AT the ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING of the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, held at the Royal United Service Institution, Whitehall, on Thursday, the 19th day of March, The Eight Honourable Lord Balfour of Burleigh, K.T., P.O., in the Chair, the following Report of the Committee of Management was submitted and adopted :—

ANNUAL REPORT.

1908.

THE work of the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFEBOAT INSTITUTION was actively carried on during the past year and every means adopted for promoting the efficiency of this great life-saving service established 84 years- ago.

Life - boats. — The Committee of Management have not failed to do their utmost to secure success for the experiments which they have been making with motor Life-boats, as reported in their last two Annual Reports, and there are now 4 Life-boats on the coast installed with motor engines—all of which are of different make—with a view to ascertain the type or types of engine which may prove on the whole best adapted for the service. One of them has been stationed for experimental purposes at Beaton Snook (at the mouth of the Tees) with a view to strengthening and rendering the service in that locality more efficient. Other motor Life-boats are under construction, but the Committee feel that motor boats are still in the experimental stage.

During 1907 14 new pulling and sailing Life-boats were built, fully equipped and placed at stations on the parts of our coasts where they were most needed. One of these was sent in April, 1907, to Skateraw (Haddingtonshire) where a new station has been established. The Life-boat which had been stationed at Llanddwyn (Anglesey) for many years has been withdrawn as the result of improved arrangements at the adjacent stations; and owing to altered conditions in Fishguard Harbour one of the two stations there has been closed.

The four steam Life-boats of the Institution were thoroughly overhauled and the boilers of two of them re-tubed, necessitating a heavy outlay.

The following is a complete list of the stations to which new boats were sent.

In each case, in accordance with the uniform practice of the Committee, the coxswains and crews were consulted as to the type of boat in which they placed most confidence.

Ackergill . . . . Caithness-shire.

Brighstone Grange . Isle of Wight.

Brooke Isle of Wight.

Cemaes Anglesey.

Clovelly . . . . North Devon.

Cullercoats . . . Northumberland.

Ferryside . . . . Carmarthenshire.

Filey Yorkshire.

Hasborough . . . Norfolk.

New Quay . . . . Cardiganshire.

Port Logan . . . Wigtownshire.

Redcar Yorkshire.

Skateraw . . . . Haddingtonshire.

Staithes . . . . Yorkshire.

At the end of 1907 the Institution's fleet comprised 272 sailing and pulling Life-boats, 4 steam Life-boats, 4 motor Life-boats, and 1 steam-tug.

Transporting Carriages.—New transporting carriages were built and supplied to seven Stations during the year.

Inspection of Life-boats.—Every Station of the Institution was thoroughly inspected and overhauled, a full report of each inspection being placed before and carefully considered by the Committee of Management.

Shipwrecks.—The year was a busy one for the Institution's Life-boats.

It was ushered in with misfortune, for on the 1st January, owing to the capsizing in & sudden squall of the Hyde Life-boat, which had been specially selected by and built for the crew two years previously, two of the crew lost their lives.

The Institution promptly contributed 2001. for the dependent relatives.

On the 17th March four of the Institution's Life-boats, namely those at Cadgwith, Coveraok, Lizard and Porthleven, were instrumental in saving as many as 456 lives from the S.S. Suevic, the largest number of lives saved by the Institution's boats from any one wreck since the establishment of the Institution. On this occasion not a single life was lost, nobody was seriously injured and the saving of the women and children was carried out with conspicuous skill and bravery.

The most remarkable gales of the year occurred on the 19th-21st February when 18 Life-boats were launched, 18 lives being saved, and on the 13th-14th December when there were 23 launches of Life-boats, 13 lives being saved and 3 vessels.

The Life-boats were launched 370 times on service, besides which on 38 occasions crews were assembled for service.

The number of lives for the saving of which by Life-boats the Committee granted rewards in 1907, was 932, in addition to which they granted rewards for the saving of 224 lives by shoreboats and other means, making together a total of 1,156. The Life-boats saved 43 vessels and boats.

The following table furnishes the details of the services during each month of the year :— 1907.

January February March .

April .

May .

June .

July .

August September October .

November December .

Total. .

Number of Lifeboat Launches.

42 42 38 30 22 15 11 24 14 29 41 62 370 Lives Saved by Lifeboats.

60 89 501 19 29 22 10 U 12 34 53 89 932 Vessels and Boats Saved by Lifeboats.

6 7 3 4 3 3 —4 3 2 2 6 43 Lives Saved by Shoreboats.

45 23 29 2 5 —6 6, 46 33 « 20 9 :„ 224 .-'; "I The total of lives for the saving of | which the Committee of Management | havegranted rewards since the founda- | tion of the March, 1824, Year. Lif 1824 1825 1826 1827 1828 1829 1830 1831 1832 1833 1834 1835 1836 1837 1838 1839 1840 1841 1842 1843 1844 1845 1846 1847 1848 1849 1 Q%f -LoOU 1851 1852 Institution on the 4th has been 47,345.

Shore-boats, Total No.

:-boats. etc. of Lives.

— — 124 — — 218 — — 175 — — 163 — — 301 — — 463 — — 372 — — 287 — — 310 — — 449 — — 214 — — 364 — — 225 — — 272 — — 456 — — 279 353 — — 128 — — 276 — — 236 — — 193 — — 235 — — 134 — — 157 — — 123 — — 209 i7n — — ti j — 230 — — 773 8189 NOTE.— Prior to 1853 the livea saved by Life-boats, Shore-boats, etc., were not separately recorded.

1853 1854 1855 1856 1857 1858 1859 1860 1861 1862 1863 1864 1865 1866 1867 1868 1869 1870 1871 1872 1873 1874 1875 1876 1877 1878 1879 1880 1881 1882 1883 1884 97 581 678 132 223 355 75 331 406 129 344 473 132 242 374 110 317 427 227 272 499 210 245 455 288 136 424 358 216 574 417 297 714 432 266 698 532 182 714 426 495 921 783 303 1,086 603 259 862 871 360 1,231 513 271 784 658 224 882 569 170 739 471 197 668 543 170 713 726 195 921 515 85 600 848 200 1,048 471 145 616 637 218 855 577 120 697 966 155 1,121 741 143 884 725 230 955 633 159 792 Shore-boats, Total No.

Year. Life-boats. etc. of Lives.

1885 371 184 555 1886 601 160 761 1887 368 204 572 1888 626 174 800 1889 420 207 627 1890 555 218 773 1891 568 168 736 1892 836 220 1,056 1893 428 170 598 1894 649 141 790 1895 533 176 709 1896 312 149 461 1897 537 125 662 1898 682 74 756 1899 501 108 609 1900 690 175 865 1901 397 93 490 1902 364 91 455 1903 572 137 709 1904 390 138 528 1905 397 153 550 1906 595 177 772 1907 932 224 1,156 Total 27,739 11,417 47,345 """"" " ~"~ -— Rewards. — The rewards bestowed by the Institution in 1907 for rescuing lives from shipwreck or for gallant and praiseworthy attempts at rescue and in recognition of other good services rendered to the cause, included 1 Gold Medal, 13 Silver Medals, and 2 Silver Clasps, 3 Decorations, 6 Binocular Glasses, 5 Aneroid Barometers, 38 Votes of Thanks inscribed on vellum and framed, 12 Certificates of Service framed, and 11,860Z. Is. lOd. in money grants, including pensions, retiring allowances, gratuities and compensation for personal injuries or loss sustained in the Service.

Since the 4th March, 1824, the Institution has granted in rewards and recognitions 100 Gold Medals and Clasps, 1,247 Silver Medals and Clasps, 66 Decorations, 387 Binocular Glasses, 15 Telescopes, 77 Aneroid Barometers, 1,858 Totes of Thanks inscribed on vellum and framed, 196 Certificates of Service framed, and 278.896Z. 16s. 6dL in money.

Aneroids. — In 1907 eighty applications were received by the Institution for the reliable Aneroid Barometers which are issued by the Committee at a greatly reduced price to the Masters and Owners of fishing boats and small coasters. Of these 69 were supplied to fishermen and 11 to coasters. The total number of Aneroids so distributed by the Institution since 1882 has been 4,967.

Local Committees.—The Committee of Management very gratefully acknowledge the important and active cooperation which they continue to receive from their numerous honorary secretaries, treasurers and other helpers.

Without the aid of the Local Branch officials the work of the Institution could not be carried on.

Public Authorities.—The Committee have also to place on record the valuable help rendered by the Trinity Corporation, the Commissioners of Northern and Irish Lights, and more especially the Postal Officials whose work in connection with the electrical and telephonic communications established on the coasts for life-saving purposes and available both day and night, has been of great benefit to the Institution.

Coastguard.—At many stations where the supply of fishermen and other suitable hands is insufficient the assistance rendered by the Coastguard, not only as regards manning the boats but also in launching them and working the telephones, is of the utmost importance, and the partial withdrawal already of the Coastguard from this work and from the other assistance they give to the Institution is viewed by the Committee with grave apprehension. They would therefore express the earnest hope that no further steps may be taken by the Government in the direction of reducing or abolishing H.M. Coastguard.

Public Press. — For its uniform cooperation and helpful advocacy an expression of hearty thanks is due to the Public Press of the country.

Life-boat Saturday.—This organisation has done excellent work in collecting moneys for the Institution during the past year, and the much-valued efforts of the Central Committee and the other Committees connected with the movement throughout the country, including the Ladies' Auxiliaries, have been crowned with increased success. The Committee of Management gratefully acknowledge their valued help, which has been most important and encouraging; the amount received from the Fund since, its inception in 1891 to the 31st December having exceeded a quarter of a million.

Inventions.—The Institution has continued to receive many inventions and proposals, which have had the very careful consideration of the Committee, they being at al times anxious to inquire into and examine any suggestions which might possibly, if tried, be useful for the Life-boat service.

Finances.—The total amount received by the Institution in 1907 in subscriptions, donations, dividends, etc., and including the very satisfactory sum of 20,686Z. 11«. lOd. received from the Lifeboat Saturday Fund, was 75,168Z. 9*. 3d., an increase of 2,858L 12s. as compared with the corresponding total for 1906.

Furthermore, the sum of 101,3432.12s. 5d.

was received under the head of legacies.

This sum was unusually large owing to the receipt of 45,025Z. 9«. 4d. on account of the legacy bequeathed to the Institution by the late Mr. Charles 0.

Ashley. It should be noted however , that neither this bequest nor the income i arising from it can be used for t general purposes of the Institution, the i testator having "ear-marked" the moneys '.

for specified objects. Oi the remaining; amount received in respect of legacies! 25,2612. 18«. 3d. was also ear-marked for special purposes and trusts. It will b» I observed that were it not for the bequests j| to the Institution its work would have to be much curtailed as the receipts under all other heads are always exceeded by the payments, which in. 1907 amounted to 90,2381. 4a. 5d. This total included 36,105Z. 10«. 4d. for building, equipping and repairing Life-boats, Life-boat transporting carriages, Life-boat houses and slipways, and experiments with motor Life-boats ; 15,377Z. 1«. 8d. for subsidies i.OT ivoa-seyi-svxppOTtmg stations, jranc i outlays, aneroids for fishermen and coasters, life-belts and other stores and the store-yard; 31,8511. 12s. 5d.

for payments to coxswains, bowmen, signalmen, 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, and for injuries, for pensions, and other retiring allowances to coxswains, bowmen and signalmen; medals and vellums; and for payments to the inspecting staff. The balance was expended on printing, advertising, postage, telegrams and stationery; on salaries, rates, taxes, office expenses and legal charges connected with bequests and leases. Each item of receipt and expenditure has as usual been examined and verified by Mr. Albert W. Wyon, Chartered AccOMntanfe, oi t ie firm oi Messrs. Price, Waterhouse & Co., 3 Frederick's Place, Old Jewry, E.G.

The Institution receives no financial help from the State, being supported entirely by voluntary contributions; and the Committee of Management appeal to all classes for further financial aid, without which this great life-saving service of the country cannot be efficiently maintained.