THE abstracts from the Wreck Register for the year ended the 30th June 1885, which, owing to circumstances, were not published by the Board of Trade in 1886, have now been issued, and are full of interesting matter. We propose, in ac- cordance with our usual custom, to draw attention to such of the more important statistics, found in the admirably arranged tables and appendices of the abstracts, as bear on the work of the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION.

It is shown that, during the year in question, as many as 3,764 vessels met with casualties, on or near the coasts of the United Kingdom; but, large as this total undeniably is, it is satisfactory to find that it is less by 641 than that of the preceding year, and, what is of infinitely greater importance, that the number of lives -lost, as a result of these casualties, fell from 661 to 478—a very considerable decrease of 183. It is impos- sible to give a definite reason for such a decrease, but we may reasonably assume, that greater efficiency in the life-saving service, better built vessels/ the spread of education, and increased sobriety in the crews, must have tended in a large measure to bring about such an improved state of affairs.

The casualties which befel the 3,764 vessels we have mentioned were of every description—total loss, serious casualties, minor casualties, etc.,—and when the figures are analysed we find they may be classed thus:—more serious casualties 1,206, minor casualties 2,558. Of the total casualties, only 118 resulted in loss of life, whereas in the previous year the number was 163.

Although the number of vessels to which casualties occurred in the year 1884-5 fell from 4,405 to 3,764, the proportion of collision cases was very large, no less than 1,374 having been so involved. Of the remaining 2,390 vessels 291 were totally lost, 528 met with serious damage, and 1,571 with minor accidents.

Comparing these figures with the returns for the preceding year, we are glad to learn, that not only was there as before shown a decrease to the extent of 641 in the number of vessels which met with casualties, but that the total losses and serious casualties, excluding collisions, fell from 1,240 to 819. Of the 3,764 casual- ties, 3,374 happened to British and Colonial vessels, and 390 to foreign ships and steamers.

The localities of the casualties, other than collision cases, were as follows:— east coast of England, 620; south coast, 484; west coasts of England and Scotland, and east coast of Ireland, 895; north coast of Scotland, 100; east coast of Scotland, 112; and other parts 179. Total 2,390.

The number of lives lost from all sorts of casualties is thus given :—East coast of England 84, or 58 less than in the previous year; south coast of England 85, or 7 less than the year before; west coasts of England and Scotland, and east coast of Ireland, only 69—a large decrease of 213 on the year 1883-4; north coast of Scotland 24—a falling off of no less than 35 as compared with the previous twelve months; east coast of Scotland 16, or 9 less than the preceding year; and other parts, 200. Total 478.

A very fair general idea of the shipping disasters, which took place on the coasts of the United Kingdom during the year 1884-5, will be obtained from the exam- ination of the annexed chart, from which it will be seen that very few parts of the coast line are without the sad " wreck " dots, thus showing the great necessity of maintaining in efficiency the Life-boat service.

Between 1861 and the end of June 1885, 4,083 British, Colonial and Foreign vessels were wrecked on our shores, in- volving loss of life in each case, the total number of lives so lost being 18,951.

It is with feelings of thankfulness we have been enabled to report a considerable falling off in the number of lives sacrificed in shipwrecks on our shores during the year of which we have been treating.

In our last wreck-article, we announced the number of lives lost as 661, whereas, as has been already stated, we have now to record a decrease of 183, the total being 478, from 118 vessels. Of these 478 lost lives, 64 perished in foundered vessels, 115 in collisions, 159 in stranded vessels, and 86 in missing vessels. The remaining 54 were lost from miscellaneous causes, such as being washed overboard, explosions, etc.

The following table, giving the number of shipwrecks which occurred in each year, between June 1854 and June 1884 (30 years), is interesting, as showing how the numbers fluctuate from year to year:— 1854 (last six months), 458; 1855, 1,141; 1856,1,153; 1857, 1,143; 1858, 1,170; 1859,1,416; 1860, 1,379; 1861, 1,494; 1862,1,488; 1863, 1,664; 1864, 1,390; 1865,1,656; 1866, 1,860; 1867, 2,090; 1868,1,747; 1869, 2,114; 1870, 1,502; 1871, 1,575; 1872, 1,958; 1873 (first six months), 967; 1873-4, 1,803; 1874-5, 3,590; 1875-6, 3,757; 1876-7, 4,164; 1877-8,3,641; 1878-9, 3,002; 1879-80,2,510; 1880-81, 3,575; 1881-2, 3,660; 1882-3, 3,654; ami 1883-4, 3,647. Total 66,377.

If we add to the 22,312 lives which perished as the result of these 66,377 casualties, the 478 lives lost in connection with the casualties befalling 3,764 vessels on our coast during the years 1884-5, we have a total of 22,790 lives lost through shipwrecks on our shores in 31 years.

Terrible as this fact is, it is a matter for the deepest thankfulness, that the operations of the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE- BOAT INSTITUTION prevented these losses being doubled, the means adopted by this society having been instrumental in saving, during the same period, as many as 22,752 lives, bringing up the grand total of lives rescued by it since its foundation in 1824 to 32,325.

In addition to the good work done by the Life-boats in the years 1884-5, admir- able service was rendered by the Rocket apparatus of the Board of Trade, the 297 stations furnished -with the apparatus, having been instrumental in saving 121 lives.

In view of the statistics to which we have directed special attention, there is no room for doubt, as to the immense importance of the work carried on by the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, which is ever on the alert to minimise as far as possible, through the instrumentality of its Life-boats, and such other means as come within its reach, the horrors and fatal consequences attending shipwrecks on our shores. How much longer, as has been shown, would the list of lives lost, as a result of such sad casualties, be, were it not for the valuable services of the 291 Life-boats placed on the coast by this Institution, which, merits and should receive the much-needed sympathy and liberal support of the British Public.