At the ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING of the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, held at St. Martin's Town Hall, Charing Cross Road, on Wednesday, the 14th day of March, 1900, His Grace The DUKE OF DEVON- SHIRE, K.G., Lord President of the Council, in the Chair, the following Report of the Committee of Management was submitted and adopted:— Life-boats.—Satisfactory reports continue to be received of the two screw steam Life-boats placed respectively at Grimsby and Padstow at the end of 1898, and early last year. A new Life-boat station has been established during the year at Clogher Head, County Louth, Ireland, and new Life-boats of the type best adapted for the special localities for which they have been built have been placed at twelve other stations.

The following is a complete list of the stations to which new boats have been sent during the past year:— Bridlington .... Yorkshire.

Caister (No. 1 Life-boat) Norfolk.

Southend-on-Sea . Essex.

Eastbourne ANNUAL REPORT, 1900.

THE past year has been one of unusual importance for the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE- BOAT INSTITUTION. At the very opening of the year, as already reported by the Committee of Management, the Institution was deprived of the valuable services of its President, ALGERNON GEORGE, 6th DUKE OF NORTHUMBERLAND, who had been closely connected with Life-boat Work for the long period of thirty-three years.

His Royal Highness the PRINCE OF WALES, who has always taken a keen interest in the Institution and its opera- tions, and who succeeded his Royal Father the PRINCE CONSORT as Vice-Patron in 1863, most graciously accepted the vacant post of President.

The Committee of Management feel that this additional token of His Royal Highness' appreciation of and sympathy with the great national work carried on by the Institution, and of his desire to help on the cause, will be the means of still further extending its usefulness and of securing augmented support for it from the Public.

Penzance New Quay St. Ives .

Padstow .

St. Mary's Rhoscolyn Ardrossan Clogher Head Sussex.

Cornwall.

Scilly Islands.

Anglesey.

Ayrshire.

Louth.

Howth.....Dublin.

Wicklow.....Wicklow.

In every instance in which a new Boat has been provided the coxswains and crew directly interested have been permitted to select the special type which has been supplied.Within the year the station at Barrow has been closed as contemplated, a Life- boat having been sent to Fiel in 1898, whence the needs of the vicinity can be more expeditiously and better served.

Since the establishment of the new station at Clogher Head already referred to one of the boats at Drogheda has been withdrawn. The smaller Life-boat which had been at Qneenstown for the past thirty-three years being worn out has also been removed, not being now required.

The self-righting Life-boat has been with- drawn from Rhyl, and the stations at Church Cove and Tyrella have been closed.

The Institution's fleet of Life-boats on the coast at the end of 1899 numbered 290, including all types, whether steam, sailing or pulling Life-boats.

Transporting Carriages.—New trans- porting carriages have been supplied at 5 stations, and others are now in course of construction.

Inspection of Life-boats,etc.—The system of careful and thorough inspection of the Institution's Life-boats and Stations has been carried out during the year, including many "surprise visits" at stations where an unexpected inspection was thought desirable. A detailed report of every inspection has been submitted to and examined by the Committee of Management.

Shipwrecks.—The year 1899, like its predecessor, was an unusually fine one, months passing without any bad weather from a Life-boat point of view. The few gales and storms, however, which occurred at intervals, provided the Life- boats and their crews with a considerable amount of work. What may be considered as the heaviest gales of the year occurred on the 12th January, the 30th September, 1st October, and the 1st to the 3rd November. During the first of these gales 11 of the Institution's Boats were launched on service, resulting in the saving of 30 lives and 3 vessels, in addition to which 3 persons were landed from distressed vessels and several fishing boats were assisted. Daring the September gale 13 Life-boats were launched and saved 33 lives, besides which, valuable, assistance was •• rendered to 3 vessels and to fishing boats. Some of the Life- boatmen reported that during these two gales the wind and sea were the heaviest they had ever experienced. During the third gale there were 16 launches and 2 assemblies of crews, 48 persons being saved.

During the year the Life-boats were launched on service 342 times, and 1,100 times for exercise, besides which the crews 'were assembled on 79 other occasions when it was thought that their services would be needed.

It is with the deepest regret the Committee have to report that whilst the Aldeburgh Life-boat was out on service on the 7th December last, in response to signals, she was capsized by a heavy curling breaker, and six out of eighteen of her crew were drowned. The Committee at once contributed £1,000 to the local relief fund which was opened for the widows and orphans. The Aldeburgh Life- boat was a large non-self-righting boat of the Norfolk and Suffolk type, specially selected by and built for the crew, who had always had the utmost confidence in her.

She had been instrumental in saving 152 lives. The BOARD OF TRADE, at the request of the Committee, held a careful inquiry into the disaster and reported that the boat was suitable for the work she had to do, was properly equipped and in good condition when she left the beach and was properly and carefully navigated by a thoroughly competent coxswain of great experience.

The Committee also have to deplore the loss of their experienced old Coxswain at Southport, and two members of his family, both Life-boatmen, who were unfortunately drowned in fine weather last June when engaged with others, in a small punt which capsized, in relaying the moorings of the Life-boat. The Mayor of Southport kindly opened a public subscription on behalf of the widows and orphans of the drowned men, Tear. No. of Lives.

1860 455 Tear. No. of Lives.

1881 1,121 to which the Institution contributed 1861 424 1882 884 £700 as a token of sympathy and of 1862 574 1883 955 appreciation of the good services , of the 1863 714 1864 698 1884 792 1885 555 deceased men in the Life-boat cause. 1865 714 1886 761 The total number of lives, for the 1866 951 1887 572 1867 1 086 1888 800 saving of which the Institution granted 1868 '862 1889 627 rewards in 1899 . was 609 : of these 501 1869 1,231 1890 765 were saved by the Life-boats, and 108 by 1870 784 1871 882 1891 736 1892 1,056 shore-boats and other means, besides 1872 739 1893 598 which the Life-boat crews were instru- 1873 668 1894 790 1874 713 1895 709 mental in saving 20 vessels. 1875 921 1896 461 The following table gives the details of the 1876 600 1897 662 Services during each month of the year : — 1877 1,048 1878 616 1898 756 1899 609 Lives 1879 855 Total 41,842 Number Lives Vessels Saved 1880 697 of Life- Saved Saved bv 1899. boat Launches. by Life- boats. by Life- boats. oy Shore- boats. ' Rewards. — The Rewards bestowed by fhn Tiuai"! fntirtTi in 1ft 3Q fnv -f.ViA Rnvino* of January February 64 29 116 57 6 15 uliU -LllH LI V U. L1UU 111 -LOvv «.UM. vuw u*v • ~~O "~ life from shipwreck on our coast, or for March 25 25 1 17 praiseworthy efforts to do so, and in April .

May . 25 16 34 5 3 7 7 recognition of other good services rendered June . 11 7 1 5 to the cause, included 8 Silver Medals July .

August 15 9 8 11 2 5 2 and Clasps, 8 Binocular Glasses, 5 September 14 33 2 12 Aneroid Barometers, 31 Votes of Thanks October .

November 21 44 27 121 1 23 2 inscribed on vellum and framed, 12 Cer- tificates of Service, framed, and £10,219 Total . . 342 501 20 108 8«. 5d., including grants to men lost on Service and compensation for personal The Institution's boats also landed injuries sustained in the Service. 67 persons who were on vessels in perilous The pensions and retiring allowances, positions. which last year amounted in the aggregate The total number of lives for the saving to £490 12«. 6d., allowed by the Com- of which the Institution has granted mittee under the Scheme to which special rewards since 1824, by Life-boats, shore- reference was made in their last Annual boats, or by other means, has been Report, are increasingly appreciated by 41,842, the number for each year being the Life-boatmen, and many very gratify- given in the subjoined list : — ing and grateful letters have been received Tear. No. of Lives. Year. No. of Lives. from those who have benefited by the 1824 124 1842 2 76 1825 218 1843 236 Scheme. 1826 175 1844 193 At the end of the year the Institution 1827 163 1828 301 1845 1846 235 1 Q A had granted altogether in Rewards since 1829 463 1847 lot 157 1824, 98 Gold Medals and Clasps, 1181 1830 372 1848 123 Silver Medals and Clasps, 289 Binocular 1831 287 1832 310 1849 1850 209 470 Glasses, 15 Telescopes, 24 Aneroid Bar- 1833 449 1851 230 ometers, 1,636 Votes of Thanks inscribed 1834 214 1852 773 on vellum and framed, 116 Certificates of 1835 364 1836 225 1853 1854 678 355 Service, framed, and £200,686 17». 5d. 1837 272 1855 406 in money. 1838 456 1856 473 1839 279 1840 353 1857 1858 374 427 Aneroids. — There has been a steady 1841 128 1859 499 demand during the year for these valuable instruments, which the Institution con- tinues to supply at about one-third the retail price to the Masters and Owners of Fishing Boats and small Coasters. The total number provided last year was 121.

Of these, 97 were sold to Fishermen and 24 to Coasters. Since 1882 as many as 4,172 of these useful instruments have been supplied.

Electrical Communication on the Coast,— This most important system of communication on the coast for life-saving purposes has been added to and strengthened during the past year, but there still remain many portions of the coast which should be brought into telephonic or telegraphic communication as soon as circumstances permit the Government to provide the necessary funds. The Committee have watched with the deepest interest the experiments which have been so success- fully tried in connection with wireless telegraphy, and they earnestly hope that in the interests of life-saving full advantage may be taken of this wonderful discovery.

Local Committees.—The best and most appreciative thanks of the Committee are due to all the Honorary Officers of the Institution for their generous and self- denying help; to the Branch Committees, Secretaries and Treasurers, and indeed to any and all who have given a helping hand.

The invaluable support which the Institution continues to receive from the entire Press of the country is heartily and gratefully acknowledged, and the Committee desire to take this opportunity of again recognising the ready and valuable aid which the Service continues to receive from Her Majesty's Coastguard.

Many inventions, patents and suggestions have as usual been under the careful consideration of the Committee during the year, who are at all times ready and glad to examine any proposal which may possibly lead to increased efficiency in the Service.

Life-boat Saturday.—The zealous and enthusiastic efforts of those many friends to the cause throughout the country who work to promote the development of the Life-boat Saturday Fund were in 1899 crowned with even more than ordinary success, partly due perhaps to the unusually fine weather experienced during the months in which the Life-boat Saturday demonstrations are usually held and the collections made. The number of cities and towns in which this movement was worked in 1899 was 115, as compared with 113 in 1898. The grateful thanks of the Committee of Management are due to the Central Committee of the Life-boat Saturday Fund as well as to all the local Life-boat Saturday Committees and Officers, and to the invaluable Ladies' Auxiliaries for their continued earnest co-operation and for the untiring activity with which they have carried out the work. The Committee are sure that everyone interested in the Life-boat Saturday Fund must have been encouraged by the great help given to the movement in May last, when His Royal Highness the President of the Institution so kindly advocated the cause at a dinner over which he presided on behalf of the London Life - boat Saturday.

Finances.—The total amount which the Committee of Management received in 1899 from all sources, excluding Legacies but including the Collections realized by the Life-boat Saturday Fund, was £72,588 7s. 5d. This total of receipts would, however, certainly have been increased had it not been for the unfortunate decrease in the amount of the Contributions usually received during the closing months of the year, caused by the urgent appeals so successfully made to the charitable public throughout the United Kingdom in connection with the War in the Transvaal. The sum received in Legacies during the year was £33,107 4*., but of this sum, £7,690 18s. Wd. was for specific purposes and trusts.The total expenditure in 1899 was £85,982 19«. Id., and included £34,149 19». Id., tne cost of building, equipping, improving and repairing Life-boats, Life- boat Carriages, Life-boat Houses and Slipways; £16,040 8s. 5d. for Subsidies to Stations not self-supporting, Branch Payments, Aneroids for Fishermen and Coasters, Life-belts and other Stores and the Storeyard; £29,790 6s. for payments to Coxswains, Bowmen, Signalmen; to Crews, etc.; for services and for exercising the Life-boats, for special rewards and recognitions for services, grants to the relatives of men lost on service, for injuries, pensions and retiring allowances to Coxswains and Signalmen, medals and vellums; also for payments to Inspectors.

The balance was expended in printing, advertising, postage, telegrams and stationery; in repairing and painting the house of the Institution as necessitated by the terms of the lease of the premises; on salaries, rent, rates, taxes, housekeeper, and legal expenses connected with leases and bequests. Every item of receipt and expenditure has, as usual, been examined, verified and passed by Mr. Lovelock, of the firm of Messrs. Lovelock, Whiffen and Dickinson, 19, Coleman Street, E.G., Chartered Accountants.

The Committee of Management, feeling strongly the importance as well as the exigencies of the great life-saving work entrusted to them, would, in submitting this their 76th Annual Report to the Governors and to the British Public generally, once again plead earnestly for further and increased financial support.

They have frequently drawn attention to the fact that side by side with increased efficiency in the service must be found a constantly increasing expenditure and in urging their repeated appeal they confidently hope for a generous and unstinted response.