AT the close of the fiscal year (30th June) 1899 the establishment of the Life-Saving Service of the United States embraced 265 stations. Of this number 193 were situated on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, 56 on the coasts of the Great Lakes, 15 on the Pacific Coast and one at the Falls of the Ohio, Louis- ville, Kentucky. The total of stations showed an increase of one as compared with the preceding year. As explained in previous notices of this Service com- paratively few of the stations are open all the year round as in Great Britain, local requirements apparently rendering it necessary for the great majority of the stations to be " active" only for periods ranging from two to ten months.

The number of disasters to docu- mented vessels within the field of station operations during the year was 428, and there were on board these vessels 3,903 persons, of whom only 56 were lost. The estimated value of the vessels was $6,072,635, and that of their cargoes $2,032,005, making the total value of the property imperiled $8,104,640. Of this amount $6,261,900 was saved and $1,842,740 lost. In addition to these there were 294 casualties to undocu- mented craft—sailing boats, rowing boats, etc.—carrying 671 persons, seven of whom perished. The value of the property involved in these instances was estimated at $138,535, of which $129,285 was saved and $9,250 lost; 751 persons received assistance at the stations, the number of days' relief afforded aggregating 1,460.

From the foregoing statistics it would seem that 63 lives were lost within the scope of the Service during the year—a larger number, with a single exception, than in any year during the last two decades. Forty-four persons perished in one district, embracing only the coast of Massachusetts, and one-half of this number were on board vessels destroyed on islands and outlying rocks during the night where they could not be seen from the mainland, and the first know- ledge of which was gained from wreckage coming ashore. The unusually large loss of life on the part of the coast just mentioned was, it would seem, the result of a tempest which occurred at night and raged between Gay Head and Point Allerton.

There were during the year 97 persons rescued from positions of danger other- wise than from vessels, who would in all probability have perished but for the aid of the surf men. 591 stranded vessels were floated off, repaired when damaged, piloted out of dangerous positions, and in similar ways assisted by the station crews. Minor assistance was also afforded to 382 vessels and small craft. 193 vessels running into danger of stranding were warned off by the signals of the patrol-men, most of them having been thus saved from either serious danger or total loss.

The surf-boat was used 773 times, making 1,089 trips. The self-righting and self-bailing Life-boat was used 132 times, making 163 trips. The gasoline launches (at City Point Station) were used 80 times, making 90 trips. Smaller boats were used 432 times, making 526 trips. The river life-skiffs (at the Louis- ville Station) were used .41 times, making 97 trips. The breeches buoy was used 11 times, making 55 trips. The wreck gun was employed 17 times, firing 29 shots, and the heavy stick was used 28 times. 949 persons were landed by the surf-boat, 111 by the Life-boat, 184 by the gasoline launches, 162 by the river skiffs, 151 by other station boats, and 55 by the breeches buoy. In addition to these 11 persons were rescued by men wading out into the surf, 6 by a ladder from shore to a stranded vessel, 6 by a line from a sinking vessel to a pier, 2 by means of heaving lines, and 1 person was hauled through the surf on the whip-line when the hawser was not set up.

The total cost of maintaining the U.S. Life-saving Service during the year ended 30th June, 1899, was $1,549,411, of which sum $39,580 went in the salaries of the officials at the head office.