBOAT MAGAZINE ARCHIVE

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Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners' Royal Benevolent Society

THE Thirty-fifth Annual Meeting of this excellent Society was held at the 22nd of May last, Captain the Hon the unavoidable absence of His Grace the DUKE OF MARLBOROUGH, President of the Society. Amongst those present on the occasion were the EARL OF ABER- DEEN, LORD WILLIAM LENNOX, Admiral Sir TV". H. HALL, K.O.B., Captain E. LITTLEHALES, B.N., Sir GEORGE BEDDLE- OOMBE, C.B., Captain Rev. JOHN RICHARDSON, M.A., Colonel' NOLLOTH, and a number of ladies.

The Chairman, in forcible terms, com- mented upon the great and national im- portance of the Society's operations, and called upon the Secretary, Commander W. H. SYMONS, B.N., to read the report, which was of a very satisfactory tenor.

In it the Committee called attention to the fact that the receipts, owing to various exceptional causes, had reached during the past year the noble sum of 40,732?.

They were using every effort to extend still further the relief to the widows of the seamen members, and by extend- ing the scale of years of membership from twenty-one to twenty-eight years.48,135 seamen each roluntarily subscribe 3s, a year to the Society. Many handsome donations and subscriptions had been received by it during the past year, in- cluding HER MAJESTY the QUEEN, 25?. annual; H.H. the PRINCE IMPERIAL of FRANCE, 20?.; an offertory in St. Peter's Church, Eaton Square, per Rev. G. H. WILKINSON, 60Z. 9s. 6d.; H. D. Y. (fourth donation), l.OOQL, and Tyne Mariners' Widows' and Orphans' Fund (Newcastle) 1,OOOZ. Twenty-four legacies had also been received during the year.

In the same period 4,561 shipwrecked persons were relieved, including many' foreign crews; and relief was given during the year to 4,635 widows, orphans, and aged parents; making a total of 9,196 persons assisted during the past year; while six silver medals and 1UI. 8s. 8d. had been awarded for saving life from shipwreck on the high seas, and on the coasts of our colonies. The Report concluded by deploring the loss the Society had sustained by the death ' of various coadjators; also by recording deep thankfulness to God for having in so marked a manner blessed the Society's labours during the year, and after expres- sing an earnest hope that, in order to extend the merciful objects of the Society, ~ ~ ~ there will not be found lacking in the fu- ture worthy followers of departed friends.

Various resolutions having been carried, the Meeting separated after the usual vote of thanks to the Chairman.