At the ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING of the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, held at Willis's Booms, King Street, St. James's, on Saturday, 24th day of March, 1888, His Grace The DUKE OF NORTHUMBERLAND, E.G., President of the Institution, in the Chair, the following Report of the Committee was read by the Secretary:— ANNUAL REPORT.

1888.

NEVER since the foundation of the Institution in 1824 has its capacity for work been so strikingly shown as during the past year, and never before has the machinery of the Society been strained in such an extraordinary manner.

Following immediately on the disastrous accidents at Southport and St. Anne's in December 1886, and the subsequent special inquiry held at the instance of the Board of Trade, the Committee determined to make a searching investigation into the self-righting and other properties of the Institution's boats, and to carry out such trials and tests as might enable them to adopt any and every improvement which experience had suggested and science developed. With this most practical end in view a large special Sub-Committee was appointed at the beginning of the ye r. This Sub-Committee met day after day and week after week for three months, carrying out experiments, visiting the respective yards of the Institution and boat-builders, and examining numerous coxswains and other witnesses from all parts of the United Kingdom. In March an ad interim, and in April a final report was submitted to the General Committee, recommending very important alterations in the service generally and in the construction of the Life-boats in particular, all of which re- commendations were at once adopted, and steps taken for carrying them out forthwith.

Among the principal results of these re- ports may be mentioned (1) the decision to withdraw a large number of boats from the coast as soon as possible, to be replaced by others vastly superior in their construction and fittings, the improvements to include the employment of copper for the air-cases, and a careful revision of the weights and materials used in the several parts of the boats, ensuring increased stability, strength, and seaworthiness, at the same time largely increasing their self-righting power; (2) the alteration and improvement of many of the boats stationed on various parts of the coast; (3) the Formation of a permanent building sub- committee ; (4) the appointment of a con- sulting naval architect; and (5) the offering of gold and silver medals for drawings or models of a mechanically-propelled Life-boat best adapted to meet the conditions of the service, and also for a propelling-power suitable for the self-righting boats of the Institution. In response to this offer of medals, numerous models and drawings were sent in from all parts of Great Britain, and even from the Continent and the United States. These were submitted to Sir FREDERICK BEAM- WELL, F.R.S., Sir DIGBY MURRAY, Bart., of the Board of Trade, and Mr. JOHN I THORNYCHOFT, the three judges appointed by the Committee for the purpose; and these gentlemen, who are in no way connected with the Life-boat Service, re- ported in December last that, having carefully considered all the models and drawings, they were of opinion that not one of them was suited to the requirements of the Institution. The Committee were therefore unable to award medals, but they have the satisfaction of feeling that they have done everything in their power, regardless of cost, to obtain for the brave fellows who man the Life- boats the best possible means for carrying on their noble work, and their endeavours will, they are confident, meet with the entire approval of the public. Their very cordial thanks are due to all who com- peted for the medals, as well to those who have, during the year, kindly drawn attention to .their patents and plans, hoping that they might be a benefit to the Life-boat Service.

Life-boats.—Every effort has been made to carry out speedily the determination of the Committee as regards the building of new Life-boats and the improvement of others, with the result that during the past year no less than fifty-nine new boats, for the building of which tenders were received from all parts of the country, were despatched to the coast, this number being nearly double that built in any previous year; while, in addition, the boats belonging to fourteen other stations were improved so as to bring them up to the most modern requirements. It is very gratifying to the Committee that both the new and the improved boats have met with the most cordial approval of the coxswains and crews, who, as a rule, have expressed in strong terms their satisfaction as to the admirable sea-going qualities of the boats.

The determination arrived at by the Committee last year to give the Local Committees, coxswains and crews in the future every possible opportunity of assisting in the selection of the class of Boat in which they would have the greatest confidence, has given great satisfaction all round the coast.

Within the year three new stations were established, each of which was furnished with a Life-boat of the latest type, as follows:— ENGLAND.

Burry Port .... Carmarthenshire.

Fleetwood (No. 2) . . Lancashire.

SCOTLAND.

Stornoway Island of Lewis.

In the same period the stations at Pembrey, Portloe, Solva, and Sunderland (No. 2) were abolished.

During 1887 new Life-boats were sent to the following stations:— ENGLAND AND WALES.

Aberystwith . . . Cardiganshire.

Bembridge .... Isle of Wight.

Burnham .... Somersetshire.

Cadgwith .... Cornwall.

Cemaes Anglesey.

Church Cove (The Lizard) Cornwall.

Dartmouth .... Devonshire.

Deal Kent.

Dunwich .... Suffolk.

Falmouth .... Cornwall.

Flamborough, No. 1 . Yorkshire.

Fowey Cornwall.

Grimsby Lincolnshire.

Hartlepool, No. 2 . . Durham.

Do. No. 3 . . Do.

Hasborough. . . . Norfolk.

Hayle Cornwall.

Hope Core .... Devonshire.

Hornsea Yorkshire.

Hunstanton .... Norfolk.

Kimeridge .... Dorset.

Llandudno .... Carnarvonshire.

Lydd Kent.

Lynmouth .... Devonshire.

MAT 1, 1888.] ANNUAL REPORT. 459 Mullion Cornwall. number of Life-boats under t.Vift management of the Institution was 291. Porthcawl .... Glamorganshire. Port Isaac .... Cornwall.

Ramsgate .... Kent Shipwrecks. — The year 1887 was re- St. Anne's .... Lancashire. markable for the absence of severe gales, Salcombe .... Devonshire especially in the south and east of Eng- Scarborough . . . Yorkshire. land, and the storms which occurred in the north and west were generally ing in that violence which results want- in the Seaton Carew . . . Durham. Staithes Yorkshire. strewing of our shores with wreckage. Sunderland, No. 4 . . Durham. There are, indeed, few years on record Teignmouth. . . . Devonshire. in which our coasts have escaped with so Watchet Somerset West Hartlepool, No. 1 Durham.

Do. No. 2 Do. small a list of shipwrecks and loss of life. A large number of the wrecks which Weymouth .... Dorset. did occur were attributable to fogs, far Whitby, No. 2 . . . Yorkshire. more feared by seamen than tempestuous Worthing .... Sussex. winds. Notwithstanding the absence of Yealm River . . . Devonshire. heavy gales, however, much good work SCOTLAND. was done by the Life-boats and their gallant crews, 178 launches having been Fraserburgh . . . Aberdeenshire.

Girvan Ayrshire. effected in reply, for the most part, to signals of distress, resulting in the saving Irvine Do. Kirkcudbright . . . Kirkcudbright of a large number of lives and much Lossiemouth . . . Elginshire. valuable property. The boats were also Montrose, No. 1 . . Forfarshire.

North Berwick . . . Haddingtonshire. launched for inspection and exercise about 750 times* Port Logan .... Wigtownshire. It is a matter for the deepest thankful- IRELAND.

Dungarvan .... Waterford. ness and gratitude to Providence that, notwithstanding the numerous occasions ISLE OF MAN. on which the Life-boats were launched Douglas No. 1 during the year either for service or ex- The Committee were to a considerable ercise, there was not a single fatal acci- extent enabled to meet the heavy liabilident, or, indeed, a serious casualty of any ties entailed by the building of so many description connected with the service. boats through the liberality of donors of The Life-boat services during each special gifts for the purpose, and by month of the year were as follows : — means of legacies to the Institution. New stations are to be formed at : — Number Lives Vessels Lives Holyhead, No. 2 . . Anglesey.

Pwllheli Carnarvonshire. 1887. of Life- boat Saved by Life- bouts Saved by Life- boats Saved by Shore- St. Anne's, No. 2 . . Lancashire. boats. Southport, No. 2 . . Lancashire. January 27 86 i 26 February 8 27 2 33 And the Committee also hope to be able, March 18 31 1 13 during the current year, to despatch new April .

May . 11 20 23 1 11 10 boats of the latest build to sixty other sta- T J June . 16 29 1 27 tions. The cost of the construction of these July .

August 1 5 15 ~ 14 16 boats will be very great, but the Com- September 11 20 2 12 mittee are confident that when their needs October .

November 9 28 6 64 ___ 22 17 are made known many will come forward December 24 67 2 3 to help in such an important work. Total . . 178 368 10 204 At the close of last year the total 2 D 2 460 ANNUAL REPORT. [MAT 1, 1888. The Committee gratefully recognize of thanks inscribed on vellum, and the invaluable service in the saving of 3,345/. 2s. 6d. in money awards. Each life rendered by the gallant coxswains case was thoroughly inquired into and and crews of the Life-boats, to whom all examined by the Committee, who in carry- praise is due, and they very cordially ing out their investigations received valu- thank the officers and men of the Coast- able help from their local Honorary guard, who, as well as the Volunteer Secretaries, from Officers of the Coastguard Eocket Brigades, are ever on the alert, and Customs, and from others able to for their invaluable co-operation. give reliable information. Since the foundation of the Institution The Institution has granted in rewards in 1824, rewards have been granted for since its establishment in 1824, 97 Gold the saving of 33,243 lives, as follows : — Medals, 1,007 Silver Medals or Silver In the No. of Lives In the No. of Lives Clasps, 139 Binocular Glasses, 15 Tele- Year Saved. Year Saved. scopes and 96.760Z. in money. 1824 124 1857 374 1825 218 1858 427 1826 175 1859 499 Aneroids. — There was a steady demand 1827 163 1860 455 for these instruments during 1887, 111 1828 301 Ifttfl A94 1829 463 LOOJ t-**i 1862 574 having been sold to fishermen and 44 to 1830 372 1863 714 coasters, bringing the total number pro- 1831 287 1832 310 1864 698 1865 714 vided by the Institution since June, 1882, 1833 449 1866 921 up to 2,573. Each year increasingly 1834 214 1835 364 1867 1,086 1Q£Q Sfi9 shows the importance of this branch of 1836 225 I.OOO OD 1869 1,231 the Society's work. 1837 272 1870 784 1838 456 1839 279 1871 882 1872 739 Local Committees. — The continued 1840 353 1873 668 earnest and -valuable services of the 1841 128 1842 276 1874 713 1875 921 Local Committees, their Honorary Secre- 1843 236 1876 600 taries and Treasurers, in the past year, 1844 193 1877 1,048 merit the grateful thanks of the Com- 1845 235 1846 134 1878 616 1879 855 mittee, who are deeply sensible of the 1847 157 1880 697 great advantages of the aid so generously 1848 123 1881 1,121 afforded by them. 1849 209 1882 884 1850 470 1883 955 The special thanks of the Committee 1851 230 1884 792 are also tendered to the Public Press, 1852 773 1853 678 1885 555 1886 761 without the powerful aid and help of 1854 355 1887 572 which it would be impossible to make 1855 406 1856 473 Total 33 243 the needs of the Institution known. In view of this grand total, the Com- Finances. — The subscriptions, donations, mittee unhesitatingly ask from the public dividends, etc., for the past year were in well-sustained help and encouragement to excess of those for 1886, and amounted to carry on their work of humanity, the im- 56,970?. Is. 6rf., including 20.458Z. 17s. 9eZ. portance of which cannot be overrated. in special gifts to defray the expenses connected with various Life-boat Estab- Rewards. — The rewards granted last lishments, as follows : — year by the Committee for the saving of £. «. d. life from shipwreck, or for endeavours to Ayr — T. K. HABDIE, Esq. (endow- do so, and in recognition of valuable ment) 2,000 - - Braunton — Miss LEICESTER (en- services in the Life-boat cause, com- dowment) 2,000 prised 8 Silver Medals, 2 Second Service Broadstairs — The late G. M. Clasps, 45 Binocular Glasses, 22 Votes WAUD, Esq 900 - - 

461 £. s. d.

Church Cove (Lizard)—Mrs. "WIL- SON and Miss CHATASSB . . 325 14 3 Dartmouth—Mrs. SHAW . . . 750 - - Hartlepool, No. 3—Cyclists' Jubi- lee Fund per H. STUBMEY, Esq. 650 - - Ditto (one year's endowment) . 70 - - Hayle—Officers and staff of New Oriental Bank Corporation, Ltd. 700 - - Hayling Island—" X" ... 700 - - Hunstanton—Licensed Victual- lers' Life-boat Fjind (on account) 500 - - Llandudno—"Sunlight" Compe- tition per Messrs. LEVER BROS. 700 - - Brighton—Ditto (on account) . 200 - - Lydd, Dungeness—Royal Ante- diluvian Order of Buffaloes Life-boat Fund (additional) . 246 18 3 Lynmonth — The Rev. T. L.

WHEELER 650 - - Maryport — Civil Service Fund per CHARLES DIBDIN, Esq. (en- dowment fund) 1,000 - - Ditto for Slipway 242 6 - Montrose, No. 2—GEORGE WEB- STER, Esq. (balance) . . . 100 - - Mullion—A Lady 300 - - Porthcawl—A Lady .... 700 - - Ramsgate—Town of Bradford per Alderman F. PBIESTMAN (on account) 750 - - St. Anne's No. 2—Anonymous . 800 - - Scarborough (endowment fund)— A. B. FOSTEB, Esq 100 - - The Eev. A. W. FOSTER . . 100 - -' FREDERIC C. FOSTER, Esq. . . 500 - - HERBERT A. FOSTER, Esq. . . 350 - - JOHN FOSTER, Esq 100 - - EGBERT J. FOSTER, Esq. . . 100 - Major W. H. FOSTER ... 100 - - Seascale—Mrs. PHIPSON . . . 700 - - Southport No. 2—The Misses MACRAE 750 - - Tyrella—Mis. CAMERON . . .' 473 19 3 "Weymouth—E. HOMAN, Esq.. . 750 - - Ditto (endowment) 2,000 - - Whitburn—A Lady (additional). 150 - - The following legacies were thankfully received by the Committee last year, without which, it is needless to say, the work £ f the Institution would have been very seriously curtailed, and its resources much crippled:— £. *. d.

BAIN, Mrs. ELIZABETH, Blairlogie 360 - - BALL, Miss ANN, Ball's Pond . 220 10 5 BARKER, Mrs. E.S.,Stanlake Park 50 - - BELOE, Mrs. S., Gravesend . . 250 - - BERRET, Miss C., Hampstead .2,000 - - £. «.

30 - 135 - 800 - 10 - d.

BLIGH. Mrs. A. G., Bath . .

BROWN, EBENEZER, Esq., Glasgow CAREW, Mrs., Shrewsbury. . .

CARTY, Miss C., Wigmore Street CLAQGETT, Mrs. CAROLINE, St. John's Wood (on account) . . 393 12 5' CLARKE, Miss G., Brixton Road . 90 - - CooTE,CHARLES W.,Esq.,The Albany 500 - - DEAN, W. H., Ewj. (additional) . 57 5 10 FERGUSON, JOHN, Esq., Glasgow . 90 - - FERGUSON, Mrs. FERGUSON, Bolton 2,000 - - GORE, Miss C., Margate (balance) 139 10 6 GRIFFIN, J. O., Esq., Lewisham . 45• - - HATHAWAY, Miss E., Edgbaston 100 - - HATWAHD, Mrs. HARRIET, Norwich 200 - - HOLMES, Mrs. C.E.T., Kensington 500 - - HOKSLET,J. H., Esq., King's Lynn 2210 - HcGHEs,MissG.M.,EastBergholt 10 - - JOHNSON, GEORGE H. T., Esq., Kensington ...... 105 - - JONES, T. E., Esq., Manchester 2,000 - - LEAKE, WILLIAM, Esq , York. 250 - - LESTY, W. Esq., Lambeth. . 726 19 11 LEWIS, W. S., Esq., Wellington 700 - - MANSFIELD, Mrs. A. B., Bourne mouth 967 - - MORGAN, G. G., Esq., Keynsham (stock) 6,062 12 11 NEWEN, Mrs. MARIA, The Boltons 400 - - PENNEY, D. J., Esq., Glasgow . 50 11 11 PHILLIMOBE, Capt. W. B., Hyde Park Gardens 100 - - PRESTON, Mrs. M. A., Lytham . 540 - - RAMSAY.G en. G.,Eccleston Square 250 - - REAHDEN, MICHAEL, Esq., Cork . 9 - - BEDFEBN, Mrs. MABY, Knutsford. 1,623 9 - RICHARDSON, H. THOMAS, Esq., Pwllheli (stock) 10,035 17 2 EGBERTS, WILLIAM, Esq., Rochdale 969 1 6 ,000 - 50 - 1,000 - 100 - 400 - 526 10 104 17 200 - 100 - 100 - 2,014 5 17 19 450 - 17 19 100 - WHITWORTH, Sir JOSEPH, F.R.S. 1,000 - WOOD, Lady, Bath 2,73413 WOBSLEY, Rev. W., Torkington . 500 - ROSE, THOMAS, Esq., Manchester SHORT, Mrs. CAEOLINE S., Hastings SKELTON. JOHN S., Esq., Clewer SMITHEMAN, J., Esq., Dagenham SOUTER, Mrs., Dundee. . .

SPROT, Miss FRANCES, Edinburgh 526 10 2 STOVIN, Miss MARY, Everton . . 104 17 6 SWINDELLS, Miss SARAH, Ormskirk TANQUERAY, Miss F. E., Canonbury TARRANT, J. H., Esq., New Kent Road THOMAS, Mrs. F. E., Nmmey . .2,014 5 8 THORNE, Miss E., Horstead . . 17 19 2 TOWNe, RICHARD, Esq., Regent's Park (on account) .... TWENTYMAN, Mrs. J., Liverpool . WAKE, Miss M., Trafalgar Road

The total expenditure in 1887 was, as a result of the unusual circumstances already stated, unprecedented in the Society's history, and amounted to the large sum of 74,162£ 16*. Wd. The building, repairing, improving, and equip- ping of Life-boats, added to the cost of erecting and keeping in repair of Life- boat houses and slipways, involved the expenditure of 37.235Z. 10s. lOd., while 21.339Z. 4s. 5d. was laid out on Life-boat Stores, Life-belts, Subsidies to outlying Stations, Branch payments, Aneroids for Fishermen and Coasters, the Store-yard, the Inspectors' Department, etc.; 900Z. 4s.

on the Special Inquiry and experiments connected therewith; 8.719Z. on Life-boat Coxswains, Signalmen, and Crews for going out on service, and for exercising the Life-boats; on. grants for injuries, which happily were slight, special recognitions and rewards for services, medals, and vellums.

The balance was expended in miscellaneous charges, including the printing of the Life-loaf Journal, the Annual Report and Appeals, salaries, rent and repair of offices, taxes, housekeeper, advertisements, postage, etc. Every item of receipt and expenditure has, as usual, been carefully verified and passed by Mr. LOVELOCK, of the firm of Messrs. LOVE- LOOK, WHIFFIN, & DICKINSON, 19 Coleman Street, E.G., chartered accountants.

In conclusion, the Committee earnestly and urgently appeal to the Public for funds, not only for the maintenance of the Life-boat service in the highest and most perfect state of efficiency, which alone entails a very large annual expenditure, but also to meet the costly, but, in their opinion, absolutely necessary outlay, for placing the Life-boat crews in possession of such improved boats as may enable them, with the least possible danger, to face the perils to which they are exposed in their noble efforts to save life. Surely the people of this, the greatest maritime country in the world, will not hesitate to respond liberally to such an appeal made in the interests of such a cause.

/Since this Report was written the Committee have had regretfully to record the death of Mr. C. H. COOKE, F,E.I.B.A., F.S.A,, who had held the office of Architect to the Institution for the long period of thirty years.