(Incorporated by Royal Charter.) The Institution granted rewards for the saving of 428 lives by the Life- Boats in 1893, and of 170 lives by fishing and other boats during the same period, the total number of lives, for the saving of which the Institution granted rewards, in 1893 being 508. Total of lives saved, for which Rewards have been granted, from the Establishment of the Institution in 1824 to 31st December, 1893, 3 The Bight Han, Sir Michael Hicks-Beach, M.P., when President of the Board of Trade, stated at the Annual Meeting of the Life-Boat Institution on the 30th April, 1892 :— " In the work of saving life at sea the Life-Boat Institution takes the larger part, not only as regards the number of lives saved and money spent, but also as regards the efficiency of the work done. I have never had brought before my notice one single case in which the crews of the Life-Boats have failed to do their duty." The Eight Son. A. J. Mundella, M.P., President of the Board of Trade, said at the Annual Meeting of the Institution on the 18th March, 1893 :— "No Government department could ever do the work as well as the National Life-Boat Institution. No Government department •would ever maintain that alertness and alacrity •which the Governors of that Institution always exhibited; and no Government department could ever evoke that generous sympathy with heroism which has characterised the work of the Institution. I trust the time will never come when the English public will abdicate their duty and their highest privilege of supporting such a noble Institution." The Eight Hon. A. B. Forwood, M.P., when Secretary to the Admiralty, stated in public at Liverpool:— " The Admiralty have no machinery whatever for working the Life-Boat Service, and I am decidedly of opinion that the best and, indeed, the only way that this work can be carried on is by the existing organisation." During the year 1893 the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION expended £65,703 in connection with its Life-Boat Establishments on the Coasts of England, Scotland and Ireland, in addition to having contributed to the saving of 598 persons from various Snip- wrecks off our Coasts. The rewards granted by the Committee in recognition of these and other services connected with the Life-Boat cause comprised 25 Silver Medals, 4 Silver Second Service Clasps, 15 Binocular Glasses, 7 framed Certificates of Service, 53 Votes of Thanks inscribed on Vellum and framed, 1 Aneroid Barometer, and £9,408, including grants to iujured men and to the relatives of men who were lost in the Life-Boat Service.

On the 31st December, 1893, the Institution had granted altogether in rewards since its establishment in 1824, 98 Gold Medals and Clasps, 1,120 Silver Medals and Clasps, 231 Binocular Glasses, 15 Telescopes, 6 Aneroid Barometers, 39 Framed Certificates of Service, 1,447 Votes of Thanks inscribed on Vellum and framed, and £139,632 in money.

It should be specially noted that the Life-Boat crews, except when remunerated by the owners of vessels for property salvage services, are paid by the Institution for their efforts, whetlter successful or not, in saving life.

The cost of a Life-Boat Station is at least £1,050, which includes £700 for the Life-Boat and her equipment, including Life-Belts for the crew, and Transporting Carriage for the Life- Boat, and £350 for the Boat-house (Slipway extra). The approximate annual expense of maintaining a Life-Boat Station is £100..