AT the ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING of the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, held at the Mansion House, by the kind permission of the Eight Honourable The LORD MAYOR of London, on Tuesday the 11th day of May, 1875, His ROYAL HIGHNESS THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH, K.G., in the Chair, the following Report of the Committee was read by the Secretary:— than there -was at the period of its first formation in 1824.

The Committee desire again to record their gratitude to the Great Giver of all good for the blessing He has bestowed on the work of the Institution; and to express their heartfelt thanks to the many bene- factors whose bounty and confidence have encouraged and supported them in the ANNUAL REPORT.

IN presenting the Fifty-first Annual Report of the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTI- TUTION to its supporters and to the public of the British Empire, the Committee of Management feel thankful that they are once more able to announce the unabated success with which it has prosecuted its | performance of their responsible duty.

mission.

The storms of fifty-one winters have swept over our shores since the first esta- blishment of the Institution, each one with its tale of lives lost and lives saved. In this, as in every other department of human work and knowledge, science has been ceaselessly engaged in improving and per- fecting. Notwithstanding that steam has, to a considerable extent, replaced the sail as a motive power, and that new codes of maritime law have been passed by the legislature, we have but to glance at the lists of shipwrecks during last winter, to perceive that the risks attendant on the increase of commerce and of intercourse by sea have more than kept pace with science and legislation, and that there is probably even greater need at the present time of the outstretched hand of file ROYAL, NATIONAL INSTITUTION FOR THE PRESERVATION OF LIFE FROM SHIPWRECK The year's transactions may be sum- marised as follows.

Life-boats.—Since the last year's Report the Institution has placed twelve new Life-boats on the coast—five of them at new stations and the others to replace old or inferior boats. Seven of them have been provided with transporting carriages, and six new boat-houses have been built.

The following are the stations at which these boats have been placed:— ENGLAND.

West Hartlepool.

Lincolnshire NORFOLK . .

KENT . . .

SUSSEX . .

Scittr ISLANDS Isle or MAN Skegness.

Brancaster.* Lydd (Dungeness).* Brighton.

St. Mary's.* Douglas.* ANGI.ESEA WALES.

. . Moelfre, * Tiis indicates a complete new Life-boat station.

SCOTLAND.

FORFAHSHIRE . Montrose.

AYRSHIRE . . Irvine.

ORKNEY ISLANDS Longhope.* IRELAND.

WEXFORD.

. . Carnsore.

During the past year the Society's Life- boats have saved five hundred and forty- I three persons, nearly all of them under perilous circumstances, when ordinary boats could not have accomplished their rescue, or could only have done so at extreme risk to those on board them.

These invaluable services since the last Annual Meeting have happily been rendered without any loss of life amongst the brave men who have performed them ; but, un- fortunately, the death of one man has to be reported, caused by the upsetting of the Shoreham Life-boat on the bar off that harbour when out for the quarterly exercise.

The Institution's Life-boats now num- ber 250.

Shipwrecks. — Animating as is the fact that the Life-boats of the Institution contributed last year to the saving of 543 lives from various shipwrecks, yet unhappily it remains to be recorded that hundreds of valuable lives perished during the fearful storms of last -winter.

It is, however, consolatory to know that, as far as the operations of this Institution are concerned, the violence of no storm appalled the gallant men who manned the Life-boats. On the contrary, there have been services amongst them of the grandest character, and particularly during the heavy and continuous storms of December last, when, the Life-boats saved 122 lives and 4 vessels. In one case, at that period, a Life-boat had hardly landed with her living freight from the very jaws of death, when she was sum- moned again to launch, her crew vying with each other once more to face the storm, whilst others were eager to share their glorious work. In other cases the brave fellows, in their anxiety that valuable time should not be lost, have seized their * This indicates a complete new Life-boat station.

life-belts, rushed into their boats, some insufficiently clad, and after several hours of exposure to the cold, alternately drenched by salt water and by rain, and without food or drink, have landed in an almost equal state of exhaustion with the rescued men they had brought safely to land. Others have gone forth in the dark, when the danger and difficulty of the work before them were doubled, nay often quadrupled, in reply to the distant rocket or booming gun from the lightship near the outlying banks which flank our shore. Although the Life-boats are in most cases successful, yet at times their crews have the mor- tification to find, on arrival at the spot, that vessel and crew had been swallowed up together, and that their long hours of risk and exposure had been in vain.

The services of the Life-boats of the Institution during the whole year may thus be briefly epitomised :— : Number | 1874.

,' of Life- .Vessels Lives ! boat ' Saved. Saved, launches.; 83 61 34 54 11 43 21 116 -.43 4 I 122 January 16 February j 17 March 18 April ' 18 May 4 June, July, and August 11 September . . . . ] 7 October i 29 November . : 3d December . . . . ' 52 Total .... 202 15 513 It may be stated that the launches of the Life-boats, unattended with posi- tive results, have been during the year unusually frequent. But such occasions are not times for hesitation. Those who are wise after the fact are not in a position to judge of the reasons which at such times influence Life-boat crews, who, seeing a vessel with a distress signal or in a perilous position, falter not between two opinions, but proceed out at once to offer help, which, as it often, happens, she may not, from aiiouB subsequent causes, ultimately need. The Life-boat men, however, cannot say until MAY 15, 1875.] ANNUAL REPORT.

235 they reach her that the vessel is not in j distress; and hesitation at such critical periods may mean the loss of valuable J lives. I In addition to the efficient services of j the Life-boats, hundreds of lives are saved every year by means of the Rocket-Appa- ratus, belonging to the Board of Trade,.

and worked so efficiently by the Coast- guard and the Rocket Volunteer Brigades.

The number of lives saved during the fifty-one years from the establishment of the Institution in 1824, to the end of the year 1874, either by its Life-boats or by special exertions for which it has granted rewards, is as follows:— In the No.of Lives : In the So. of Lives In the No. of lives ( In the So. of Lives Year 184S 1847 1848 1849 1850 1851 1852 Saved.

134 157 123 209 470 230 773 Year 1857 1858 1859 1860 1861 1862 1863 Saved.

124 218 175 163 301 463 372 287 310 449 214 Saved.

374 427 499 455 424 574 714 714 921 1,086 Year 1835 1836 1837 1838 1839 1840 1841 Year 1824 1825 1825 1827 1828 1829 1830 Saved.

364 225 272 45S 279 353 128 1832 1833 1834 1865 1866 1867 1843 236 'I 1854 355 1844 193 ;! 1855 406 1845 235 1856 473 In the No. of Lives Year 1868 1889 1870 1871 1872 1873 1874 Saved.

8«2 1,231 784 882 739 G68 713 Total. 22,866 Language fails to express adequately j the gratitude which every one must feel who ponders over this noble list of lives saved, and instinctive thankful- ness rises up in our heart that such great work has been accomplished on our shores.

Rewards.—In the Appendix a summary is given of the cases in which honorary and other rewards have been voted. During the past year 11 Silver Medals, 18 Totes of Thanks inscribed on vellum, and 2,4132.

have been granted for saving the lives of 713 persons by Life-boats, shore and fishing boats, and by other means, on the j coasts and outlying banks of the United j Kingdom. ! The Committee devote much careful consideration to the granting of these Re- j wards. Each ease is minutely inquired ; into, in the first instance, through the co- operation of the Officers of Coastguard and Customs, the local Honorary Secre-taries of the several Branches of the Institution, or other responsible persons ; and afterwards they are thoroughly scru- tinised by the preparatory Committee, previous to their being sanctioned by the General Committee at their monthly meet- ' The Committee again tender their thanks to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, the Admiral Superinten- dent of Naval Reserves, and the Officers and men of the Coastguard Service, for their continued co-operation.

Since the establishment of the Institu- tion, it has expended on. Life-boat esta- blishments, and other means for saving life from Shipwreck, upwards of 356,000?., and has voted 91 Gold and 863 Silver Medals for saving life, besides pecuniary rewards to the amount of 45,2002.

Local Committees.—The Committee have the satisfaction of acknowledging the con- tinued valuable and zealous eo-operation afforded them by the Local Branch Com- mittees, and their Honorary Secretaries, which constitute so important a portion of the machinery for the supervision of the Institution's numerous Life-boat establish- ments, and the collection of funds for their support.

Finances.—The donations, subscriptions, and dividends during the year 1874 have been 33,500?. 14s. 2t2., of which sum 7,213Z. were special gifts to defray the cost of the following ten Life-boats:— £. «. rf.

Brancaster—Mrs. M. A. Boetefeur . 783 0 0 Caiusore—Mis. A. M. Burdon . . 300 0 0 Oesswell—Thomas Haekwood, Esq. 780 0 0 Douglas, No. 2. - Mrs.Turner-Tainei ami Children 600 0 0 __ 

£. s. d.

Hartlepool—Mrs,Annie Maiher . . 1,000 0 0 Hornsea — Collected at Settle and elsewhere, per Christopher Brown, Esq. (Balance) 400 0 0 Longhope—Dickinson Edleston, Esq. SOO 0 0 Lydd (Dungeness)—David Hulett, Esq 750 0 0 Seascale—The Misses Tomlinson . 800 -0 0 Watchet—Mrs. Joseph Somes . . 1,000 0 0 The Committee also acknowledge the receipt, since the last Report, of the fol- lowing other special contributions:— American Sunday School (collected by the Boys), per Miss "Warwick, Scarborough, U.S 5 12 9 Christ's Hospital, part of the offerings of the Boys of, per Key. G. C. Bell, M.A., additional 400 Clevedon Life-boat Fund, per Mrs. E. Lavington (proceeds of a soiree musicale given in December last) . 26 17 0 Foo-Chow-Foo, collected by Two Friends, additional 24 10 0 Foresters, Ancient Order of, Annual Subscription in aid of the support of their two Life-boats, per Samuel Shawcross, Esq 100 0 0 Govan CoVliery Mission School, Glas- gow, collected by Children of, per Robert Coats, Esq 360 lee National Girls' School. ... 040 Maidstone, collected at the Parish Church of All Saints', per K.CY.

D. D. Stewart, M.A 18 13 3 May Queen, ship, of Alloa, contribu- tions from officers and crew on her passage from Calcutta to Dundee, per Captain J. Koss, additional . 1 15 6 Newton-by-Sudbury, Harvest Thank- offering, per Rev. Reginald Smith . 1 12 0 Nottingham, Mrs., as a memorial of her late uncle, Archibald Wor- thington, Esq., of Whitchurch , . 250 0 0 Odd Feliows, Independent Order of (M. U.), Annual Subscription in aid of support of their Life-boat at Cleethorpes, per H. Batcliffe, Esq. 50 0 0 Oxford Gas Light and Coke Company, employes of, per C. Henwood, Esq.. 650 Ratray, Miss Mary Gray, of Tavis- tock Square, the late, Executors of 200 0 0 St. Michael's (Paddington) Life-boot Fund in aid of support of Flam- borough No. 2 Life-boat, per Rev.

G. F. Prescott, M.A., additional . 27 5 5 Windsor Cattle Steamer, collected from the captain and passengers, per Captain J. Howson, additional. 3311 0 LEGACIES IN 1874-5.

£. «. rf.

Annandale, Alex., Esq., Lasswade . 200 0 0 Bergonzi, Mdme., Boulogne-sar-Mer 200 0 0 Berry, Mrs. S. I., Regent's Park . 19 19 0 Biggs, Miss Sarah, St. John's Wood. 1,000 0 0 Foulston, Mrs. E., South Kensington 100 0 0 Gibbons, Mrs. Sills, Bath. ... 500 0 0 Gibson, Capt. H.N., C.B., Lancaster 100 0 0 Goadsby,Mrs. M.A., Fallowfield. . 500 0 0 Griffiths, Miss, Dudley .... 200 0 0 Haberfield, Lady, Clifton, Bristol . 640 0 0 Hearn, Eev. E. M,. Stainforth . . 19 0 0 Jolinstone, Mrs. Peter, Harthope . 50 0 0 Kerr, Malcolm, Esq., Glasgow . . 250 0 0 Lambert, James, Esq., Alloa. . . 500 0 0 Morkland, Miss Ellin, Netting Hill. 200 0 0 Marshall, Robert, Esq., Edinburgh . SOO 0 0 Mellor, Mrs. M., Huddersfield . . *19 19 0 Mytton, Miss C. H. A., Shelton . . 500 0 0 Park, W., Esq., ToiwoodhiH, N.B. . 150 0 0 Park, Mrs., ditto. ...... 500 0 0 Perry, Miss H. E., Southport . . 50 0 0 Pratt, Thomas, Esq., Lowestoft . . 50 0 0 Redpath, John, Esq., North Shields 1919 0 Richardson, Miss Mary, Edinburgh 500 0 0 Skurray, "W. H., Esq., Leamington . 1,155 12 4 Stannah, S., Esq., Gower Street . 500 0 0 Tomkinson, Thomas, Esq., Bath . 100 0 0 Williams,Mrs.Robina,Earnock,N.B. 1,000 0 0 Wrightson, Mrs. C. R., York . . 200 0 0 Yates, Mrs. Hannah, Sheffield . . 1,000 0 0 During the past year 11,140?. 10s. SoZ.

were expended on additional Life-boats, transporting-carriages, boat-houses, and necessary gear; 8,959?. 16s. Id. in re- pairs, painting, refitting, &c.; and 7., 6 5 52.

l&s. 9rf. in rewards for services to ship- wrecked crews, coxswains' salaries, and quarterly practice of the Life-boats' crews: making altogether, including liabilities amounting to 2,1232. Is. 5rf, on Life-boat Houses now in course of construction, and other expenses, a total of 32.363L ITs. Id.

The items of receipt and expenditure are detailed in the financial statement an- nexed to this Report, audited as usual by Mr. LOVELOCK, public accountant.

The Committee had the great satis- faction in the year 1866 to report the formation of a Life-boat Society in Prance, founded on the same principles as our own Institution, of which the EMPRESS OP THE FRENCH held the office of patron- ess, and they have now equal pleasure in reporting the establishment of a, simi- lar Institution in Russia, of which her Imperial Highness the CESARKVNA has gra- ciously undertaken the patronage.

It will be remembered that on the happy occasion of the marriage of His Royal Highness the DUKE OF EDINBURGH with Her Imperial Highness the GRAND DUCHESS HAIIIE, of Russia, the British residents at St. Petersburg!! presented to their Royal Highnesses, as a "wedding gift, two fully-equipped Life-boats of the most complete and perfect character as memorials of the auspicious event, which boats were afterwards handed over by their Royal Highnesses to the Russian Shipwreck and Lifeboat Society.

The Lifeboats, with their carriages, &o,, were constructed in London by the builders to the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, and under its superintendence; and are now on their stations—one in the Baltic, and the other in the Black Sea—in readi- ness for work.

Two exact models of them., one of which is named the Alfred, and the other the Marie, were likewise ordered to be made in London to be presented to their Royal and Imperial Highnesses the DUKE and DUCHESS OF EDINBURGH.

The presentation of these models, in the name of the British residents at St. Petersburgh, and at their request, this Committee have now much pleasure in requesting his Grace the President of the Institution to undertake.

In presenting the models to their Royal and Imperial Highnesses, they beg to tender to them their thanks for thus af- fording them the opportunity to present them in this public manner, and to ex- press the hope that the noble Russian So- ciety, in which they will, doubttess, al- ways take a deep interest, may, with the Divine blessing, long enjoy the same prosperity, and pursue the same career of usefulness in the interests of humanity that has happily been accorded to its sister Institution, in the British Islands.

Entering on the fifty-second year of its existence, the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTI- TUTION, in the maturity of its strength and experience, has every encouragement to pur- sue its career of active work with unabated vigour and undiminished confidence; and, resting entirely on the sympathy and support of the British public and on the continued blessing of Almighty God, the Institution is determined to put forth its utmost and unceasing efforts, aided by its coast coadjutors and its experienced staff of officers, for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck on the coasts of the United Kingdom.

DURING THE YEAR 1874 the Life-boats of the Institution rescued the Crews of the following Wrecked Vessels :— Active, schooner, of Montrose .... 5 Alliance, barque, of London 10 Alma, barque, of Tonsberg 13 Amelia, screw steamer, of Liver- pool 8 Anglia, screw steamer, of Dundee 13 Anna, schooner, of Drammen, Norway 6 Annie Arby, brig, of Dublin, saved vessel and crew 7 Argaum, barque, of Newcastle, remained by vessel.

Baltic, schooner, of Liverpool.... 3 Bamborough, screw steamer, of North Shields 11 Bcckwith, brig, of Shields, re- mained by vessel.

BeUe Star, brigantine, of Yar- mouth, N.S 5 Brick, ketch, of Dunbar 3 Camden, schooner, of Aberystwiih 4 Carolina, barque, of Bidelord.... 5 Carolina, schooner, of Amster- dam, remained by vessel.

Celeste Hourit schooner, of Caen . 4 Chusan, steamer, of Glasgow .... 6 Corinna, schooner, of Whiiby ... 5 Delight, schooner, of Rye 5 Donna Maria, brigautine, of Bel- fast 6 Jhtnrobin, schooner, of Wick .... 6 Eliza Cornish, schooner, of Sun- derland, saved vessel and crew . 5 Elizabeth, brigantine, of Kings- town 7 Emma Eden, brigantiue, of Guernsey 6 Essex, brig, of Sunderland 6 Jtthel, yacht, of Drumore 1 Favorite, schooner, of Dublin 5 Five fishing cobles, of Whitby ... 15 forest, ship, of Windsor, N.S., re- mained by vessel.

Fria, barque, of Blyth, saved vessel and crew 11 Gem, schooner, of Padstow 4 Gita.no., brisj.of Meniel 10 [ (I'h-nville, schooner, of London, assisted to save vessel and crew 10 Great Admiral, ship, of Bristol, rendered assistance.

Crinkle, screw steamer, of J arrow 10 ' Gutenberg, barque, of Hamburg, assisted to save vessel and crew 20 ; Harriet Julia, brigantine, of Marrport, remained by vessel.

Selene, schooner, of Cranz ....... 4 Henry, brigantine, of Youghal ... 5 ffermosa Sabanero, Spanish brig. 8 Howth shore-boat 1 Hnldah, schooner, of Waterford .. 5 Indien, brig, of Bordeaux 6 Industry, schooner, of Girvan.... 3 Jane Young, barque, of Ardrossan, assisted to save vessel and en w 8 Jason, ship, of Greenock, rendered assistance.

Jasper, schooner, of St. Ives 5 Jerome, schooner, of Belfast, ren- dered assistance.

Jessie, schooner, of Blyth 6 John George, barque, of Antwerp. 11 John and Jenefer, schooner, of Fowey 5 John Barbour, ship, of St. John's, N.BT rendered assistance.

J. T. S., schooner, of Barrow 5 Kathleen, sloop, of Lynn, saved vessel and crew 3 Kilda, yacht, of Belfast, assisied to save vessel and crew 5 Kingfisher, barque, uf Shields.... 10 Kingsdowne., barque, of South Shields, saved vessel and crew . 9 Krona, barque, of Hoganas, Swe- den, assisted to save vessel and crew ] 2 Lady Basset, schooner, of Brixham 4 Lady Bavelock, barque, of Liver- pool 17 Laura Maria, barque, of Dantzic, remained by vessel.

Laurel, smack, of Castletown .... 3 Lerry, smack, of Aberdovey 3 Liberal, brigantine, of Colchester 5 Linda Flor. brigantine, of Ips- wich, rendered assistance.

Maria, yacht, of Preston 6 Marianna, brig, of Bordeaux, as- sisted to save vessel and crew.. 8 Marie Elizabeth, sloop, of Hon- fleur 4 Marie, schooner, of St. Valery-en- Caux 5 Marie, lugger, of Lannion. France, saved vessel and crew 3 Mary, smack, of Grimsby 5 Mary Ann. schooner, of St. Ives, assisted to save vessel and crew 6 JUary A. Way, ship, of Liverpool, rendered assistance.

Mary Jane, schooner, of Liverpool 2 i Minnie, ketch, of Bldeford 4 Moir, schooner, of Portsoy 4 Monktonn, schooner, from Liver- pool 4 New Eagle, billiboy, of Grimsby, rendered assistance.

Newbiggin fishing cobles, rendered assistance.

Ocean, of Macduff, and Guiding Star, of Banff, fishing-boats 10 Old Goody, schooner, of Whit- stable, rendered assistance.

Pandora, schooner, of Portsmouth 5 Pride, schooner, of Southampton. 10 Princess Selena, schooner, of Fowey 5 Regina, barque, of Boston, ren- dered assistance.

Richmond, steamer, of Aberdeen. 10 Rose, schooner, of Yonghal 4 Ryerson, ship, of Yarmouth, N.S., rendered assistance.

Sarah M.Dwlman, barque, of Yar- mouth, N.S., rendered assistance.

Sarah, brig, of Whitby 6 Sir William Pulteney, brig, of Guernsey 10 Sopkia and Isabella, schooner, of Lowestoft, rendered assistance.

Squirrel, schooner, of Aberyst- with, saved vessel and crew ... 5 Thomas, brig, of Wbitehaven ... 6 Three fishing boats, of Buckie ... 17 To at, schooner, of Glasgow, re- mained by vessel.

Utility, brig, of Workington 5 Vncas, brigantine, of Stavanger, Norway 9 Venut, smack, of Douglas, saved vessel and 4 Victoria, schooner, of Blyth 5 Ville de Covets, chatse maree, of Nantes 3 Walsgrief, barque, of Scarborough, remained by vessel.

Total Lives saved by Life-boats in 1874, in addition to 15 vessels , 543 During the same period the Institu- tion' granted rewards for saving Lives by fishing and other boats 170 Total of Lives saved in Twelve Mouths 713.