LA SOCIETK CENTRALE DE SAUVETAGE DBS NAUFRAGES, which has its head- quarters in Paris, was established in 1865, and has done excellent work in life-saving, having been the means of rescuing, up to the 1st March last, 13,915 lives from a watery grave, besides saving or succouring 1,202 vessels. Its operations embrace the entire coast of France, as well as those of Algeria and Tunis. The Society, like the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, is supported mainly by voluntary contributions, and is directed by a Committee of Management, with the assistance of a zealous and thoroughly competent staff of officers, the principal administrative official and secretary being Lieut. E.MILE DUBOO, late of the French Navy. La Societe Centrale receives no regular financial support from the French Government, but is aided by it from time to time in meeting the cost of establishing a new Life-boat ; station. The crews of the Society's 101 Life-boats are composed entirely of volunteers, as in Great Britain, and are mainly fishermen. The sole object of the crews is, in accordance with the regulations, directed to the saving of life from shipwreck, but should an abandoned vessel be brought by them into port, the Society pays the men as for an ordinary launch. The Committee make no claim on owners or underwriters in respect of property salvage service, but accept anything they may volun- tarily give, which is handed over to the salving crew. When, however, cases are brought into the law courts the Life-boat crews are 'permitted by the Society to receive the amount awardedby the judge. The great majority of the Society's Life-boats are self-righting, one, if not two of them, having been built under the auspices of the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION. The Committee have recently expended 75,000 francs (3,OOOZ.) on a 374-ton steam-tug, which they have stationed at Royau, and which they are satisfied will prove very useful in rendering assistance to distressed vessels in the locality. There being no coastguard in France, the Society has found it necessary to establish rocket apparatus stations and other life-saving means at 500 places where circumstances do not permit the placing of Life-boats; and these are usually worked by the Customs' ' officials, assisted by local committees.

The cost of establishing a Life-boat station in France ranges from 25,000 to 30,000 francs at least, according to the locality, and that of a rocket apparatus station is about 4,500 francs.

The Committee estimate the value of their Society's property on the coast at more than 3,000,000 francs, and are constantly appealing to the French public for funds to enable them not only to maintain efficiently their existing stations but to extend their sphere of usefulness. France also possesses two or three local Life-boat and Life-saving Societies, that which provides more especially for the Breton coast being the most important..