THE exact position which the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION occupies with regard to keeping a watch for casualties seems to be very little understood by the general public, the result being that on several occasions the Coxswains of Life-boats and others responsible for the management of the branches have incurred unmerited censure at the hands of writers to the public press for not having launched their Life - boats. Accusations made without a sound knowledge of the subject have generally a very dis- concerting effect—in fact do not tend towards the object which the writer has in view, namely, to smarten up the organisation which he has been at some pains to criticise. This is especially the case in Life-boat work, for it must be remembered that, to a great extent, the organisation is a voluntary one, and consequently unmerited censure falls heavier than it would on an under- taking run on the usual business lines, where such fault-finding would be dis- regarded. It is not intended to convey by these words that the Life-boat service is so sensitive that a different code of criticism must be employed for its special benefit. Far from it. Such matters as the efficiency and design of the Life-boats, the method of manning them, the general organisation and finances, often have been the subject of keenest and unrestricted discussion; and those responsible for the management of the Life-boat Institution would be the last to raise objection or say that they were entitled to any special treatment. It is the subjects which directly affect the honour of the men who man the Life-boats which are the most delicate to handle.

Life-boat work must, in its nature, be very prominent. It is usually done in difficult circumstances, and those who do it deservedly receive a good | deal of encouragement and praise from the public press, which at the same time does not hesitate, and rightly so, to call for investigation should mistakes be made. Life-boat men understand this. What however does press heavily on them are accusations of failure to carry out duties which are not theirs, the result often being that the names of Coxswains and crews are bandied about the locality for having shirked their work. The imputation sticks, for the explanation does not get the same circulation as the accusation, and very often is not even seen or heard. On such occasions men are apt to resign their offices in dudgeon, the local organisation is completely upset and the writer of the criticism has produced the reverse effect of what he, in perfect good faith, intended. Now this question of watching the coast is precisely one of these pitfalls, and it is hoped a word of explanation with regard to it may make the position of the Institution as to this duty clear to the public.

In the first place the duty of watching the coast and reporting casualties lies with the Institution's best friends and allies, H.M. Coastguard, and in such parts of the coast of Great Britain and Ireland where the Coastguard is established the Life-boat authorities look primarily to that body to be informed if the services of the Life-boat are likely to be required. The Admiralty instructions are most precise on this point; and since the introduction—as the result of the Institution's effort—of the electrical communications along the coast, the Admiralty have further shown their appreciation of the work undertaken by the Life-boat Institution, by issuing more detailed instructions to the Coast- guard as to the duties to be observed in informing the Life-boat stations should a casualty be seen or reported by telephone or telegraph.

The first paragraph of the Admiralty regulations, dealing with the Coast- guard's duties in connection with re- porting casualties, reads as follows :— 1. " At places where a Royal National Life-boat is stationed, the station officer will communicate, in any cases of casualty, with the members of the local institution, who take all responsibility as to the launching of their boat, and the risk of launching the Coast- guard boat should be avoided when a more serviceable one is at hand." This paragraph very clearly shows the attitude which the Admiralty expects the Coastguard to take up with regard to the Life-boats, and at the same time shows the confidence that is placed in the Life-boats by expecting that they should be launched instead of taking the risk of sending the Coastguard boats into danger. The next para- graphs have already been quoted in this journal when dealing with the subject of electrical communications (see Vol. XVII., No. 189, August, 1898), but paragraph 5 bears so much on the matter in discussion that it is worth while quoting it again.

5. " In the event of a Coastguard officer or man observing a vessel in distress (including vessels ashore), or signals of distress, or hearing guns denoting a vessel in distress, he will at once take the necessary steps to inform the authorities connected with the windward Life-boat either by telephone or telegraph, as the case may be, unless he should consider the circumstances require the launch of another Life-boat or other Life-boats, in which case he will advise the authorities of such Life-boat or Life-boats accordingly." The next paragraph also is much to the point.

6. " All officers and men of the Coast- guard are to bear in mind the importance of carrying out these orders implicitly.

It is not a question of using their own judgment as to what use the Life-boat | may be ; but the object of connecting the stations by telegraph or telephone is that the Life-boat authorities may at once be informed if any vessel is seen in distress, and on them rests the responsibility of launching the Life- boat." Enough has been quoted to show clearly where the responsibility of watching the coast and of informing the Life-boat authorities of casualties lies.

The duties of the Coastguard and those of the local officials of the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION are distinctly laid clown, the latter's responsibilities beginning when they have been informed of the apparent need for the services of their Life-boat. Although paragraph 5 in some measure particularises as to the Coastguard informing the windward Life-boat, and throws a certain amount of responsibility on them (the Coastguard) as to which Life-boat to report the casualty to, there is no ambiguousness about paragraph 1, which distinctly lays down that at places where a Life-boat is stationed, and the Coast- guard see or hear of a casualty, it is their duty to give notice to the Life- boat authorities. This is a very important rule, especially advantageous on occasions when information may have been obtained by the Coastguard, through the telephone or other sources, of a casualty at some distance off, and out of sight of the Life-boat station.

The Life-boat authorities are, or should be, informed, and the necessary steps taken to get the boat ready for launch- ing or transporting; if the latter, early information is most valuable, for horses and their attendants can be summoned ; in the meanwhile further information can be obtained as to the nature of the casualty, and even if the services of the boat are not required, no harm is done by having everything ready.

In order to ensure, so far as possible, that casualties shall be reported, the Life-boat Institution has made following oft'er, which has been freely published, and also appears in the General Regulations hung up in every boathouse: "A reward of seven shillings to be given to the person who brings intelligence of a wreck in such a position as not to be in sight of a Coastguards- man on duty, or other responsible look- out man." This has been found to be a considerable incentive to bring in- formation to the Life-boat authorities.

Although by far the greater part of the coast of Great Britain in the neighbourhood of Life-boat stations is watched by the Coastguard, unfortunately there is a considerable portion which is not.

For instance, on the coast of Wales between New Quay, Cardigan and Rhosneigir, in Anglesey, there are no Coast- guard stations, although there are no less than eight Life-boat stations on this stretch of coast. From the mouth of the Mersey to Mary port, in Cumber- land, is another hiatus of Coastguard stations; but here again there are I eight Life-boat stations. There are also j a few isolated Life-boat stations with no Coastguard station or detachment in their immediate neighbourhood. Where there is no Coastguard the Life-boat Institution is dependent on local arrangement. Should there be a harbour there i is nearly always a watchman, with whom i an understanding is come to as to re- i porting casualties and signals of distress.

In the absence of a watchman the Institution relies on its offer of a reward for first information, and also it must be remembered that in bad weather members of every seafaring community are to be found on the look-out—it is much to their interest to do so; an opportunity may present itself of earning salvage, or should the Life-boat be required there is a pecuniary advantage accruing to a large number of persons employed as crew and launchers.

There are parts of the coast of Great Britain where the inhabitants have formed themselves into salvage companies, and at these places a continuous watch is kept, and as their livelihood depends on promptness in rendering assistance to vessels in distress it requires no great stretch of imagination to conceive what a perfect system of look-out this j must be. At such places there is usually a Life-boat, and if the salvors have started in their salvage-boat, the Life- boat is ready to follow the moment she is wanted.

There is one other provision made by the Lifeboat Institution to ensure in- formation as to casualties being received.

Rule 9 of the General Regulations states that "A night watch may, at the discretion of the Honorary Secretary, be set in bad weather." This, of course, is an extra precaution and intended chiefly to apply to those stations at which there are no coastguardsmen or recognised watchman.

All things considered, the arrangements for calling out the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION'S boats are satisfactory. The relations between H.M. Coastguard and the Institution are of a cordial and harmonious character, and seldom does it happen that complaints are made as to failure to have been informed of casualties occurring, but in such rare cases the Admiralty have always been most prompt in setting the matter right.

For the Institution to undertake to watch the coast would be a responsibility which would involve a very large out- lay, diverting a considerable amount of the funds, resulting in crippling its work in other directions. That there is no need for such a step can be easily understood by any one taking the trouble to study the existing arrangements.