INFORMATION relative to the Life-boat and other Life-saving Services of other countries moat always be of great interest to the supporters of the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, which, being the oldest Life-boat Service in the world, takes a sort of maternal pride and interest in the success and advancement of the younger Services, all of which have, in their turn, sought help and advice from the "old country." We need no excuse therefore for bringing under the notice of our readers the following statistics which have been supplied to us by Mr. SUMNER J. KIMBALL the genial and able General Superintendent of the Life-Saving Service of the United States.

At the close of the year ended the 30th June, 1895, 233 stations were furnished with 434 surf-boats, and of these 221 were actually used during the year. The number of stations on the sea coast where there were surf-boats was 183; on lakes, 50; on rivers, none. The total number of surf-boats stationed on the coast was 347; on lakes, 87; on rivers, none. The number of persons landed or taken to places of safety by surf-boats during the year under con- sideration was as follows:—On the sea coast, 386; on lakes, 433; on rivers, none. There were 75 stations supplied with self-righting Life-boats, namely, on the sea coast, 26; lakes, 49; rivers, none.

The total number of the self-righting boats at these stations was 93, made up thus: on the sea coast, 29; lakes, 64; rivers, none. The number of persons landed or taken to places of safety by self-righting boats in the year ended 30th June, 1895, was 131, namely, 14 on the sea coast, 117 on lakes, rivers none.

Line-carrying rockets are rarely used in the United States Service, as they rely principally, as a substitute, on the Lyle gun; th«re is one of these guns provided at every station, and at some of the stations a second is furnished. At 9 stations another gun, called the Hunt gun, is placed, and at 19 stations the Cunningham rocket. The American crews much prefer the Lyle gun, and have never used the Hunt gun or the rocket except when the Lyle gun has failed in range, and then, it is believed, never with success.

The breeches buoy apparatus is used as in Great Britain after line communi- cation has been effected. By means of this apparatus 109 persoua were landed during the year ended 30th June, 1895 : on the sea coast, 103; on lakes, 6.

The stations on the Atlantic coast are now open for ten, months in. the year, instead of eight, as formerly, namely, from the 1st of August to the 1st of the succeeding June, leaving two months of the year, June and July, during which they are closed. The stations on the Pacific coast are open all the year round, and those on the lakes from the opening to the close of navigation, usually eight and a half months, say from 1st April to the 15th December.

At most of the 233 stations at which there were surf-boats there were two or more of these boats—434 in all—to meet the various requirements of the service, as much is done in saving property as well as lives. The types of surf-boats used are known as the Jersey, Excelsior, Monomoy, Beebe, and Beebe-McLellan.

The Beebe-McLellan is a self-bailing boat, and is more highly prized by the crews for difficult and dangerous work in most localities than any of the others. At many of the stations, especially at har- bours on the lakes, small boats are used for quick work in rescuing persons who fall overboard from wharves, piers, &c., and who meet with other accidents inci- dent to such localities. These boats are not classed as surf-boats. The number of persons landed by such boats during the year ended 30th June, 1895, was 189.

There are no stations upon rivers excepting that at the Falls of the Ohio Kiver, Louisville, Kentucky. At that station a boat called the river life-skiff is employed, and by which 44 persons were landed last year.

The cost of the maintenance of the service for the year ended 30th June, 1895, was 280,225?. ($1,345,320), and the cost for the current year is estimated at 297,1601. ($1,430,000).