THE past year up to within the last ten days of September was a singularly uneventful one as regards Life-boat work; in fact, on the 22nd September the number of lives rescued by the Life-boats only totalled 65, and had the weather continued in its peaceful frame of mind up to the end of the year, it is probable that the full amount of lives credited to the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION would have fallen short of 100, which would have been the smallest record since its establish- ment in 1824. The following table shows the number of lives rescued in a corre- sponding time, viz., between 1st January and 22nd September in the six preced- ing years and the totals for each year— Year.

Lives rescued tip i Total lives rescued 'to 22nd September.' In the year.

555 568 836 428 649 533 254 216 643 138 378 244 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 On glancing at this table it is at once very noticeable that, with the exception of 1892 when there were 379 persons taken off the s.s. Eider, which had stranded on the 31st January, the proportion of lives brought safely to shore in the last quarter of the year is somewhere about half what have been rescued in the whole year.

When it was seen in September this year that there were such small results to show for the large expenditure in keep- ing up the enormous organisation for saving life, even though the yearly record was pretty rare to prove such a dis- appointing one from a life-saving point of view, there was no panic in John Street or violent desire to remove about two-thirds of the Life-boat stations, so as to satisfy that peculiar style of critic who takes such delight in calculating what it costs the Institution in £ s. d. to save one life. It was generally felt that there were great possibilities in the last quarter, and that the equinoctial gales (which a large section of the public appear to believe are as regular in their courses as the planets) would pull up the record; and to a great extent this was realised, for by the end of 1896 the list had increased from 67 to 312, showing that considerably more than three times the number of lives were rescued in the last quarter than in the three previous quarters of the year.

The weather up to the time of the autumnal equinox was certainly re- sponsible for the smallness of the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION'S list of saved, and it is to be trusted that the weather, which gratefully provides us with so much subject for conversation, VOL. XVI,—No. 183.—LIFE-BOAT JOURNAL.may often be saddled with a similar responsibility. On the 13th and 21st February there were two sharp blows from the eastward which affected the north-east coasts and which brought out many Life-boats to the assistance of the fishing-cobles—an extremely im- portant function of the Life-boats, as it inspires much confidence in the fisher- men, and has indirectly been the means of saying many a boat and its crew from destruction. In the last week in July a south-westerly gale passed up the St.

George's Channel and pursued its way north, crossing Scotland about the lati- tude of Aberdeen, which disturbed the atmospheric conditions generally, but did not cause many casualties, warm weather and short nights being wonder- ful antidotes to shipping disaster. The latter part of August and all September were very wet, and on the 17th the weather began to show unmistakable signs of storminess. From the 23rd to the 27th there was a continuation of strong gales blowing from S.W. to N.W. and affecting the whole of the coasts. The 25th was the first really busy day of the year for the Life-boats, and eleven boats rendered good service on that day, six crews were rescued, the crews of three other vessels were landed but afterwards replaced on board their ships, which had managed to ride out the gale, and two vessels were assisted. The wreck most prominently brought before the public, because it occurred in the sight of thousands of people, was that of the barque Agdar, which stranded off Folkestone beach. The Folkestone Life-boat rescued four of her crew under considerable difficulties, and the remaining six refusing to leave their ship were with difficulty rescued by lines after the barque had washed over the rocks on which she first stranded and had come to the beach.

We now enter into the last quarter proper, although for purposes of com- parison we have taken the 22nd September as the beginning of the last quarter of the year. Nothing serious occurs in the meteorological aspect until the evening of the 7th October, when a strong south- westerly gale sets in and thoroughly up- sets the weather until the 12th October, and between the 7th and 9th no less than thirty Life-boats were called out for service, the east and west coasts being both affected. Crews of vessels were rescued by the Whitehaven, Ramsey (Isle of Man), Cemaes, Kingstown and Wicklow Life-boats; the Abersoch and Tenby Life-boats each took the crews off five vessels (ten vessels altogether) which were riding at anchor in great danger, but having managed to survive the storm their crews boarded their vessels again, and consequently the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION does not lay claim in these and similar cases to having saved their lives, although very frequently work of this class is extremely arduous and attended by much risk.

The Montrose No. 1 boat landed three passengers from a barque, which also was in considerable danger, and vessels were assisted by the Montrose No. 1, Newbiggin and Aberdovey Life-boats.

Of the remainder of the boats called out, their services were either refused or the vessels had succeeded in getting into safety without the aid of a Life-boat.

Although no further great storm occurred in October the whole month was what might be called a rough one, both as to rain and wind; many days the wind is recorded at forces varying from seven to nine at various points on the coast, and at Malin Head, in the north of Ireland, force ten (Beaufort scale) was registered on the 19th and 26th, the wind being N. and N.N.W. respectively. The barometrical readings throughout the month, except 14th, 15th and 16th, were very low.

Life-boats were called out for service on nearly every remaining day or night of the month: 4 were out on the 10th, 5 on the llth, 3 on the 12th, 6 on the 13th, 5 on the 14th, 3 on the 16th, 2 on the 17th, 3 on the 19th, 4 on the 20th, 4 on the 23rd, 1 on the 24th, 2 on the 25th, 1 on the 26th-; after that the weather was somewhat quieter and no other Life-boat was called out until the 30tb, when the St. Andrew's boat was required to assist some fishing-boats. This was certainly a change from the peaceful attitude of the elements in the foregoing part of the year, and the list of rescued had by the 31st October risen to 184, besides which a large number of persons in temporary danger had been lauded from different vessels, but are not included among those credited as rescued.

November came in as if inclined to make up for the coarseness of October,and until the 7th no Life-boat was stirring, but on the 7th, as if trying to emulate the -violence of the weather in October, a strong gale from the east- ward sprang up in the night on the east coast of England and continued till the 9th, although the immediate neigh- bourhood of Yarmouth was where it was principally felt, still the weather was generally disturbed over the British Isles.

During this gale seventeen Life-boats were launched for wreck service, twelve of which were stationed between Happisburgh, in Norfolk, and Margate. Most excellent work was done by the Caister No. 2 and Gorleston No. 1 Life-boats to the full- rigged ship Soudan which had stranded on the outer side of the Scroby Sand off Yarmouth. An attempt wai at first made to save the vessel, but when that easterly gale sprang up it soon became evident that the unfortunate vessel was doomed, and the Gorleston boat with difficulty rescued nineteen of the vessel's crew and eight Life-boat men who had been at work on board the vessel; the Life-boat then lost her communication with the Soudan, leaving eight men still on board her, who were rescued in very brilliant style by the Gaister No. 2 Life-boat.

Out of the twelve Life-boats called outfor service on the east coast on this occasion, no fewer than nine had fruitless errands, and this is a good opportunity for calling special attention to these launches. When a service is done and a crew landed, the general public hear all about it, and the pluck of the Life-boat men is very properly commended, but little is known of the number of cases when Life-boats are sum- moned and their services not required.

After all the struggle to launch -and the hardship and exposure has been endured, especially when called by a distress signal made from an outlying light-vessel orvessel near a distant sand, it is very disappoint- ing to the men to find that their errand has been made unnecessary and that the vessel has got out of danger or a sudden shift of wind has enabled her to dispense with Life-boat assistance. Taking a crew off a vessel is no doubt often a most hazardous operation, but it is by no means all the danger that a Life-boat's crew have to contend with; the launch | from an open beach and the struggle out through the broken water is, perhaps, the greatest difficulty of all, and this has to be done whether the services of the boat are required or not, and the boat has also to be brought back through the dangerous broken water to the beach.

Comparisons are often made by ignorant people between the Life-boat service and Fire Brigades. It is hardly possible to imagine two such dissimilar organisations.

With the exception that each must be ready for immediate call, there is not one single point in common. The Fire Brigade would be the first to confess that there is no special difficulty or danger in going from their station to the place they are called to, and if their services are not required they simply drive back again.

Their dangerous work is, of course, in coping with a fire, whereas the Life- boat man's difficulties very often begin as soon as the boat-house doors are open, for transporting a Life-boat along an open beach in a snow-storm and heavy gale of wind is no sinecure; of course, this does not always happen, but it frequently does, as life-boats are not required in fine weather. The crews are very often en- titled to more praise after a difficult but fruitless launch, than for some of the successful services.

ln the rest of the month of November there is nothing very remarkable in the way of gales, but the weather is stormy from the 14th to 17th, and again about the 28th. Two Life-boats were out on the 9th, 1 on the 12th, 4 on the 14th, 1 on the 16th, 1 on the 23rd, and 1 on the 25th and 26th, 6 on the 28th, 2 on the 29th, and 1 on the 30th, and the total of lives rescued at the end of November was 242.

The weather in December up to the 15th was generally rough, and very low readings of the barometer were frequent, but no storm of really first rate import- ance visited these islands. Nevertheless, the Life-boats were kept very busy, and, with the exception of the 2nd, no day passed up to the 16th without some of them being afloat. On the 1st 2 were out, 1 on the 3rd, 9 on the 4th, 3 on the 5th, 4 on the 6th, 2 on the 7th, 4 on the 8tb, 2 on the 9th, 1 on the 10th, 2 on the llth, 2 on the 12th, 3 on the 13th, 4 on the 14th, and 1 on the 15th. After that, except in the far North of Scotland, the weather improved and became frosty for a week, but on the frost breaking up, it again became unsettled, and, although the South of England had nothingmuch to complain of for the remainder of the year, strong winds were experienced in parts of Ireland and most of Scotland on the 26th, 27th and 30th. The re- maining launches of Life-boats took place as follows: 2 on the 18th, 2 on the 19th, 1 on the 22nd, 5 on the 29th.

Although there was no gale of really great magnitude daring the time we have been examining, still the last quarter cannot have been said to have been an un- eventful one from a Life-boat point of view.

The gales on the 25th September and 8th October were remarkable for the immense amount of damage done to the slipways and boat-houses belonging to the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, and likewise to the harbour and sea defences on the coast, in consequence of their choosing spring tides for their visit.

Among the very many praiseworthy Life-boat services and attempted services done, perhaps that most deserving of special attention as an instance of determination and pluck was the at- tempted service of the Appledore No. 2 Life-boat on the night of the 6th to 7th December. A strong N.W. gale was blowing with a very heavy sea run- ning on the bar when the above boat was called to the assistance of the brigantine Carrick, of St. John's, N.B., and in attempting to cross the bar the Life-boat's bows got thrown off the sea, a heavy breaker striking the boat broad on the beam capsized her, throwing all the crew with the exception of one man into the water. Although the night was pitch dark all hands managed to regain the boat, which had instantly righted, and at once they proceeded to make another attempt to cross the bar, but had not gone far before the boat was recalled from the shore, the crew of the brigantine having been rescued by lines when she struck the beach. This certainly was an illustration of the sterling good qualities and courage of the inhabitants of oar coasts, and goes far to disprove that the race is deteriorating..