THE United States Government have recently issued their report of their Life- Saving Service for the year ended the 30th June, 1888. From it we learn that at the close of the fiscal year in question there were 222 life-saving stations, 170 being on the Atlantic coast, 44 on the lakes, seven on the Pacific, and one at the Palls of the Ohio, Louisville, Kentucky.

Within the previous twelve months there had been. 411 disasters to vessels coming within the field of station operations. There were 3,653 persons on board these vessels, but happily only 12 of them perished. The number of vessels totally lost was 71, being a decrease of one as compared with the previous year.

In addition there were, during the year reported on, 133 disasters to smaller craft, such as sail-boats, row-boats, &e., which had 297 persons on board, all of whom, excepting five, were saved. The total number of persons succoured at the stations was 743.

Besides the lives saved from vessels, the life-saving crews were instrumental in rescuing 37 persons who had fallen from wharves, &e., and would, had it not been for the prompt aid given, certainly have perished.

A careful investigation was held in each case where life was lost, resulting in every instance in proving that the men had discharged their duties gallantly and well.

The assistance rendered in saving vessels and cargoes was greater than ever before, and the general results of the year's operations are considered by the United States Government to have been the best yet obtained, the number of lives lost in proportion to the number of persons in jeopardy being less than in any previous year, viz., only one out of every 232, the smallest proportion hitherto obtained having been one out of every 222.

Various Life-boats which had been submitted by inventors were carefully examined and tested by the authorities.

These included the " Norton " Life-boat, but the committee appointed to carry out the experiments reported that none of the boats submitted could be recommended for adoption in the service. The " Norton " boat was stated to be, in some circumstances, useless for the purposes of a Life-boat, and not self-righting, although it claimed to be so..