AT the ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING of the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, held at the Royal United Service Institution, Whitehall, on Wednesday, the 15th day of March, 1905, The Most Honourable The MARQUIS OF SALISBURY, P.O., C.B., President of the Board of Trade, in the Chair, the following Report of the Committee of Management was submitted and adopted :— ANNUAL REPORT.

1905.

EVERY effort has been made during the past year to promote and secure the highest possible state of efficiency in the great life-saving service of the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION. The Committee of Management have persevered in the work, feeling assured that they have the sympathy and goodwill not only of the British Public but of the whole civilized world.

It is with deep regret the Committee have to record the death in November last of Mr. GEORGE LENNOX WATSON, the well-known yacht designer who had for many years acted as the Consulting Naval Architect to the Institution.

The services rendered and the valuable assistance given by him since his appointment in April 1887 are well known to all and were greatly appreciated by the Committee.

Life-boats.—For many months past the Committee of Management have been carrying out important and interesting experiments having for their aim the establishment in the Institution's service of a reliable " motor " Life-boat.

There is every prospect of their efforts in this direction proving success- ful and they believe that at no distant date their endeavours will lead to good results.

In 1904 no fewer than 20 new pulling and sailing Life-boats were built, equipped and despatched to stations on various parts of the coast of England, Scotland and Ireland. In each case the coxswains and crews of these stations, in conformity with the uniform practice of the Institution, were fully consulted as to the several types of boats supplied.

The following is a complete list of the stations to which new Boats were sent:—• Aberdovey .... Merionethshire.

Abersoch Carnarvonshire.

Anstruther .... Fifeshire.

Brighton Sussex, Bull Bay Anglesey.

Donna Nook .... Lincolnshire.

Grimsby Lincolnshire.

Harwich (No. 1) . . . Essex.

Littlehampton . . . Sussex.

Polkerris Cornwall.

Port Enroll .... Aberdeenshire.

Bhosneigir .... Anglesey.

St. Agnes Scilly Islands.

Saloombe Devonshire.

Sheringham .... Norfolk.

Shoreham .... Sussex.

Southend Argyleshire.

Southport (No. 2) . . Lancashire.

Troon Ayrshire.

Yealm Biver .... Devonshire.

Owing to the improved arrangements made at adjacent stations it became unnecessary to incur the expense of maintaining any longer the Southport No. 1 (Lancashire), the Gorleston No. 3 (Suffolk), and the Forth Rhuffydd (Anglesey) stations, and the Boats which had been there for many years have therefore been withdrawn.

The Life-boat has also been withdrawn from the Dornoch Firth in Sutherland- shire. The Institution's entire fleet comprised at the close of 1904 281 sailing and pulling Life-boats, 4 steam Life-boats, and 1 steam-tug.

Transporting Carriages.—New trans- porting carriages have been provided for 7 stations.

Inspection of Life-boats. — All the stations and their relative Life-boats have been most thoroughly and carefully inspected during the past year, a full report of each inspection having been submitted to and considered by the Committee of Management.

Shipwrecks.—The year 1904, unlike its predecessor, was not a stormy one, although during the earlier months boisterous weather was experienced, which returned now and again through- out the year after many weeks of comparative calm. The heaviest gales of 1904 occurred on the ll-13th February, and the 9-16th December. On the first occasion there were 20 launches of Life-boats, resulting in the saving of 17 lives and 5 vessels; whilst during the latter gale 48 lives and 3 vessels were saved as a result of 35 launches.

Between the 1st January and the 31st December last, inclusive, the Life- boats were launched 309 times on service, and 1,093 times for exercise, in addition to which crews assembled in readiness for service on 52 occasions when their help was fortunately not ultimately needed.

It is with the deepest sense of thankfulness and satisfaction the Committee of Management record the gratifying fact that notwithstanding the many thousands of Life-boatmen who were afloat in the Life-boats last year not one lost his life by drowning or other accident whilst on service.

The number of lives for the saving of which rewards were granted by the Institution in 1904 was 528; 390 of these were saved by the Life-boats, and the remaining 138 by shore-boats and other means, besides which the crews of the Life-boats were instrumental in saving 37 vessels and boats. IST MAY, 1905.] ANNUAL REPORT. 321 The following table furnishes the Year. No. of Lives.

1886 761 Ye ar. No. of Lives 1897 662 details of the services during each 1887 572 1898 756 month of the year : — 1888 800 1899 609 J 1889 627 1890 765 1900 865 Vessels Lives 1891 736 1902 455 Number Lives of I/ife- S&ved. and Boats Saved 1892 1,056 1903 709 I9°*- boat by Life- Saved by 1893 598 1904 528 Launches, boats. by Life- olio e- 1894 790 boats. Doats. 1895 709 1896 461 Total 44,889 January 34 30 4 23 February 48 37 6 24 March 40 80 9 26 Rewards. — The rewards which were April 19 35 May 15 20 2 14 5 granted by the Institution in 1904 for June 10 39 1 9 the saving of life from shipwreck on the July 9 — — 1 coasts of the United Kingdom, or for August 18 8 1 12 (j September 13 35 2 10 gallant and meritorious efforts to do so, October . 11 23 November 37 26 December. 55 57 2 3 7 8 6 and in recognition of other praiseworthy services rendered, included 2 Silver -Mecl «ils 1 Decors* :i/vr» 1 5? Tim ("» •» n 1 ai» Total. . 309 390 37 138 Glasses, 8 Aneroid Barometers, 19 Votes of Thanks inscribed on vellum The total number of lives for the and framed, 5 Certificates of Service saving of which the Committee of framed, and 7,798Z. Is. Gd., including Management have granted rewards pensions, retiring allowances, gratuities, since the foundation of the Institution and compensation for personal injuries on the 4th March, 1824, has been sustained in the Service. 44,889, the number for each year At the end of the year the Institution being given in the following tabular had granted altogether in rewards since statement : — 1824, 99 Gold Medals and Clasps, 1,206 Year. No. of Lives. Year. No. of Lives. Silver Medals and Clasps, 63 Decora- 1824 124 1855 406 tions, 357 Binocular Glasses. 15 Tele- 1825 218 185 VQ 1826 175 1857 374 scopes, 60 Aneroid Barometers, 1,755 1827 163 1858 427 Votes of Thanks inscribed on vellum 1828 301 1829 463 1859 499 1860 455 and framed, 163 Certificates of Service 1830 372 1861 424 framed, and 248,777Z. in money. 1831 287 1862 574 1832 310 1863 714 1833 449 1834 214 1864 698 1865 714 Aneroids. — During the year there was 1835 364 1866 951 a steady demand for the excellent Ane- 1836 225 1837 272 1838 456 1867 1,086 1868 862 1869 1,231 roid Barometers supplied to the Masters and Owners of fishing-boats and small 1839 279 1870 784 coasters at about one-third the retail 1840 353 1841 128 1871 882 1872 739 charges. The total number provided 1842 276 1873 COS was 171 ; of these 161 were supplied to 1843 236 187 • Ii? fishermen, and 10 to coasters. The 1844 193 187 i 09.1 ' 1845 235 1876 600 ' total number issued since 1882 has been 1846 134 1877 1,048 4 822 1847 157 1878 616 ' 1848 123 1R79 855 1849 209 1850 470 1880 697 Tin •„ J881 1 121 Local Committees. — The most grateful 1851 230 1882 884 , thanks of the Committee of Manaae- 1852 773 1853 678 1883 955 1884 792 merit are due to all the honorary 1854 355 1885 555 officials and helpers of the Institution throughout the country, without whose important and valuable help it would be impossible to carry on and maintain the great life-saving service entrusted to them. The hearty co-operation of the Branch Committees and their Sec- retaries and Treasurers is becoming increasingly important and necessary, and wherever secured is most highly appreciated.

The cordial thanks of the Committee are also tendered to the Public Press, the generous and all-powerful advocacy of which is so constantly employed in appealing for financial support for the Institution, and in enlisting the interest of the public in its thoroughly national work.

Life-boat Saturday.—The indefatigable workers for the Life-boat Saturday Fund have everywhere been energetically pressing the claims of the Institution during the past year, and, having regard to the general depression in business which has been prevalent, have met with marked success, a success well merited by then- enthusiastic, zealous and self- denying efforts. Life-boat Saturday collections were made in no less than 132 cities and towns in 1904, and in several of these the cause was advocated for the first time. The Ladies' Auxiliaries have been more especially active, and efforts have been made to extend the area of their usefulness. In June last the West End of London Ladies' Auxiliary inaugurated a great Life- boat Concert, held at the Queen's Hall, the programme of which was gratuitously contributed to by the leading musical artistes of the day. The Concert, which was under the immediate patronage of the King and Queen, was graciously attended by the Prince and Princess of Wales, and several other members of the Royal Family.

The Committee of Management tender once more, as they have so frequently done before, their most hearty and grateful thanks to the Central Committee of the Life-boat Saturday Fund, as well as to all the Local Life-boat Saturday Committees and their officers, including more particularly the Ladies' Auxiliaries.

Inventions.—The Committee have as usual had the pleasure of receiving and examining during the past year numerous suggestions and inventions ; and they wish it to be as widely known as possible that they are at all times desirous to consider any proposals which might on examination prove useful to the service and tend to increase its efficiency.

Finances.—The total amount received by the Committee of Management in 1904, in subscriptions, donations, dividends, etc., and inclusive of the very important sum of 16,405Z. 17s. 3d.

received from the Life-boat Saturday Fund, was 72,418Z. 3s. Id., a decrease of 8,244Z. Is. 10 Z., as compared with the corresponding total for the preceding year, the falling off being evidently due to the prevailing depression in the trade of the country. In addition, the sum of 46,089Z. 15s. 9 J. was received in legacies, of which 19,717Z. 10s. 2d.

was for special trusts or specified purposes. Were it not for the valuable help provided by legacies, it would be impossible for the Committee of Management to carry on the work of the Institution, the annual subscriptions, donations, and dividends being quite inadequate for the purpose.

The total expenditure in 1904 was 99,8692. 15s. lOd. This total included 48,288Z. 3s. Qd. for building, equipping and repairing Life-boats, Life-boat trans- porting carriages, Life-boat houses and slipways; 16,54R 12s. 5d. for subsidies for non-self-supporting stations, branch payments, aneroids for fishermen and coasters, life-belts and other stores and the store-yard; 22,946Z. 15s. 9d. for payments to coxswains, bowmen andsignalmen, to crews, etc., for services and for exercising the Life-boats, for special rewards and recognitions for services; grants to the relatives of deceased Life-boatmen for injuries; pensions and retiring allowances to coxswains, bowmen and signalmen; medals and vellums ; also for payments to inspectors. The balance was expended in printing, advertising, postage, telegrams and stationery ; on salaries, rates, taxes, office expenses and legal charges connected with leases and bequests.

Each item of receipt and expenditure has, as usual, been examined and verified by Mr. Albert W. Wyon, Chartered Accountant, of the firm of Messrs. Price, Waterhouse & Co., 3 Frederick's Place, Old Jewry, E.G.

In conclusion the Committee of Management appeal strongly and earnestly for increased financial support. The cause is acknowledged on all hands to be one of national importance and value, and the Committee rely on the British Public to show their confidence in their efforts by contributing liberally and generously towards the maintenance of the Institution and its large fleet of Life-boats, with the result that those " in peril on the sea" will still be provided with the best Life Saving Service in the world.