THE disaster which befell the Kingstown No. 2 Life-boat on the 24th December, 1895, naturally turns people's thoughts to the subject of Life-boat accidents.

Although the proportion of accidents to the launching of the Life-boats is very small, still a large book might be made— and one which would have considerable interest to all those who have Life-boat work at heart—by any one with sufficient technical knowledge who could give up his time to exhaustively going into each individual case which has been recorded where life has been lost by accidents, either to Life-boats belonging to the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION or to those under separate management.

Such, however, is not within the scope of an article for this journal, and it is only possible to touch on some of the most important cases.

Prior to 1850 the records of Life-boat work are very incomplete. In 1850 the Committee appointed to examine the Life- boat models submitted to compete for the premium offered by the DUKE OF NORTH- UMBERLAND, being much impressed with the necessity for a record of accidents that had befallen Life-boats, sent a circular to some of the most experienced men on the coast, and the result was published (1851) in the " Northumberland Report," some extracts from which will no doubt be of interest.

In 1810 we find the first mention of a serious disaster—in fact, the most serious in point of loss of life that has ever occurred to a Life-boat.

At Hartley, on the coast of North- umberland five miles north of Tynemouth, in the year 1810, one of Greathead's Life-boats, carried over land from Blyth, rescued the crews of several fishing-cobles that were prevented landing by a high sea tumbling in suddenly on the coast unaccompanied by wind. On returning towards the shore the boat incautiously got too near the South Bush Bock, when a heavy sea broke and split her in halves; the result was that all on board, 34 in number, were drowned.

Mr. GREATHEAD, who designed the boat mentioned, was a boatbuilder at South Shields. His boats were much the shape of a paddle-box boat, with beam of about one-third of their length, considerable sheer of gunwale, and curvature of keel; but we have no details of this particular boat as to dimensions and internal fittings.

The boats of his design, however, did an enormous amount of good work, and up to the present day a very similar form of Life- boat is in use at Shields, the place where his first boat was launched in January, 1790, and at Redcar there is still in existence one of his original boats which was built in 1802.

At Dunbar, in Scotland, the following note appears in the "Northumberland Report": " Life-boat built in 1808. Saved in December, 1810,45 men in two cargoes 7rom H.M.S. Pallas, lost on rocks to east- ward of Vault Point. In making third 'rip, upset and drowned nearly all." That is all the information to hand, but seeing that the service was to one of His Majesty's ships, no doubt full particulars could be obtained from the Admiralty.

At Sandy Cove, Kingstown, December 1822, the Life-boat under charge of Lieut. HUTCHISON, E.N., went off to the assist- ance of the brig Ellen, of Liverpool, stranded in a S.E. gale. The boat had reached the wreck and the men were coming over the stern into her when she filled; the crew attempted to bale the boat out with their hats when another sea fell on board, washed six men and all the oars out, and the boat drifted among the rocks. Four men were drowned.

The wreck drove higher up the beach on the flowing tide, and at low water the crew were rescued.

This Life-boat was of the following dimensions: length 29 feet, beam 9 feet, depth 3 ft. 9 in.; rowed 12 oars; weight 30 cwt.; built in 1818. The men having to bale with their hats shows she was devoid of any self-baling arrangement.

In 1825, at Lowestoft, the Life-boat went off to the sloop Dorset, wrecked on southern part of the Holm Sand, S.E.

gale and ebb tide. In consequence of the crew not raising the plugs of the delivering valves the boat filled, became unmanageable, and part of the Dorset's crew were drowned. The boat, however, although floating level with the lower part of the gunwale, succeeded in reach- ing the shore in safety with the remainder of the crew of the sloop.

This boat was built in 1807, and the above ease is specially quoted to show that at this early date the well-known Norfolk and Suffolk type of boat was already in use. Her dimensions were: length 40 feet, beam 10 ft. 4 in., depth 3 ft. 1 in.; 14 oars; weight 5 tons, cost 200Z.; built by Bareham, of Lowestoft.

In December 1833, at Appledore, Devon, the Life-boat, in going off to the brig Mary Anne, of Exeter, stranded on Northam Burrows, was struck by a heavy sea and turned end over end, and 3 of her crew lost. The dimensions of this boat were—length 26 feet, beam 6 feet, depth 2 ft. 6 in.; pulled 6 oars, and was built in 1831.

At Whitby, in 1835, the Life-boat upset and drowned 4 men. Dimensions of boat, 26 ft. 6 in. long, 9 ft. 3 in. beam, depth 3 ft. 6 in.; built in 1822. No particulars as to this accident.

In 1836, at Scarborough, the Life-boat went off through breakers to the rescue of a vessel. As the boat approached the outside of the broken water a heavy sea turned her end over end, shutting up one of the crew inside, where he remained in safety, getting fresh air through the tubes in the bottom, and was taken out when the boat drifted bottom up on the beach.

Ten lives were lost.

This boat was 28 feet long, 9 feet beam, 3 ft. 6 in. deep, and was built in 1823 by Skelton of Scarborough. She had an air case under her deck of 140 cubic feet, and a small water ballast well holding half a ton.

In October, 1841.—At Blyth the Life- boat was pulling off against a strong wind when a heavy sea struck the boat, caused her to run stern under and to half fill with water. Having no delivering valves the boat could not free herself. Becoming unmanageable she fell off the wind, when a second sea struck her and she capsized, 10 men were drowned. This boat was 27 feet long, 8 ft. 6 in. beam, 3 ft. 6 in. deep, rowed 10 oars, built in 1828 by Wake of Sunderland, and had an air case under her deck.

3rd February, 1843.—At Robin Hood's Bay on the coast of Yorkshire the Life- boat went off to the assistance of the Ann of London during a fresh northerly gale.

The Life-boat had got alongside and was taking in the crew, when it is supposed four or five men jumped in at once on one side, and a heavy sea striking the boat at the same time she was capsized.

Many of the crew got on the bottom of the boat, and three remained under her; in this state she was drifted to the shore on the opposite side of the bay. On seeing the accident five gallant fellows launched a coble that was fitted with air cases, but she had hardly encountered two seas when she was turned end over end, and two of her crew were drowned. On this occasion Lieutenant Lingard, K.N., and eleven men lost their lives. The three men came ashore safely under the boat, but some of those on her bottom were washed off and drowned. This boat was 28 feet long, 10 feet beam, 3 ft. 6 in. deep, rowed ten oars, and was built in 1839 by Gale of Whitby.

In 1844 at Bude whilst at exercise the boat was turned end over end, and two men drowned. This boat was in form like a paddle-box boat, with air cases in her bottom. Her dimensions were 24feet 9 in. long, 8 feet beam, 3 feet deep, and she was built by Wake of Sunderland.

We now come to the accident which attracted so much notice that it led to the reorganization of the ROTAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, as we now call it.

At South Shields on the 4th December, 1849, the Life-boat, maimed by twenty- four pilots, went out to the aid of the Betsy of Littlehampton, stranded on the Herd sand: there was a heavy sea from the eastward, but little wind and a strong ebb tide. The boat had reached the wreck and was lying alongside with her head to the eastward, a rope fast to her quarter but no bowfast secured. The shipwrecked men were about to descend into the Life-boat when a heavy sea, re- coiling from the bow of the stranded vessel, caught the bow of the boat and turned her up on end, throwing the whole of the crew and the water into the stern sheets; there being no bowfast the boat drove in this position astern of the vessel with the ebb tide running rapidly into her stern. The boat completely turned end over end and went ashore bottom up, and 20 out of her crew of 24 were drowned under the boat. The remaining four and the crew of the Betsy were res- cued by another Life-boat, which was promptly launched as soon as the accident was observed.

The boat to which this accident hap- pened was 34 feet over all, and nearly 11 feet beam. Much the same form as a steamer's paddle-box boat, or nearly of the original Greathead form. Had 30 inches sheer of gunwale, and 11 inches camber or curvature of keel. She was fitted with an air-case under the deck or flat, which contained 224 cubic feet of air, and with a well for water-ballast holding about 17 cwt. of water. The surface of her deck was 20 inches above the underside of the boat, and the boat was fitted with flat- topped air-cases around her sides. The water-ballast well was open, and when the accident occurred the water-ballast ran out into her stern.

The foregoing are the instances of accidents which entailed loss of life sub- mitted to the Northumberland Committee.

It will be noticeable that in many cases the Life-boat was reported to have turned end over end, considering, with the exception of the last accident quoted, the boats were all very short (less than 30 feet long), it is not so surprising.

The accident to the South Shields boat led to the introduction of self-righting boats which were first placed on the coast in 1852.

The proportion of accidents to the number of launches prior to 1850 is un- fortunately not obtainable, but there were very few Life-boats on the coast. The nine cases already mentioned show a loss of 99 lives between 1810 and 1850 (this does not include the lives lost at Dunbar when the boat upset returning from her third trip to H.M.S. Pallas), and it certainly points to the fact that the Life-boat In- stitution was none too soon in turning their minds to the improvement of the means for saving life.

Between the years 1849 and 1854 no serious accident to a Life-boat is recorded.

Since 1854, a careful record has been kept of all accidents, either to the Institution's Life-boats, or to those under separate management.

During the period from 1854, to June, 1896, the Life-boats of the ROYAL NA- TIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION have been launched for service 7,903 times, and roughly speaking 26,500 times for exercise.

Only 87 accidents have occurred to the self-righting boats, and 4 to the non-self- righting boats; in addition to this, 11 accidents have befallen Life-boats not under the Institution's management, which were, with one exception, all non-self- righting boats.

Of the 87 accidents to self-righting Life- boats, 64 took place on wreck service, and 23 whilst the boats were out for exercise.

In 26 instances out of the 64, there was no loss of life, although the boats were cap- sized, and of the 22 capsizes which have occurred at exercise, 17 have fortunately been unattended by fatal consequences.

The total loss of life entailed by the above accidents has been 143 (128 life- boat men and 15 shipwrecked men), 9 of whom were lost in 6 accidents at exercise, and 134 in 38 accidents, whilst on wreck-service. The fatal accidents con- sisted of 34 capsizes resulting in a loss of 120 lives, and 12 from other causes with a loss of 17 lives.

Turning to the four accidents occurring to the non-self-righting boats of the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, we find that 11 lives have been lost, three of whom were visitors who had gone off in the South- wold Life-boat when at exercise, which boat was unfortunately capsized. Of these four accidents, three were capsizes, and in the other instance two men were washed out of the boat. Adding these 11 lives to those lost from the self-righting boats, we find that the total loss of life through mishaps to the Institution's boats since 1854 amounts to 154, and in considering this number one must remember that, as stated before, the boats have been launched 7,903 times for wreck-service, and 26,500 times for exercise, under all conditions of wind, sea, and weather. And that in the same period the boats have been instrumental in rescuing 21,324 persons, and a large number of vessels.

On examining the list of accidents to the Nine of the accidents were due to capsizing. One was due to the Gorleston Life-boat being run down by a lugger and capsized, on which melancholy occasion 25 were drowned out of a total of 35 on board at the time. And one was the result of the Shields boat being completely submerged by a heavy sea when 4 out of her crew of 26 were washed out of her and drowned.

To attempt to enter into detail con- cerning the accidents which have taken place since 1854 would occupy too much space, in fact there would be plenty of matter for an article on each single acci- dent.

The following table shows the accidents to Life-boats not belonging to the Insti- tution since the year 1854:— Date. Station. Nature of Accident. Number of Persons on board. Lives lost. Size of Boat. January, 1857 Point of Ayr Capsized 13 13 Ft. Ft. in.

27 x 8 3 February, 1861 . . Whitby . 13 12 — January, 1865 Liverpool . 11 7 30 x 9 3 January, 1866 . . Margate . 13 — 33 x 6 9 January, 1866 . . Gorleston . 17 13 42 x 12 ! Eun down ) December, 1867 . . and cap- 1 35 25 42 x 12 sized ) February, 1871 . . Bridlington Capsized 9 6 27 x 6 3 December, 1872 . . Shields . Submerged 26 4 — September, 1875. Liverpool . Capsized 32 12 Tubular November, 1888 . . Gorleston . 7 4 42 x 12 July, 1892 . . . Liverpool . »» 13 2 — 98 few Life-boats not under the control of the Life-boat Institution, we find no casualty recorded between that to the South Shields boat in 1849 and 1857. Since then there have been eleven which have involved the loss of no less than 98 lives. All these, with one exception, happened to non-self-right- ing boats, and although it is not in our power to give the number of launches, it is very evident, on account of the few boats which are not managed by the BOTAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, that the percentage of loss of life to launches must be a very high one. The one accident to a self-righting boat was at Bridlington.

The boat was a very small one with in- sufficient righting power; she capsized and 6 lives were lost. The boat's dimen- sions were only 27 ft. long; 6 ft. 3 in.

beam.

We will now refer briefly to the worst mishaps that have occurred to the Life-boats of the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE- BOAT INSTITUTION.

Self-righting Boats.—The first accident to one of these boats occurred at Lyme Regis, on 7th January, 1854, on which occasion the boat was capsized alongside a wreck, and 1 out of the 11 persons on board lost his life. The boat was a small one, 27 ft. long, 7 ft. 6 in. beam.

In 1867, on 6th February, the Padstow Life-boat, whilst attempting to reach a schooner drifting into Hell Bay, was turned end over end in the broken water, in con- sequence of the drogue splitting, and the drogue eleat being torn off the stern. 5 lives out of 13 on board were lost. The boat's proportions were 32 ft. by 7 ft. 3 in.

At Skerries, in Ireland, on 1st February,1873, the Life-boat upset whilst at anchor, and 6 out of her crew of 10 were lost, and all the crew of the vessel they were at- tempting to reach. This boat was 32 ft. long by 8 ft. beam.

On 29th Oct., 1880, a fearful disaster befell the Wells (Norfolk) Life-boat, 11 out of her crew of 13 were drowned.

The Life-boat had already on the same day done a very successful service and rescued 7 lives, and the mishap occurred to her when out for the second time, the vessel requiring help being the brig Ocean Queen. The accident was caused by a very heavy breaker capsizing the boat whilst under sail, and when the boat was keel up the anchor dropped out; that and the masts fouling the bottom prevented the boat from righting for about five minutes, during which time all of the crew except the two survivors were washed away from the boat and drowned. The boat's dimensions were 33 feet long, 8 ft. 6 in. beam.

The 20th Oct., 1881, marks the date of another serious accident, this time at Douglas, Isle of Man. The Life-boat, whose dimensions were only 32 ft. by 7 ft. 6 in., was returning from a large barque called the Zebu, with 29 persons on board (16 of whom, including 2 women, were from the barque, and the boat's crew numbered 13), when she was struck by a heavy sea whilst running before the wind under her foresail, capsized, and 11 lives were lost, 4 Life-boat men and 7 of the barque's crew. It is some satisfaction to note that the two women were among the saved.

The next accident of great importance was the overwhelming calamity at South- port and St. Anne's. This occurred 9th- 10th Dec., 1886. There were 16. men in the Southport boat, 14 of whom were lost, whilst the whole of the St. Anne's crew of 13 perished. The Southport boat's dimen- sions were 34 ft. by 8 ft. 6 in., and the St.

Anne's 34 ft. by 8 ft. 3 in. The Southport boat was just preparing to anchor to veer down on the wreck—the Mexico—when she was capsized, and the anchor drop- ping out, it is believed, prevented the boat from righting, and she drifted ashore bottom up. All the crew of the St. Anne's Life-boat having been lost, and no one having witnessed the accident, no reason could be assigned for the loss of this boat.

Although there have been accidents between the last quoted one and that occurring to the Kingstown No. 2 boat last Christmas Eve, they have not been of such an appalling nature as to include them among the examples taken in this article. On account of the whole of the Kingstown crew of 15 being lost it was impossible to get satisfactory evidence as to the precise cause of that Life-boat being capsized.

The worst accident to a non-self-right- ing boat belonging to the Institution occurred to the small Yarmouth boat, whose dimensions were 28 ft. by 9 ft., on 18th Jan., 1881. This accident was caused by the people on shore literally hauling the boat over in their attempt to bring the boat ashore from a schooner wrecked close to the beach. A stern line was made fast to the boat and manned by those on the beach, with the result that the boat's stern was dragged under water, the boat capsized and six lives lost.

Although great and important improve- ments have taken place in every type of Life-boat, no one with any knowledge of Life-boat work and its necessary attendant dangers is in a position to predict perfect immunity from accident in the future.

The largest Life-boats have been subject to accident, though of course not so often as the smaller ones. Necessity compels the use of small and comparatively small boats at a large proportion of our Life-boat stations, and to these, no matter what their type, accident will no doubt oc- casionally befall, indeed, it is a matter of wonder that considering the enormous number of launches the mishaps have been so few.

A perfectly safe Life-boat under every circumstance of wind and sea cannot be said to exist, and we fear is unlikely to be invented. It is true that, especially after an accident, numerous designs and specifications of non-capsizable and in all other respects perfectly safe boats are ! submitted to the ROYAL NATIONAL LITE- BOAT INSTITUTION, by persons who have j taken infinite trouble in working out their j ideas, but which unfortunately are all rendered useless through the want of experience of their inventor. A non- capsizable boat at the present moment I does not exist any more than it did in 1850 when the Institution was re-organised.

i The safest Life-boats will not always be most exempt from disaster, for the safer the boat the greater the confidence the crew have in her. and the greater the risk will they as brave men be ready to incur.

In conclusion, it is especially necessary to point oat the absolute importance of well-trained crews and of seaman like management of Life-boats. All the best qualities contained in one boat will not compensate for want of sea- manship and judgment in the coxswain of the boat, who should be cool, steady, acquainted with the set of the tides, and know whether it is better to approach a wreck end on with his boat under her quarter, or to lay her alongside under the lee, or to drop his anchor to windward and veer down to the wreck. It is by no means altogether the peculiar form of the Yarmouth and Deal luggers that enables them to brave the sea in all weathers, but it is the admirable manner in which they are handled. And if we are to maintain an efficient set of Life-boat stations around the coast of the United Kingdom, it is absolutely necessary that the Life-boat crews submit to a certain amount of dis- cipline, and that the exercises take place in heavy weather so that every opportunity is taken by them to familiarise themselves with the qualities of their boats, so as to know exactly what to do in the hour of need.