IT will doubtless be in the memory of many of our readers that the Report read at the last Annual Meeting of the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION con- tained the important information that Sir EDWARD BIRKBECK, Bart., the Chair- man of the Institution, on behalf of the Committee, had moved a resolution in the House of Commons that a complete system of electrical communication should be provided by the Government between all coastguard stations, and signal stations on the coasts of the United Kingdom; also that where there were no such stations, that the postal telegraph offices should be so connected, with the view to the earliest possible information being given to the local life-boat authorities of the services of the Life-boats in their charge being required; also that an address might be presented asking that a Royal Commission might be appointed to consider the desirability or otherwise of electrically connecting the rock light- houses, light-ships, etc., with the shore for the same purpose. Every well-wisher of the Institution must have been gratified with the way the motion was received, it having been cordially supported by all parties in the House, and agreed to without demur.

The work comprised in the first part of the resolution, viz., the connection of coast- guard stations, signal stations and postal telegraph offices was taken in hand con amore by the officials of the Post Office as soon as the Treasury had provided the necessary funds, and has been pushed on with a zeal and energy worthy of the cause for which it was undertaken, i.e.,the rescue of life from shipwreck. Of course a work of this .nature cannot be done all at once, nor has it been taken in hand in the ordinary routine way of beginning at one end and going on round the coast until the starting-point was again reached.

The parts of the coast on which first to establish the communications were selected with reference to the number of wrecks occurring in the locality, as well as the difficulties that presented themselves in giving prompt notice to the Life-boats that their services were required. Some little time must naturally elapse before the full value of these communications can be demonstrated, but already they have proved of service in calling out boats 14 times; when it is remembered that this has been during the extra- ordinarily fine winter, spring, and summer we have recently passed through, it augurs well for the value and future useful- ness of the system should another of those distressing casualties occur — as they have from time to time done hitherto —entailing lamentable loss of life through inability to summon either the Life-boat or rocket apparatus, or possibly both, stationed in the neighbourhood, to the rescue.

The second part of our subject, viz., elec- trical communication with light-houses, light-ships, etc., is from a " life-saving " point of view, if possible of greater im- portance than the first part, for two reasons; first, because the only possible alternative channels of communication with the shore are so very liable to be cut off just when most required, i.e., in fog, thick weather and gales of wind, that they cannot be considered reliable. This will be the more evident to us when we remember that the distances of some light-vessels from the land entail the signal from the outer one being repeated by one, and sometimes two intervening light-vessels before being made within reasonable signal distance from the shore; this of course increases the chances of failure.

The only other means of giving warning to Life-boats is by smacks or other vessels, either proceeding at once to give informa- tion on seeing the wreck, or doing so in the ordinary course on getting into harbour for shelter. Fatal delay has already oc- curred more than once from this want of reliable communication and may do so again any day.

The Royal Commission asked for was appointed in June, 1892, and included amongst its members Sir Edward Birkbeck, Bt., Chairman of the Life-boat Institution, as well as representatives of the Trinity House, Post Office, Board of Trade, and some well-known names unconnected with government departments.

The duties imposed upon them were " to enquire and report what light-houses and light-vessels it is desirable to connect with the telegraphic system of the United Kingdom by electrical communication, for the purpose of giving information of vessels in distress or casualties at sea to places from which assistance could be sent, and of transmitting storm-warnings, having due regard to the practicability of establishing and maintaining such communication without impairing the efficiency of the light service, and at a cost bearing a reasonable proportion to the advantages that might be expected to result, and to suggest the manner in which such communication should be established whenever it may be recom- mended." The Commissioners immediately pro- ceeded with their task and issued their first Report in December last. This alone, if such were required, demonstrates the necessity for the enquiry. The Commis- sioners, after recounting the places visited and the other necessary steps taken to obtain evidence, report that, "speaking generally, the need for electrical com- munication for the purposes referred to appears to be greatest in the case of certain light - vessels marking outlying shoals beyond reliable range of the shore for sight or sound signalling." They then go on to observe that although establishing cable communication with these vessels would involve a considerable initial outlay, the experience of the experiment with the " Sunk" light-vessel proves that with the adoption of recent improvements the difficulty of maintaining it can be overcome. This is not only, without doubt, the case, but leads to the con- clusion that even if improvements already designed are found not to meet all difficulties, in these days of advanced scientific and mechanical knowledge, we may with confidence look forward to further being made, as indeed do H. M. Commissioners who recom- mend, " pending farther experience," that immediate action be taken with the fol- lowing five vessels, which appear to pre- sent the strongest claims for urgency: The Goodwin (North Sand Head), Kentish Knock, Shipwash, Hasborough and Scar- weather.

They also recommend one pile light- house, the Gunfleet, for immediate atten- tion; this one they selected from its commanding position, giving it a view over the greater part of the Sunk and Long Sands. It also possesses great facilities for communication with the shore, which is five miles distant.

They then go on to deal with light- houses, and select the following nineteen for immediate connection with the general telegraphic system, as being amongst the most important and involving but little cost: Start Point, Anvil Point, Needles, Orfordness, Girdleness, Boss Head, Can- tick (Orkney), Mull of Cantyre, Corse- wall (Stanraer), Mull of Galloway, Douglas Head, Point of Ayre, Nash (both light-houses), Bull Point, Hartland Point, Minehead (Dungarvan), Hook Point (Waterford) and Bailey (Howth).

Effecting communication with light- houses on islands or isolated rocks, the Commissioners report " present the great- est difficulties," but they are of opinion that these may be overcome with im- proved appliances, and they therefore recommend that the Tuskar Rock Light- house and those on Caldy and Lundy Islands should be connected. They also recommend that further experiments should be made for testing the system of effecting communication by a non- continuous cable, as proposed by the Telegraph Construction and Maintenance Company, and have selected the Fastnet as best adapted for this purpose.