IN the Number (115) of the Life-boat Journal for February, 1880, there appeared a brief description of the means provided for the Pre- servation of Life from Shipwreck in the United States of America, not only on their sea coasts but on the shores of their great lakes. The information then published was taken from the .Report for the fiscal year ending June 30th, 1878, at which period there were 196 Life- saving Stations on the sea and lake coasts.

During the year then under consideration there had been 171 disasters near those Stations to vessels, on board of which were 1,557 persons, 226 of whom unhappily perished, no less than 183 lives having been lost from two wrecked steamers. The remaining (1,331) persons were saved. The Report for the year ending June 30th, 1881, is now before us, and it appears that the Life-saving Stations at that period numbered 183, of which 143 were on the Atlantic coast, 6 on the Pacific coast, and 34 on the lakes. According to the reports of the district officers, there had been 250 disasters during the year to vessels within the field of operations of the Life-saving Service, involving the total loss of 66 ships. On board those 250 vessels there were 1,878 persons, of whom 1,854 were saved and only 24 were lost. The loss of life, with one exception, was smaller than in any previous year since the Service was ex- tended and made to include the great lakes.

The men in the employ of the Service had been instrumental during the year in saving 424 lives, as follows:— Lives saved.

By surf-boats 248 „ Life-boats 19 „ small boats 20 „ the Life-car 6 „ „ Breeches-buoy 98 „ casting lines over vessels .... 11 „ wading into the surf 14 „ swimming and other means ... 8 424 Total They had also in the same period materially assisted to save 188 distressed vessels, and, in the aggregate, I,0ti0 days' relief had been given at the stations to 470 shipwrecked persons.

In addition, 45 vessels had been saved from partial or total wreck by the night patrols, who are employed in guarding the beaches, firing their red " Coston " signals, and thug warning ships which, in the darkness, were either sailing too near the unlit shore or were standing directly into danger.

¥ronx the general summary of disasters which have occurred within the scope of Life-saving operations from the date when the present system was introduced—1st November, 1871—to 30th June, 1881, it appears that there were— Total disasters to ships 1,347 persons on board 12,259 „ saved . . . 11,864 „ lost . . . 395 12,259 „ sheltered 2,610 number of days' shelter afforded. 7,050 There are certain peculiarities in the United States Life-saving Service which distinguish it from that of the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITU- TION, and which were referred to in the Life- boat Journal for February, 1880.

Thus the funds the American Life-saving Service requires are not provided from voluntary contributions as in England, but are met by annual special grants from Congress. In fact, the Service is now a Government Department, mainly from the circumstance that there are really no fishermen or boatmen available for the Service in the desolate and unpopulated districts where shipwrecks are most frequent, and it has therefore become an absolute necessity to pro- vide for such districts by paid crews. But during the finer seasons of the year the men are dismissed, most of the stations being closed altogether for about four months, while other stations are only partially manned for another four months.

In round numbers, £100,000 was expended by the U.S. Treasury during the year in the maintenance of the Life-saving Service, the amount having been distributed as follows:— Dollars.

Salaries and Pay of Superintendents, Keepers, and Surf-men 380,451 Payments for Apparatus,Equipments, Repairs, Travelling and contingent Expenses 74,717 Compensation to Officers and Em- ployes hi Office of Life-saving Service 21,776 Total . . $476,944 2 Q 3

The boats mostly in use in the United States' Life-saving Service are what are known as surf- boats ; they are very light and of shallow draught of water so that they may be easily transported over the sands and floated from the flat beaches. They are guided by a long steer- ing oar wielded by the coxswain, who stands in the stem, and their crews are most expert in their use, but there is no provision for the self- relief of any seas shipped, neither do the boats right themselves when they are upset, and occasionally their brave crews lose their own lives while engaged in the effort to save others.

For instance, in the year 1880-1, there were two occasions on which fatal disasters happened to the surf-boats, with the loss of five out of the nine men on board them.

There are only a limited number of self- righting Life-boats in the American Life-saving Service, and they are principally placed on the shores of the great lakes, or in harbours or inlets, where there is no difficulty in getting them readily afloat.

In addition to the Life-boats and surf-boats, the Service also has the control and manage- ment of the Life-saving apparatus for bringing persons ashore from wrecks by means of lines.

On our own coasts this apparatus is worked by the Coastguard under the control of the Board of Trade. In America, instead of using rockets as in England, to effect a communication be- tween the shore and the wreck, the gun invented by Capt. D. A. Lyle, of the Ordnance Department of the U.S. Army, is used to fire a shot with line attached across the stranded vessel.

The Report gives full details of the good work performed by the men in the employ of the Service in saving life from shipwrecks during the year. Like the English coast boat- men and fishermen, they are clearly ever on the alert to afford succour to " those in peril on the sea," and the following communication voluntarily addressed to one of the district superintendents, by a gentleman who was an eye-witness of a rescue of an English crew in the State of Maine, shows the admirable man- ner with which they accomplish their perilous mission:— M Logansport, Indiana, " November 4,1880.

" On the morning of the 23rd ultimo I wit- nessed an act of heroism on the part of Capt.

Hall and his crew of the Crumples Life-saving Station which deserves especial mention. The English brig Kate Upham was driven into the Western Bay during a fearful storm, and struck on a ledge near Fisherman's Island. She had lost her rudder and boats, and was otherwise injured. The brave crew of the Life-saving Station, with more courage than is required to face a battery, launched their surf-boat and went to the rescue. Standing on Seal's Island, looking through my glass, I had a good view of the surroundings. It seemed impossible for a boat to live in such a sea. ' Tempest tossed' was no longer an imaginary picture. On every hand the sea was breaking, and the Life-boat, with her noble crew, seemed but the sport of the angry waves; one moment hidden in the trough of the sea, the next borne rapidly on a vast comber toward the ill-fated brig. While I could but admire the spirit that prompted the daring men to risk their lives in the noble service, it seemed a suicidal attempt, for the chances were greatly against them. By almost superhuman efforts they reached the brig, and saved the crew—eleven men. In my western home I learned something of the Life-saving Service, but never dreamed of its importance till I saw it practically demonstrated a few days ago W. G. NASH." While bidding the American Life-saving cause " God speed,'' we earnestly hope that continued success may attend the gallant efforts of their noble service in behalf of those who are shipwrecked on their coasts.