SUPPORTED SOLELY BY VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS.

HER ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCESS OF WALES.

ROYAL HIGHNESS  THE PRINCE OF WALES, K.G.

ADMIRAL H.R.H. THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH, K.G.

President — His GRACE THE DUKE OF NORTHUMBERLAND, p.c., D.C.L.

Chairman — EDWARD BIRKBECK, Es j., M.P., V.P.  — Colonel FITZ-BOY CLAYTON, V.P.

APPEAL.

THE COMMITTEE or MANAGEMENT have to state that during the past year (1884) the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION expended £42,787 on various Life-boat Establishments on the Coasts of England, Scotland, and Ireland. During the same period it contributed to the saving of 792 persons from various Shipwrecks on our Coasts. Every winter that comes and goes has its black record of wrecks, and its terrible list of lost lives, the average loss of lives from Shipwreck annually, on the shores of the United Kingdom, being 700.

GENERAL SUMMARY OF THE WORK OP THE INSTITUTION DURING 1884.

Number of lives rescued by Life-boats, in addition to £ «. d.

18 Vessels saved by them . 633 Number of Lives saved by Shore-boats, &c. 159 ...

Amount of Pecuniary Eewards for Saving Life during the Year 5,000 19 3 Honorary Kewards:—Silver Medals and Clasps ... 6 Votes of Thanks on Vellum. . . 9 ... ...

Total .... 15 792_ £5,000 19 3 The Committee desire to acknowledge, with gratitude, the liberal support which they have received from the British Public during the past few years,—a support which has enabled them to establish their present great Life-saving Fleet of 287 boats on the shores of the United Kingdom. Deeply sensible, however, of the great responsibility that rests on them to maintain the Life-boats in a thoroughly efficient state, and their crews practised in the management of their boats, which can only be effected by a large and permanent Annual Income, they earnestly appeal to all classes of their countrymen to continue to aid them in upholding and perpetuating so great and truly national a Work.

The number of Lives saved either by the Life-boats of the Society, or by special exertions, for which it has granted rewards since its formation, is 31,630 : for which services 97 Gold Medals, 972 Silver Medals, and £84,422 in cash have been given as Eewards.

Annual Subscriptions and Donations are earnestly solicited, and will be thankfully received by the Secretary, CHARLES DIBDIN, Esq., at the Institution, 14 JOHN STREET, ADELPHI, London; by the Bankers of the Institution, Messrs. COUTTS and Co., 59 Strand; Messrs. HEEBIES, FARQUHAR, and Co., 16 St. James's Street; Messrs. HOARE, 37 Fleet Street, London; and by all the other Bankers in the United Kingdom.—August, 1885.