AT the ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING of the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, held at Willis's Rooms, King Street, St. James's Square, on Thursday, the 15th day of March, 1877, His Grace the DUKE OF NORTHUMBERLAND, P.O., D.C.L., President of the Institution, in the Chair, the following Report of the Committee was read by the Secretary:— The year's transactions may be sum- marised as follows:— ANNUAL REPORT.

THE Committee of Management of the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION- on inviting the scrutiny and soli- citing the continued aid and sympathy of their countrymen throughout the United Kingdom, feel assured that they need only refer to the stormy character of the past winter to convince every one that the necessity for the existence of such an Institution is still as urgent as ever.

It is therefore with renewed confidence that the Committee again make their Annual Appeal for a continuance of that humane and generous support which has been hitherto afforded them, and of which they now desire to record their grateful appreciation.

The first duty of the Committee is to report the munificent gift of 4,000?.

recently voted to the Institution by the English Freemasons, for the establish- ment of two Life-boat Stations in perpetuity, in testimony of their loyal gratification on the occasion of the safe return of their Grand Master, His Royal Highness the PRINCE OF WALES, from his tour through our Indian Empire gratification which was universally felt throughout the British Islands.

Life-loafs.—Since the last Annual Report twelve new Life-boats have been placed on the coasts of the United Kingdom, or are about to be forwarded, four of these at new stations and eight to replace old or inferior boats.

The Committee are prepared to station others wherever there is a probability of their being useful. They have re- cently made extensive inquiries on the subject, through the Officers of the Coast- guard Service and Lloyd's Agents, -which may lead to the formation of some addi- tional Life-boat Stations.

The following are the stations of these twelve new boats:— ENGLAND.

DURHAM .... Hartlepool.

LINCOLNSHIRE . . Sutton.

„ . . Chapel.

SUFFOLK| .... Lowestoft.

DEVOS Dartmouth.

ANGLESEA. , . . Cemlyn.

,, ... Cemacs.

CHESHIRE .... New Brighton.

SCOTLAND.

ARGYLLSHIRE . . . Campbeltown.

ABEHDEENSHIRE . . Cruden.

BERWICKSHIRE . . Eyemouth.

IRELAND.

Co. AMKIM ... Portrush.

L THE LIFE-BOAT JOUBNAL.—VOL. X.—No. 104.

26 ANNUAL EEPOET.

[MAY 1, 1877.

During the past year the Institution's ; Life-boats saved five hundred and fifteen j persons, nearly the whole of them under perilous circumstances, when ordinary , boats could not have been employed with- j out extreme risk to those on board them. | The Committee regret that while they have to report the eminently successful and many noble services of the Life-boats' crews during the past twelve months, they have not been performed without loss of life in four instances to the brave men themselves.

The first occurred on the 30th of Sep- tember, when the Kingstown Life-boat instantly proceeded to the assistance of the brig Leonie, of Charlotte-Town, Xova Scotia, which was in distress off Bray, 7 miles south of Kingstown. She reached the brig, and took off her crew, consisting of the master and 6 men. Unfortunately, instead of running for the beach, the cos- swain made sail for Kingstown; but, after tacking, and after the boat had lost her way, she was struck by three heavy broken seas, the last of which fell on her j broadside, and upset her, and the whole of her occupants—19 in all—were thrown into the sea. Three of the brig's crew, who were young unmarried men, were drowned; and the second coxswain of the Life-boat, THOMAS WHITE, a Coastguard- man, who had landed in an exhausted state, severely injured, shortly afterwards died.

Again, on the night of the 9th January last, one of the Institution's smaller Life- boats, stationed at Whitby, on the York- shire coast, broached-to, and was upset, when running before a heavy surf to the rescue of a shipwrecked crew. On this occasion three of her own crew perished through their life-belts being either torn from their bodies, by the violent action of the sea, or by coming in contact with the gunwale of the boat, when righting herself.

In the third instance, a Life-boatman perished from the severe cold and expo- sure to which he was subjected for many hours in the Aberystwyth Life-boat on the 20th February. The boat was called out on that occasion to the help of a schooner's crew, whom she eventually rescued and landed in safety, after very great exertions on the part of the Life- boatmen, who had, for several hours of the night, to encounter a furious gale and mountainous seas. On seeing that her crew were nearly exhausted, the un- fortunate man who perished had, with seven others rustied courageously through the surf and boarded the boat. But, not being of a very strong constitution, he soon succumbed, and became insensible, long before the Life-boat regained the shore, and died immediately on landing.

The last case happened at Bude, on the north coast of Cornwall. No heavier surf rolls upon our shores than that to be I met with at this dangerous part of the j coast, but this did not deter the crew of the Life-boat from promptly and gallantly launching their boat, on the night of the 3rd March, to the help of the crew of a small vessel which had struck on a reef of rocks running out from the back of the breakwater. On nearing the wreck, however, it was found that it had driven into a position on the rocks inaccessible to the boat, and, as the Eocket Apparatus, by which means the shipwrecked crew were eventually saved, was on the spot, the Life-boat made for the shore again. On coming into the breakers at the mouth of the harbour she was struck by a heavy sea, which smashed several of her oars and carried away her rudder, rendering her instantly unmanageable. Another heavy wave then caught the Life-boat and cap- sized it, throwing the crew of 12 men into the water; 11 of them regained the boat, and got safely to land, but her gallant coxswain, JAMES MAYNARD, unhappily ! perished.

| These cases serve but to show that, how- j ever he may be provided with every avail- able means of security, the work of the Life-boatman must ever be one of danger, and therefore of honour and valour.

The Committee had the melancholy satisfaction on these occasions to vote MAY 1,1877.] ANNUAL REPORT.

27 150Z., 250Z., 100Z., and 150Z. respectively towards the local funds raised for the benefit of the widows and orphans of the noble men who thus unhappily perished.

It must be added that, while the boats of the Institution were manned during the past twelve months by about 12,000 j persons, on service and exercise, these are | the only casualties to be recorded. ' Shipwrecks.—Last winter will long be remembered for its numerous Ship- wrecks and Life-boat services, arising from the heavy gales which prevailed on our coasts for several weeks in succession. Many ships either foundered or were dashed to pieces on the rocks, whereby scores of sailors, English and foreign, perished before it was possible for the Life-boats or the Rocket Apparatus to render them the least assistance. In other instances, while these appliances were used with all the skill and prompti- tude that long experience could give them, the tremendous waves had often done their work so quickly that the Life-boats could only partially accomplish their mission of mercy.

On the other hand, the services of the Life-boats, whenever practicable, were, as usual, of the most determined character, and in nearly every instance were attended with the success which has hitherto, in a marked manner, followed the gallant and humane conduct of their crews.

Happily the result of these noble ser- vices, as before stated, has been the saving of 515 lives from various wrecked vessels by the Life-boats of the Institution, in addition to 19 ships rescued from de- struction.

As an illustration of the danger and skill of the Life-boat service, the Committee would mention the following case:— Early on the morning of the 12th March last year the schooner Lion, of Goole, bound from Hull to the Isle of Wight, was observed driving before a heavy gale at north, with signals of dis- tress flying, off. Broadstairs. The signal guns of the station having failed to assemble the proper number of men, the Life-boat of the Institution was launched with part of the crew only, the place of one being filled by Major ELYARD, of the 2nd Royal Surrey Militia, an active member of the Local Committee. Stretching off under sail, the Life-boat succeeded in boarding the dis- abled vessel about 5.30 P.M. She was found to be in a deplorable condition, especially aloft.

The Life-boat's crew, however, succeeded in carrying her safely into Dover Harbour on the following day, at which time they had been twenty-four hours without breaking their fast.

The Lion had a crew of 4 men. Major ELYARD had long been distinguished for his heroic con- duct in the Life-boat service, and he reached the culminating point of his brave acts on this occasion. Accordingly, at the monthly meeting of the Institution in April last year, it was de- cided to present him with its gold medal, which is the highest honour in the power of the Society to bestow, in recognition of his series of gallant services in the Broadstairs Life-boat He had been out in the Life-boat altogether 18 times on service, and had assisted to save 49 lives from different wrecks. By order of Major-General Sir GARNET WOLSELEY, G.C.M.G., K.C.-B., the Inspector-General of Auxiliary Forces, the gold medal was presented to Major ELYARD at the head of his regiment on a brigade field-day held on the Queen's Birthday.

The services of the Life-boats of the Institution during the whole year may thus be briefly epitomised:— 1876.

Vessels Saved.

Lives Saved.

January ....

February....

March ....

April May, June, and July August ....

September . . .

October ....

November . .

December ...

Number j ol Life boat launches/ 25 I 74 15 1 47 27 3 85 23 2 44 18 1 32 20 3 26 23 3 54 14 _ 21 28 2 ! 41 62 3 ( 91 Total 255 19 ! 515 It may be stated that the launches of the Life-boats, unattended with posi- tive results, have been unusually numer- ous and expensive during the past year.

When a vessel is seen to be in danger, or a signal of distress is hoisted, there must ! be DO hesitation; yet it often happens I that when the ship is reached, from various subsequent causes, the danger may be passed.

j Life - boatmen, however, can never tell, till they actually reach an appar-ently distressed vessel, that their aid is not required; "while in many doubtful cases, failure to act may mean disastrous results.

In addition to the efficient services of the Life-boats, hundreds of lives are saved every year by means of the Rocket Ap- paratus, belonging to the BOARD OF TRADE, and worked so efficiently by the Coastguard and the Rocket Volunteer Brigades.

The number of lives saved during the fifty-three years from the establish- ment of the Institution, to the end of the year 1876, either by its Life-boats or by special exertions for which it has granted rewards, is 24,387, as shown in the annexed table.

, of Lives Saved.

364 225 272 456 279 353 128 276 236 193 235 In the No. of Lives ; year 1824 1825 1826 1827 1828 1829 1830 1831 1832 1833 1834 Saved.

124 218 175 163 301 463 372 287 310 449 214 In the No.

Year 1835 1836 1837 1838 1839 1840 1841 1842 1843 1844 1845 In the Year 1846 1847 1848 1849 1850 1851 1852 1853 1854 1855 1856 No.

of Lives Saved.

134 157 123 209 470 230 773 678 355 406 473 In the No. of Lives Year 1857 1858 1859 1860 .1861 1862 1863 1864 1865 1866 1867 Saved.

374 427 499 455 424 574 714 698 714 921 1,086 In the No. of Lives Year 1868 1869 1870 1871 1872 1873 1874 1875 1876 Saved.

862 1,231 784 882 739 668 713 921 GOO Total. 24,387 Let any one contemplate the very large number of shipwrecked persons thus rescued from the very jaws of death; and let him, on the other hand, contemplate the disastrous results attending such shipwrecks as those of the Deutschland and the Schiller, where Life-boats were not available. He will then readily join the Committee of the LIFE-BOAT INSTITU- TION in expressions of thankfulness for this glorious harvest of human lives saved, mainly.through its instrumentality, from a doom which too frequently overtakes the shipwrecked sailor in the absence of j the timely help of the Life-boat.

Rewards.—In the Appendix a summary is given of the cases in which honorary and other rewards have been voted. During the past year 1 Gold Medal, 8 Silver Medals, 18 votes of Thanks inscribed on vellum, and 2,814:1. have been granted for saving the lives of 600 persons by Life- boats, shore and fishing boats, and by other means, on the coasts and outlying sandbanks of the United Kingdom.

The Committee continue to devote much time and careful consideration to the granting of these Rewards. Each case is minutely inquired into, in the first instance, through the valuable co-operation of the Officers of Coastguard and Customs, the local Honorary Secretaries of the several Branches of the Institution, or other responsible persons; and afterwards they are in succession thoroughly sifted and considered by the preparatory Committee, previous to their being sanctioned by the General Committee at their monthly meet- ings.

The Committee tender their thanks to the Admiral Superintendent of Naval Be- serves, and the Officers and men of the Coastguard Service, for their continued valuable co-operation.

Since the establishment of the Insti- tution, it has expended on Life-boat establishments, and other means for saving life from Shipwreck, upwards of 417,000?., and has voted 92 Gold and 882 Silver Medals for saving life, besides- pecuniary rewards to the amount of 52.000Z.

Local Committees.—The Committee have the satisfaction of acknowledging the con- tinued valuable and earnest co-operation afforded them by the Local Branch Com- mittees, and their Honorary Secretaries, which constitute so essential a portion of the machinery for the supervision of the Institution's numerous Life-boat establish- MAT 1, 1877.] ANNUAL REPORT.

29 meats, and the collection of funds for their support.

Finances.—The donations, subscriptions, and dividends during the year 1876, have been 33,801?. 2s. 5d., of which sum 6.216Z. 8s. 3d. were special gifts to defray the cost of the following eleven Life- boats :— £. s. d.

Cemaes—The late George Hegin- bottom, Esq 500 0 0 Cemlyn—Loyal Order of Ancient Shepherds, A.U. ...... 600 0 0 Chapel—Miss Jessie Landseer, in memory of the late Sir Edwin Landseer, H.A 1,000 0 0 Courtown—Manchester Branch . . 398 2 6 Hartlepool, No. 2—G. P. Wragge, Esq., in aid of Charles Inyleby Life-boat Endowment Fund . . 200 0 0 Lowestoft, No. l—Plimsoll Life- Boat Fund (additional) .... 198 8 11 Pakefield, No. 1—The late Thomas Parkin, Esq 550 0 0 Portrush—The late John Whitaker, Esq., per Edward Absolom, Esq. 1,000 0 0 Torquay—Mrs. Brundret .... 1,000 0 0 Jewish Scholars' Life-boat Fund 420 0 0 Worcester Cadet Life- boat Fund 349 16 10 The Committee have also the gratification to acknowledge the receipt, since the last Report, of the following other special and munificent contributions:— £. s. d.

African Cape Mail steamship, collected on board, per Captain Coathope, after Sermons by Rev. E. B. Prince, of Cape Town 12 15 0 Anonymous, per Messrs. Barclay, Sevan, & Co 100 0 0 A Norwegian Captain, for the i An American support of Life-boats on the f banknote for English coast five dollars Bazaar at Bangor, Ireland, proceeds of same, per W. H. Hamilton, Esq. 185 7 8 Bristol Histrionic Club, in aid of the support of their Life-boat at Lossie- mouth, N.B 50 0 0 Carey, S. W., Esq., New York. . { Z'rs Collected at the Glasgow Custom House, per D. Williams, Esq., and Mr. M. O'Halloran 94 18 0 Collected |on board the Si. Osyth, S.S., per Capt. R. McNab 16 0 0 County Court Life-boat Fund, per Mr.

J.Roberts 115 0 4 Covent Garden Life-boat Fund, per Mr. J. Webber, additional ... 53 10 0 Cruddas, George, Esq., Newcastle-on- Tyne 100 0 0 £. s. d.

Hewitt, The Misses, Lytham, 5th don. luO 0 0 " In Memoriam" 50 0 0 In memory of two officers, Indian Army (Madras), Hawkins & Spinks (many years deceased). From Mrs.

A. D. M., Imrn Hawkins .... 1,010 0 0 Jumna, H.M.S., proceeds of Concert by the Naval and Military Officers and Men, while in the Suez Canal on the 22nd Dec., per Lieut. G. Brom- ley, R.N 880 Laurie, Mrs., per Rev. Sir Emilius Bayley, Bart 500 0 0 Lloyd's, The Committee of, Annual Subscription 10 10 0 Local Government Officers' Life-boat Fund, per Mr. G. C. Bimrose . . 45 1 0 Nottingham Amateur Christy Min- strels, per Nottingham Branch . . 50 0 0 Peach, The Misses, further in aid of Memorial new Life-boat at Tyrella. 50 0 0 Rawson, Miss 101) 0 0 Rawson, Miss Elizabeth ... . 100 0 0 Shanghai, collected by Capt. Richard Gibbon, of the S.S. Young Clung . 26 7 11 St. Gabriel's Church, Pimlico, Collec- tion after Sermon, per Rev. Brymer Belcher, M.A 19 15 6 Weston-super-Mare, Trinity Church, collected after Sermons, per Rer. J, Bartlett 11 0 0 LEGACIES IN 1876-7.

Beckett, Miss Augusta, Bury St.

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 19 0 10 0 0 0 0 0 19 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 19 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 19 0 0 0 Edmunds (duty free) 600 Biggi?, Miss L. M., St. John's Wood 1,000 Birkett, Wm., Esq., Newtou-in- Cartmel 800 Birtwhistle, Miss M. A., Cheltenham 1,000 Browne, Miss Mary, Liverpool . . 250 Bryan, Stephen, Esq., Dalston . . 50 Buckmaster, Miss M., Kingston-on- Thames 10 Burch, Capt. I., R.N., Exmouth . . 50 Cameron, Miss Elizabeth, Glasgow . 1,050 Carlile, Miss H. E., Clifton, Bristol . 100 Corker, C. J., Esq., Ramsgate. . . 500 Crackles, Mr. Thomas, Hull ... 19 Day, Miss Elizabeth Eve, Reading . 10 Dewar, Mrs. E. A., Vogrie, N.B. . . 500 Everard, Miss G., Laverstock . . 1,000 Farley, Mrs. Caroline, Clifton . . 19 Fawcett, Mrs. Ann, Norfolk Terrace . 530 Ferguson, Misses Agnes and Eliza- beth, Edinburgh 4,500 Warn, George, Esq., North Row, Park Lane 1,000 19 50 10 100 50 19 2CO Clii- Jillard, H. F., Esq., Islington Johnston, Miss Margaret, Chester Jones, Miss H. M., Tatton . .

Kendrick, Mrs. E., Philpot St., E.

Kerr, Miss Mary, Dumfries Larwill, Miss E. S., Chatham . .

Lewthwaite, Miss F. J., Stott Park 30 ANNUAL BEPOBT.

[MAT 1,1877.

Lonsdale, Henry, Esq., M.D., Car- £. «. d.

lisle 100 0 0 Mostyn, T. A. S., Esq., St. James' Place 100 0 0 Needham, J. M., Esq., Gloucester Square, Hyde Park 50 0 0 Newen, George, Esq., Cambridge Terrace, Hyde Park .... 100 0 0 Parker, Mrs. M. L , Whippingham 300 0 0 Eideout, W. J., Esq., Charles St., Berkeley Square 1,000 0 0 Kigden, Miss Martha, St. Lawrence, Chepstow 50 0 0 Roberson, Chas., Esq., Long Acre. 500 0 0 Stainton, J. J., Esq., Lewisham. . 100 0 0 Stott, J. M., Esq., Rastrick, York, cost of a Life-boat Station.

Taylor, Mrs. Anne, Bolton ... 50 0 0 "Wallace, Mr. William, Curtain Road, Shoreditch 800 0 0 During the past year 11,1352. 2s. Id.

were expended on additional Life-boate, transporting carriages, boat-houses, and necessary gear; 13,038?. 5s. lid. in re- pairs, painting, refitting, &c.; and 7,996Z.

15s. lid. in rewards for services to ship- wrecked crews, coxswains' salaries, and quarterly practice of the Life-boats' crews: making altogether—including liabilities amounting to 1,9 9 91. 18s. on Life-boat Houses now in course of construction, and other expenses—a total of 36,793Z. 19s. 9d.

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.

In conclusion, the Committee wish to congratulate the supporters of the Insti- tution on the large amount of success which, with the blessing of Almighty God, continues to mark its career. Hap- pily there is now hardly a dangerous point of the coast where a Life-boat is not to be found, and, what is equally important, where stout hearts and strong arms are not also found ready to man and work it even in the fiercest storm.

It is therefore with a well-grounded national pride that its Committee and Officers, many of whom have grown old in its service, mark the success that has attended the labours of the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, working through the means of those gallant crews and boats—which exhibit, in combination, all that skill and modern invention can devise.

The Committee trust that its glorious war- fare with the elements may be continued with ever-increasing efficiency and more marked success, as each revolving year brings the Institution greater experience and more general sympathy..