AT the Thirtieth Annual Meeting of the Committee of this Fund, held on the 15th January and presided over by Mr. CHABLKB G. TUBNEB, C.B., Controller- General of Inland Bevenne, Mr. CHARLES DIBDIN, the Honorary Secretary, reported that there were now upwards of 15,000 contributors to the fund and that the com- mittee had paid to the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION in 1896 the sum of 2,076Z. 7s. Id. Of this amount 1,4502.

was to defray the cost of the new boat- house and long slipway at Douglas, Isle of Man, recently built for the new Life- boat Civil Service No. 6, also paid for out of the moneys already given by the fund to the Institution; 610Z. Os. Id. to meet the payment of all expenses connected with the maintenance of the seven Life-boat stations, for the building and endowment of the boats, for which the fund had already found the means, and also a further sum of 16Z. 7«. to recoup the Institution the money paid during the year in rewarding the crews of the Civil Service boats for launching for service. The Civil Service Life- boats have up to the present time been instrumental in saving 232 lives and several vessels, besides aiding numerous other vessels and crews in distress..