Mr. S0MNEE I. KIMBALL, the able and in- defatigable General Superintendent of the United States Government Life-Saving Service, has sent us his very interesting Annual Report, jast issued, furnishing particulars of the operations of the Service for the year ended the 30th June, 1897.

It appears that, at the close of the year under consideration, the Life-Saving Es- tablishment embraced 259 stations. Of this number 189 were situated on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, 55 on the coasts of the Great Lakes, 14 on the Pacific coast, and 1 at the Falls of the Ohio, Louisville, Kentucky. These stations were open for varying periods during the year, ranging from four months to the whole year; but although the surf-men were withdrawn from the stations only open a portion of the year, a keeper is left in charge of each station all the year round.

During the year there were 394 disasters to documented vessels within the field of the Service's operations, the number of persons on board these vessels being 3,737, of whom 42 were lost. The total value of the property imperilled was 7,107,825 dollars, of which 5,108,895 dollars was saved, and 1,998,930 dollars was lost.

The number of vessels totally lost was 54.

There were also 305 casualties to undocu- mented craft, such as sailing boats, pulling boats, &c. These carried 706 persons, of whom 11 perished. The total number of disasters, 699, exceeds that of the prectding year by 19, and is the largest number reported in the history of the service. Notwithstanding this, however,the number of vessels totally lost is the smallest since 1879, when the scope of the service was much less extended, the number of stations at that time being only 173.

Seventy-four persons not on board vessels were rescued by the surf-men from dangerous situations, and would have perished had it not been for the prompt assistance rendered them.

In 553 instances, vessels were worked off when stranded, repaired when damaged, etc., in addition to which assistance of minor importance was rendered to 319 other vessels and small craft. There wore, besides, 229 cases where vessels, running into danger, wore warned off by signals.

The s-urf-boat was used 716 times, making 916 trips. The self-lighting and self-bailing life-boat was used 105 times, making 121 trips. The gasoline .launch was used 26 times, making 27 trips.

Smaller boats were used 440 times, mak- ing 709 trips. The river life-skiffs at the Louisville station were used 38 times, making 54 trips. The breeches buoy was used 9 times, making 86 trips. The wreck gun was employed 13 times, firing 28 shots, and the hearing stick was used 33 times.

There were landed by the surf-boats 603 persons; by the life-boats 173; by the gasoline launch 26; by the river life- skiffs 41; by other station boats 544; and by the breeches buoy 75; total, 1,462. Besides the persons landed by boats, there were 77 persons rescued by other means. The total number of persons succoured by the Service since the intro- duction of the present system in November, 1871, has been 13,213; 14 casualties were attended with loss of life..