Thursday, 9th January, 1908.

Sir EDWARD BIRKBECK, Bart., V.P., in the Chair.

Read and confirmed the minutes of the previous meeting.

Also read those of the Building, Finance and Correspondence and Wreck and Reward Sub-Committees and ordered that their recommendations be carried into effect.

Read the report of the Chief Inspector of Life-boats on his recent visits to Eyemouth and St. Abbs.

Decided that a new Life-boat Station be established at St. Abbs (Berwickshire).

Read the report of the Deputy Chief Inspector of Life-boats on his recent visits to the Padstow and St. Ives Stations.

Also the reports of the District Inspectors of Life-boats on their visits to the following Life-boat Stations:— Northern District. — Berwick,- on - Tweed, North Berwick and Crail.

Eastern District.—Filey, Gorleston (three boats), Winterton (two boats), Hasborough, Seaham, Hartlepool (two boats), Seaton Snook and Seaton Carew.

Southern District.—Teignmouth, Hope Cove, Salcombe, Lyme egis, Sidmouth, Ramsgate, Dover, Bembridge, Totland Bay, Ryde, Shoreham and Swanage.

Western District.— Fishguard, Cardigan, New Quay (Cardigan), Burry Port, The Mumbles, Barry Dock, Aberystwyth, Aberdovey, Barmouth and Point of Ayr.

Irish District.—Hilbre Island, Hoylake, Formby, New Brighton (two boats), Blackpool, Fleetwood, Lytham and St. Anne's (two boats).

Reported the receipt of a contribution of 20.686Z. lls. 1CW. from the Central Committee of the Life-boat Saturday Fund as the net proceeds of Life-boat Saturday, 1907.

Resolved that the sincere thanks of the Committee of Management be given to the Central Committee of the Life-boat Saturday Fund for their continued valuable and much appreciated services.

Reported also the receipt of 1,298Z. 17s. 6d. from the Civil Service Life-boat Fund, per Mr. Harry Fincham, I.S.O., Honorary Secretary, towards recouping the Institution all the expenses incurred in 1907 in maintaining the seven Stations at which the seven Life-boats presented and endowed by the Fund are placed. The total sum thus contributed to the Institution by gentlemen in His Majesty's Civil Service has been 36.574Z. 19s. 3d!.

Resolved that the grateful thanks of the Committee of Management be conveyed to the Honorary Secretary, to his Committee, and to the subscribers to the Fund for their continued valuable assistance.

Reported the receipt of the following other special contributions since the last meeting:— Licensed Victuallers' Life-boat £ s. d.

Fund, per Mr. A. L. ANNETT (additional) 50 - - Loyal Order of Ancient Shepherds, Ashton Unity (annual subscription) 25 - - Mr. F. 0. BROWN, West Cromwell Road (contents of contribution box) 15 - - ANONYMOUS (Marseilles) . . . 5 - - Brockdish Church, half of Christmas offertory (per the Rev. WILSON W . WHITE, M . A . ) . . . . 3 4 8 Little Comberton Church offerings (per the Bev. WILLIAM D. LOWNDES, M.A.) 1 10 3 Darley Church offertory on Christmas Day (per the Rev. R. W. WHITTINGTON, M.A.) . . . . 3 17 6 —To be severally thanked.

Also the receipt of the following legacies: — The late Mr. SEPTIMUS SMITH £ s. d. KERSWELL, of Plymouth (on account) 1,500 - - The late Mr. JAMES HODGE, of Manchester, for a Life-boat for the Coast of Scotland, to be named the Helen Smitton . 1,000 - - The late Mrs. M. ANDERSON, of Glasgow (per Glasgow Branch) . 101 15 2 The late Miss BESSIE SCOTT, of Dublin (per Dublin Branch) . 100 - - The late Miss CHRISTIAN TAWSE, of Edinburgh 90 - - Paid 5,925Z. for sundry charges in connection with various Life-boat establishments.

Voted 480Z. 10s. 2d. to pay the expenses of the following Life-boat services:— Lives Life-boat. Vessel. saved.

Brixham . . Ketch Lily, of Falmouth.

Landed 2 and later put them on board again.

Brixham . . Fishing fleet of Brixham.

Rendered assistance.

Broadstairs . Schooner Windermere, of Chester. Assisted to save vessel and . 6 Caister No. 1 . S.S. Andalusia, of London.

Stood by vessel.

Cromer . . . Barge Britisher, of London . . . . 3 Folkestone. . S.S. Scheldestroorn, of Amsterdam . . . 7 Hastings . . S.S. Volano, of Sunderland.

Rendered assistance.

Life-boat. Vessel.

Lives saved.

Hartlepool S.S. Hanna, of Stavan- No. 3 ger 23 Kingsdowne . S.S. Cap Lopes, of Antwerp (also saved a dog) 14 Margate No. 2. Ketch Sleuthhound, of Ramsgate. Stood by vessel.

Mumbles . . Schooner John Ewing, of Cardigan . . . . 6 Afterwards assisted to save vessel.

Newbiggin . Fishing cobles of Newbiggin.

Attended cobles.

New Brighton. Sloop Pilgrim, of (Steam) Cemaes. Rendered assistance.

Rosslare Har- Schooner William bour. Thompson, of Wexford.

Rendered assistance.

Southsea . . Barge Blanche, of London.

Stood by vessel.

Southwold No. 1 Barge Decima, of London.

Assisted to save vessel and . . . . 2 Totland Bay . Schooner Hans, of Brake. Rendered assistance.

Yarmouth . . S.S. Andalusia, of London.

Stood by vessel.

The Kessingland No. 1 Life-boat assisted to save the Smack Yoking Bird, of Lowestoft, and the Ramsgate Life-boat saved the Barge Thames, of G-reenhithe, and two lives.

Also voted 849Z. 18s. 5d. to pay the expenses of the following Life-boat launches, etc., with the view of assisting persons on vassals in distress: Aldeburgh No. 1, Barry Dock, Brancaster, Bridlington, Broadstairs, Clacton-on- Sea, Courtown, Dunmore East, Formby, Greencastle, Harwich (steam), Holyhead No. 2, Margate Nos. 1 and 2, North Deal, Poole, Port Logan, Rosslare Harbour, St. Agnes, St. Mary's, Selsey, Southend-on-Sea, Swanage, Totland Bay, Walmer, Walton-on-Naze (motor), Wells and Winchelsea.

The Ramsgate Life-boat was also launched, but her services were not required.

Voted 200Z., with an expression of deep sympathy, to the fund raised for the dependent relatives of W. T. Hicks, a life-boatman, who lost his life on board the seven-masted schooner, Thomas W. Lawson, of Boston, wrecked at the Scilly Islands, 13th-14th December, 1907.

Voted the Silver Medal to FREDERICK CHARLES HICKS, son of the above man, who saved at imminent risk of his own life, the Captain of the schooner, who had been washed on to the Helwether rock. The sum of 12Z. was also voted to the men who manned the shoreboat by means of which the rescue was effected.

Also voted the Silver Medal to ROBERT GREIG, Coxswain Superintendent of the Stromness Life-boat, together with an additional pecuniary reward to him and each o£ the crew for a very gallant service on the 11th December, 1907, resulting in three lives being saved from the steam trawler Shakespeare of Hull, totally wrecked at Breckness, in a very heavy sea.

Voted 21. 10s. to a man injured in the Life-boat service at Kingsdowne.

Also voted II. 10s. to three men for saving at moderate risk to themselves, a man whose boat was capsized off Burton Port in squally weather on the 2nd December, 1907.

Also 2i. 5s. to three men for saving, at considerable risk, two persons from the boat Eleanor Mary, which broke from her moorings in Lynmouth Harbour during a S.W. gale on the 5th December, 1907.

Seven other men assisted in the work of rescue, and they, together with a man who was hurt, were allowed 11. 13s. Gd.

Also 11. to two men for saving a sailor belonging to a vessel in Skerries Harbour, who was adrift in a boat without any oars on the 28th December, 1907. There was a moderate E.S.E. gale with a rough sea at the time and the salvors incurred moderate risk.

Thursday, 13th February, 1908.

Sir EDWARD BIRKBECK, Bart., V.P., in the Chair.

Read and confirmed the minutes of the previous meeting.

Also read those of the Building, Finance and Correspondence and Wreck and Reward Sub-Committees and ordered that their recommendations be carried into effect.

Also lead the minutes of the last meeting of the Central Committee of the Life-boat Saturday Fund and ordered that their recommendations be carried into effect, [i Bead the reports of the District Inspectors of Life-boats and their recent visits to the following Life-boat Stations :— Northern District.—Maryport, Whitehaven, Skateraw, Dunbar, Broughty Ferry, Anstruther and St. Andrews.

Eastern District.—Aldeburgh (two boats), Lowestoft (two boats), Yarmouth, Caister (two boats), Palling (two boats), Winterton (two boats), Southwold (two boats), Kessing- .and (two boats) and Pakefield.

Southern District.—Hythe, New Romney, Dungeness (two boats), Hastings, Walton on- the-Naze, Clacton-on-Sea, Harwich (two boats), Swanage and Poole.

Western District.—Barry Dock, Ferryside, Burry Port, Fishguard, St. David's, Tenby, Surnham and Barmouth.

Irish District.—Killough, Newcastle (Dundrum), Portrush, Culdaff, Greencastle, Avonmore, Carrickfergus, Groomsport, Cloughey and Blackrock.

Reported the receipt of the following special contributions since the last meeting:— His Majesty the King, annual sub- £ s. d. scription 21 - - Civil Service Life-boat Fund, per £ s. d.

Mr. Harry Fincham, I.S.O.

(additional) 266 17 6 " J. P." (Mauritius) 15 - - St. Michael's, Paddington, per the Rev. G. F. Prescott, M.A. . . 9 17 6 —To be severally thanked.

Also the receipt of the following legacies:— The late Mr. SAMUEL VALLEKTINE, £ s. d, of Brixton Road, S.W., on account of the Jacob and Rachel Vallentine Life-boat for Hasborough and her endowment . . . 1,000 - - The late Miss E. C. MACBEAN, of Lancaster 1,000 - - The late Mr. J. P. MURPHY, K.C., of Norwood 900 - - The late Mr. AUGUSTUS KEMPSON, of Eastbourne 500 - - The late Miss A. G. HOWDEN, of Haddington 312 16 4 The late Mrs. I. F. LLOYD, of West Hampstead 50 - - The late Miss H. F. SADLER, of Thorpe Hamlet, Norwich. . . 25 - - The late Miss CHARLOTTE ANDERSON, of Newburgh (interest) . . 18 15 1 Very great regret was expressed at the death of Mr. Robert A. B. PRESTON,.who had for a long period been a valuable member of the Committee of Management of the Institution, as well as a great benefactor, and it was decided to send a letter conveying the sincere sympathy of the Committee to his Widow.

Reported also the decease of Mr. P. Baudains, Captain T. H. Williams and Mr. James Campbell, Honorary Secretaries respectively of the Jersey; Cardigan, Wick and Ackergill Branches of the Institution, and decided to send letters of condolence to the bereaved families.

Voted the best thanks of the Committee of Management to Dr. Frank Harvey, in recognition of his long and valuable services as Honorary Secretary of the Padstow Branch of the Institution, which office he had just Lives saved.

Reported the transmission to their Stations of the Buckie and Seaton Carew new Lifeboats.

Paid 9,285Z. for sundry charges in connection with various Life-boat Establishments.

Voted 393Z. 19s. 8d. to pay the expenses of the following Life-boat services:— Life-boat. Vessel.

Clovelly . . S.S. Huddersfield, of Cardiff 12 Douglas . . Fishing vessel Regalia, of Douglas. Stood by vessel.

Flamborough Ketch Princess May, of No. 2 Littlehampton. Stood by vessel.

Giles Quay . Schooner Ethel, of Drogheda.

Rendered assistance.

Life-boat.

Moelfre. .

Montrose No. 1 Newhaven . .

(motor) Padstow No. 2 (and tug) North Sunderland Ramsey . .

Lives Vessel. saved.

Ketch Margaret and Elisabeth, of Beaumaris ..... 2 Fishing boat Caledonia, of Ferryden. Stood by boat.

Fishing vessel Volunteer, of Colchester.

Stood by vessel.

Barque Europa, of Oporto ..... 7 Coble Sea Nymph, of Beadnell. Attended coble.

Schooner Guiding Star, of Runcorn . . . 4 Rosslare" Schooner Navigator, of Harbour Arklow ..... 6 Runswick . . Cobles of Runswick and Whitby. Attended cobles.

St. Ives. . . Schooner Lizzie R. Wilce, of Falmouth . 5 „ Schooner Mary Barrow, of Barrow . . . . 5 „ Yacht Ystmth, of Padstow ..... 3 ,, Trawler Victor, of Brixham ...... 4 Whitby No. 1 . Coble Robert and Mary, of Whitby. Stood by coble.

Yarmouth . . Schooner John Pickard, of Goole. Rendered assistance.

The Kessingland Nos. 1 and 2 Life-boats assisted to save the S.S. Briton, of Stettin ; Lowestoft No. 1 Life-boat assisted to save the schooner Janet, of Carnarvon ; Palling No. 2 and Winterton No. 2 Life-boats assisted to save the S.S. Excellent, of Sunderland, and 19 ; Penmon Life-boat rendered assistance to the schooner Mary Brocklebank, of Barrow; St.

Ives Life-boat rendered assistance to the trawler Victor, of Brixham ; Southend-on-Sea Life-boat saved the barge Dorethea, of Harwich, and 2 ; Walmer Life-boat stood by the fourmasted barque Lisbeth, of Hamburg; and Yarmouth Life-boat rendered assistance to the brig Fleetwing, of Carnarvon.

Also voted 692Z. Is. lOd. to pay the expenses of the following Life-boat launches, assemblies of crews, etc., with the view of assisting persons on vessels in distress: — Aldeburgh No. 2, Bembridge, Berwick-on-Tweed, Blackrock, Broadstairs, Caister No. 1, Clogher Head, Cullercoats, Dunbar, Flamborough No. 1, Formby, Gorleston Nos. 1, 2, and 3, Gourdon, Hartlepool No. 1, Hasborough, Llandudno, Lowestoft No. 1, New Brighton No. 2 (steam), North Deal, Palling No. 2, Selsey, Southend on- Sea, Southsea, Tynemouth, Upgang, Whitby No. 2, Winterton Nos. 1 and 2.

The Ramsgate Life-boat also went out on service.

Voted 121. 15s. to men injured in the Lifeboat service at Aldeburgh, Aranmore and North Deal.

Voted 91. to eight men for saving, at moderate risk to themselves, two of three men whose coble capsized off Flamborough in a sudden squall, on the 27th January.

Also 51. to five men for saving, at great risk, the fishing boat, Caledonia, and her crew of three men on the 6th January. The Caledonia was dismasted and unmanageable in a whole westerly gale and heavy cross sea off Montrose.

Also 11. to a man, for saving at moderate risk to himself, one of two men from a boat belonging to a pilot cutter, on the 17th January.

The salvor was cruising off the Lizard when he saw the boat, which was swamped, with the two men clinging to her. Every effort was made to save the second man but without success.

Also 11. to two men for putting off in a boat at Clacton-on-Sea on the 5th February to search for a man who was reported adrift in a boat. The boat could not be found.

Thursday, 20th February, 1908.

Sir EDWARD BIRKBECK, Bart., V.P., in the Chair.

A special meeting of the Committee of Management was held to-day.

The meeting was called to consider the evidence given at the Board of Trade Inquiry into the action of the Alnmouth Life-boat in connection with the stranding of the Ina Mactavish on the 17th October last, and it was resolved to appoint a Sub-Committee, consisting of the Duke of NORTHUMBERLAND, KG., The Bight Hon. Sir JOHN 0. B. COLOMB, K.G.M.G., Sir B. U. PENROSE FITZGERALD, Bart., and Colonel J. E. B. SEELY, D.S.O., M.P., with instructions to proceed to Alnmouth to meet the Branch Local Committee, and report as to the steps required to be taken by the Institution for increasing as far as possible the efficiency of the Life-boat Service in the locality.

Thursday, 12th March, 1908.

Colonel FitzRoY CLAYTON, V.P., in the Chair.

Read and confirmed the minutes of the previous meeting.

Also those of the special meeting held on the 20th February, 1908.

Also those of the Building, Finance and Correspondence and Wreck and Reward Sub- Committees and ordered that their recommendations be carried into effect.

Read the report of the Deputy Chief Inspector of Life-boats on his recent visit to the St. Anne's Station.

Also the reports of the District Inspectors of Life-boats on their visits to the following Life-boat Stations:— Northern District.—North Berwick, Berwick- on-Tweed, Cullercoats, Cambois, Blyth, Newbiggin, Tynemouth, Alnmouth, Boulmer and Hauxley.

Eastern District.—Sheringham, Cromer, Aldeburgh (two boats), Palling (two boats) and Winterton (two boats).

Southern District.—North Deal, Walmer, Kingsdowne, Folkestone, Broadstairs, Margate (two boats), Weymouth, St. Helier, St. Peter Port, Brighton and Southend-on-Sea.

Western District.—Appledore (two boats), Clovelly, Ilfracombe, Lynmouth, Minehead, Watchet and The Mumbles.

Irish District.—Giles' Quay, Greenore, Wicklow, Queenstown, Ballycotton, Fenit (Tralee Bay), Courtmacsherry, Youghal, Helvick Head, Fethard and Dunmore East.

Reported the receipt of the following special contributions since the last meeting:— £ s. d.

Mr. J. GOBY (additional) . . 50 - - Collected on board H.M.T. Scwdan, per Capt. S. DE B. LOCKYER, B.N. 10 - - " ANONYMOUS," Jamaica . . . 8 9 3 Canteen Fund of H.M.S. Encounter, per Commander G. E. COBBETT, B .N 3-- —To be severally thanked.

Also the receipt of the following legacies :— The late Mr. FREDERICK KITCHEN, £ s. d.

of Carnarvon, for a Steam-power water-motor Life-boat for the North-West Coast of England (on account) 2,400 - - The late Mr. SAMUEL VALLENTINE, of Brixton Road, S.W. (balance) 2,000 - - The late Mr. H. L. SALTARN, of Lyndhurst 802 10 2 The late Mrs. ANN HAYS, of Bournemouth (on account) . . . . 100 - - The late Mr. G. H. TRAILL, of Blackrock, Victoria, Australia . 100 - - The late Mr. WILLIAM CHURCHILL, of Dorchester 45 - - The late Mr. F. W. N. LLOYD, of Bromley (half year's interest) . 15 4 - Bead the report of the Special Sub- Committee appointed to visit Alnmouth to meet the Branch Local Committee and to report as to the steps required to be taken for increasing as far as possible the efficiency of the Life-boat service in the locality.

Resolved that the best thanks of the Committee be tendered to the members of the Special Sub-Committee for their report and for the great amount of trouble they had kindly taken in the matter. Also that their recommendations be adopted.

Voted the best thanks of the Committee of Management to Mr. J. LUSKEY COAD in recognition of his long and valuable services as honorary secretary of the Salcombe and Hope Cove Branch of the Institution, which office he had just resigned.

The Committee of Management conferred the Institution's Decoration for special services other than the personal saving of life on Mr. PATRICK HARNEY and Mr. BENJAMIN SIMONS in recognition of their zealous and very valuable services for upwards of twenty years as honorary secretaries of the Dunmore Bast and Sutton-on-Sea Branches of the Institution.

The Committee of Management also specially recognised the good services, extending over many years, of the following honorary secretaries of Branches of the Institution:— Mr. G. WATERS BECK, Winterton: Mr. 3. F. BURGIS, Leamington; Mr. WILLIAM CRAWFORD, Filey; Mr. ARTHUR Fox, Burton on- Trent; Admiral J. F. G. GRANT, Malvern; Mr. H. A. HAWKEY, Newquay (Cornwall); Mr. ROBERT LEGERTON, Clacton-on-Sea; Mr. FRANK R. LEITH, Selsey; Mr. THOMAS ROSE, Banbury; Mr. SYDNEY H. RUSSELL, Malton, and Mr. T. PERCIVAL WHATELEY, Godalming.

Paid 3,532Z. for sundry charges in connection with various Life-boat establishments.

Voted 458Z. 10s. 9d. to pay the expenses of the following Life-boat services:— Lives Life-boat. Vessel. saved.

Blyth . . . Steam Trawler Begonia, of G r i m s b y . . . . 14 Boulmer . . Schooner Caecilie, of Hamburg . . . . 3 Cromer. . . Barque Lodore, of Liverpool.

Stood by vessel.

Douglas . . Three fishing cobles of Douglas. Saved cobles and 9 Fishing vessels Regalia and Marguerite-, of Douglas. Stood by vessels.

Filey . . . Six cobles of Filey.

Stood by cobles.

Girvan . . . Fishing boat Renown, of Girvan. Landed 4.

Greenore . . Lugger Golden Hope, of Newry. Stood by vessel.

Holyhead . . S.S. Harold, of Liver- (Steam) pool 9 Ilfracombe . . Schooner Gracien.se, of Granville. Landed 4.

Kingstown No.2 Schooner TruthseeTcer, of Runcorn. Stood by vessel.

Lowestoft No. 1 Trawler Arizona, of Lowestoft. Stood by vessel.

Newhaven . . S.S. Trouville, of Newhaven.

Rendered assistance.

North Sunder- S.S. Geir, of Bergen . 14 land Port Logaa . Ketch Jane, of Belfast.

Landed 3.

Lives Life-boat. Vessel. saved.

Skerries . . Schooner Walter J. Cummings, of Irvine . 5 Tenby . . . Ketch Sultan, of Barnstaple 3 Schooner Pet, of Chester 4 Thurso . . . Schooner Barbara, of Wick. Landed 4.

Schooner Mary Smethurst, of Wick.

Landed 4.

Wicklow . . Schooner J. H. Barron, of Lancaster . . . 4 The Brixham Life-boat saved the ketch John Rees, of Plymouth, and 4; Holyhead (Steam) Life-boat rendered assistance to S.S. Bencroy, of Liverpool; Pakefield Life-boat rendered assistance to Brigantine Alroyd, of London; Palling No. 2 Life-boat saved Schooner Lord March, of Faversham, and 7 ; and Southwold No. 2 Life-boat saved the Ketch Charles Yvonne, of Ostend, and 5.

Also voted 5061. 10s. 6d. to pay the expenses of the following Life-boat launches, etc., with the view of assisting persons on vessels in distress:—Atherfield, Ayr, Balcary, Berwick on- Tweed, Blackrock, Bridlington Quay, Caister No. 1, Cambois, Cromer, Gorleston No. 1, Grimsby, Hasborough, Holyhead (Steam), Holy Island No. 1, Kessingland No. 1, Littlehampton, Llandudno, New Brighton (Steam), Palling No. 2, Piel, Port St. Mswy, and Seaton Carew.

Voted the Gold Medal to WILLIAM OWEN, Coxswain Superintendent of the Holyhead Steam Life-boat and the Silver Medal to each of the other members of the crew and the engine-room staff for an exceptionally gallant service on the 22nd February, resulting in nine lives being saved from the S.S. Harold, of Liverpool.

Also voted the Silver Medal to JAMES ROBSON, Coxswain Superintendent of the North Sunderland Life-boat, for gallantly saving the crew of fourteen persons from the S.S. Geir, of Bergen, wrecked on the Fame Islands, on 18th February.

Also the Silver Medal to ALEXANDER AITCHISON for gallantly saving, at the risk of his own life, a comrade when their fishing boat was capsized to the northward of Berwick on- Tweed, on the 11th February.

Voted 200Z., together with an expression of sympathy, to the fund raised locally for the benefit of the widow and children of H. Storey, who lost his his in the Newquay (Cornwall) Life-boat accident, on the Cth March.

Voted 121,15s. to men for injuries sustained in the Life-boat service at Dunmore East, Hastings and North Deal.

Also 11Z. 5s. to ten men for promptly putting off in a boat and saving two men whose boat was capsized about four miles to the N. of Berwick-on-Tweed in heavy weather on the 11th February.

Also 51. to ten men for saving six persons from the S.S. Mandalay, of Hull, wrecked owing to foggy weather to the south of Robin Hood's Bay on the 14th February.

Also 21. to four men for their promptness in saving four men from a salmon yawl, which had capsized in Youghal Bay in a strong N.W. wind and rough sea on the 19th February.

Also SI. to six men for saving the fishing vessel Regalia, of Douglas, and her crew of five hands, which was disabled in a N.N.W.

gale and rough sea off Douglas on the 25th February.

Thursday, 19th March, 1908.

The Annual General Meeting of the Governors and friends of the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, was held this day at the Royal United Service Institution, Whitehall. The Rt. Hon. LORD BALFOUR OF BURLEIGH, K.T., P.O., in the Chair.

The Chairman having made some suitable observations on the great and national character of the operations of the Institution, the Annual Report (which will be found in the May number of The Life-boat Journal was presented to the meeting.

The meeting was also addressed by Admiral A. J. CHATFIMD, C.B.; the Rt. Hon. Lord ELLENBOROUGH ; Sir JOHN CAMERON LAMB, C.B., C.M.G.; Sir ROBERT U. PENROSE FITZGERALD, Bart.; Colonel JOHN E. B. SEELY, D.S.O., M.P.; Colonel FitzRoY CLAYTON, V.P., Deputy-Chairman of the Institution; and the Rt. Hon. the EARL OF HARDWICKE.

The officers for the current year were chosen and various resolutions were moved, seconded and carried unanimously, pledging the meeting to renewed exertions on behalf of the benevolent and national objects of the Institution and expressing the fullest confidence in the management.

The officers' names and the resolutions will be found in the May number of The Life-boat Journal.

Thursday, 9th April, 1908.

Sir EDWARD BIRKBECK, Bart., V.P., was unanimously elected Chairman, and Colonel FitzRoY CLAYTON, V.P., Deputy-Chairman of the Committee of Management of the Institution for the ensuing year.

Colonel CLAYTON having taken the Chair (in the absence of the Chairman through indisposition), the members of .the Sub-Committees were elected for the current year.

Also the delegates to the Central Committee of the Life-boat Saturday Fund.

Read and confirmed the minutes of the previous meeting.

Also read those of the Building, Finance and Correspondence and Wreck and Reward Sub-Committees, and ordered that their recommendations be carried into effect.

Read the reports of the Chief Inspector of Life-boats on his recent visits to The Mumbles, Newhaven and Penzance Stations.

Also the reports of the Deputy Chief Inspector of Life-boats on his visits to Grail, St.

Andrew's Bay, Broughty Ferry, Holy Island, Arbroath and Goswick Sands.

Also the reports of the District Inspectors of Life-boats on their recent visits to the following Life-boat Stations:— Northern District.—Cresswell, Arbroath, St.

Andrews, Broughty Ferry, North Sunderland, Eyemouth; and Holy Island (two boats).

Eastern District. — Filey, Sheringham, Whitby (two boats), Upgang and Brancaster.

Southern District.—Winchelsea.

Western District. — Looe, Mevagissey, Sennen Cove, Penzance, Hayle and Falmouth.

Irish District.—St. Anne's, Peel, Port Erin, Ramsey, Castletown, Port St. Mary, Douglas and Tramore.

Reported the receipt of the following special contributions since the last meeting :— Friendly Brothers of St. Patrick £ s. d.

(London Knot), per Mr. E. NASH (additional) 10 10 - Readers of "The Christian," per Messrs. MORGAN and SCOTT (additional) 31- Collected at Sunday service on board S.S. Putiala, per Mr. L.M. NELSON, Chief Officer . . . 2 - - | Suffolk Volunteer Brigade, per the i Rev. J. GARFORTH, Chaplain . 1 18 - I Linden Grove Sunday School, Peckham, per Mr. RUPERT BEAR 1 10 3 —To be severally thanked.

Also the receipt of the following legacies:— The late Mrs. LEWIS-HILL, of £ s. d.

Grosvenor Square, London, for endowment of Newbiggin and Skegness Life-boats (balance) . 1,786 1 11 The late Mr. SEPTIMUS S. KERSWELL, of Plymouth (additional). 952 - 1 The late Mr. WILLIAM BBINDLE, of St. Anne's-on-Sea 500 - - Thelate Madame STEPHANIE ROPER of Hampstead (on account) . . 225 - - The late Mr. WILLIAM McCuNN, of Largs, Scotland, for the maintenance of the Thomas McCunn Life-boat at Port Logan (on account) 100 - - Ditto, for the benefit of widows and other dependent relatives of men who have lost their lives in connection with the Life-boat service in Scotland (on account) . . . 50 - - The late Mr. SAMUEL LEWIS, of Cork Street, W. (additional) . 150 - - The late Mr. EDWIN ADAMS, of Laudport, Portsmouth . . . 100 - - The late Mrs. ANN HAYS, of £ s. d.

Bournemouth 79 17 8 The late Mr. GEOBGE WHITELAW, of Glasgow 20 7 4 Voted the best thanks of the Committee of Management to Mr. .AENEAS M. MACKENZIE, Mr. HEEBEBT E. COOKE, Mr. J. M. JOHNSON and the Rev. J. ASHTON, in recognition of their past valuable services as Honorary Secretaries, respectively, of the Stornoway, Fowey and Polkerris, Dundalk and Blackrock and Courtown Branches of the Institution, which offices they had just resigned.

Paid 4,195Z for sundry charges in connection with various Life-boat establishments.

Voted 265Z. 6s. to pay the expenses of the following Life-boat services :— Lives Life-boat. Vessel. saved.

Blakeney . . Sloop Pioneer, of Lunn.

Landed 2.

Eyemouth . . Schooner Terrier, of Dartmouth. Stood by vessel.

Formby . . S.S.Carlstm, of Glasgow.

Stood by vessel.

Littlehaven . Ketch Pioneer, of Milford 2 Newbiggin . Three cobles, of Newbiggin.

Stood by cobles.

New Brighton Schooner James O'Neil, (Steam) of Kinsale. Stood by vessel.

Pwllheli . . Ketch Syren, of Beaumaris.

Stood by vessel and landed 2.

St. Ives . . Schooner Charks Francis, of Scilly . . . 3 Whitby No. 1 . Fif teen cobles of Whitby.

Remained in attendance.

Wicklow . . Schooner Aeron Belle, of Aberystwith. Saved vessel a n d . . . . 4 Afterwards landed 7 at Arklow.

Yarmouth . . Schooner Henny, of Brake. Stood by vessel.

Kessingland No. 1 Life-boat assisted to save the smack Flora Bell, of Lowestoft, and 5.

Margate No. 2 Life-boat saved the barge Teaser, of Rochester, and 3; and Padstow No. 2 Life-boat and tug assisted ;to save the S.S. FjordJieim, of Christiania, arid 22.

Also voted 297Z. 16s. 8d. to pay the expenses of the following Life-boat launches, etc., with the view of assisting persons on vessels in distress :—Berwick-on-Tweed, Caister No. 1, Cambois, Clacton-on-Sea, Drogheda, Dunbar, Formby, Gorleston No. 3 (Steam), Ilfracombe, Newquay (Cornwall), Padstow No. 2, Pakefield, Poolbeg, Southend-on-Sea, Southsea, Southwold No. 1, Teignmouth, Walmer and Winterton No. 2.

Voted 61. to a Life-boatman at Yarmouth for illness contracted in the Life-boat service.

Thursday, 14th May, 1908.

Colonel FITZROY CLAYTON, V.P., in the Chair.

Read and confirmed the minutes of the previous meeting.

Also those of the Building, Finance and Correspondence and Wreck and Reward Sub- Committees and ordered that their recommendations be carried into effect.

Reported that His Royal Highness the PRINCE OF WALES, as President of the Institution, presented the Institution's Gold Medal to WILLIAM OWEN, Coxswain Superintendent of the Holyhead Steam Life-boat, awarded by the Committee of Management on the 12th March, 1908. The ceremony took place at Marlborough House on the 4th May, there being present Colonel FitzRoY CLAYTON (Deputy Chairman of the Life-boat Institution), Mr. CHARLES DIBDIN (Secretary) and Commander ST. VINCENT NEPEAN, M.V.O., R.N., Chief Inspector of Life-boats.

The Medal was awarded to OWEN in recognition of his gallant conduct and very skilful seamanship on the 22nd February, when the Holyhead (Steam) Life-boat saved nine lives from the S.S. Harold, of Liverpool, in a westerly hurricane and exceptionally rough sea.

Read the reports of the District Inspectors of Life-boats on their recent visits to the following Life-boat stations:— Northern District.—Nairn, Buckie, Lossiemouth, Banff and Macduff, Alnmouth, Troon, Ballaritrae, Ardrossan, Irvine, Girvan, Ayr, Thurso, Stromness, Huna, Longhope, Ackergill, Wick, Balcary, Kirkcudbright, Whithorn, Port Logan and Port Patrick.

Eastern District. — Wells, Hunstanton, Blakeney, Seaham, Whitburn, Sunderland (three boats), Hartlepool (three boats), Saltburn, Redcar, Seaton Carew and Seaton Snook.

Western District.—St. Ives.

Irish District.—Wexford, Kilmore, Rosslare Harbour, Cahore, Arklow, Courtown, Hilbre Island, Hoylake, Formby, New Brighton (two boats), Piel (Barrow), Lytham, Southport, Clogher Head, Drogheda and Howth.

Reported the receipt of the following special contributions since the last meeting :— "In memoriam K. M. E. CAMP- £ s. d.

BELL," to assist in maintaining the Campbeltown and Southend (Cantyre) Stations 100 - - Mr. and Mrs. JAMES HUTCHINSON (additional) 25 - - Collected on board H.M.S. Britannia (per the Rev. G. H. HEWETSON, R.N., Chaplain). . 4 10 1 —To be severally thanked.

Also the receipt of the following legacies:— The late Mrs. ELIZABETH STOKER, £ s. d.

of Lowdham, Notts . . . 1,015 4 8 The late Captain CHARLES CARTES, £ s. d.

of Bedale 500 - - The late Mrs. MARGABET JOHNSTON, of Bangor, co. Down . . 463 10 - The late Mrs. MARIA STAGG, of Mortlake 450 - - The late Mrs. MARY PARHINTER, of Williton, Somerset (per Ilfracombe Branch) 110 5 11 The late Mrs. SARAH HIND, of Birkdale, Lancaster . . . . 20 - - The late Mr. STEPHEN KNIGHT, of Newbury 10 - - Bead letter from Commander CHARLES E. F. CUNNINGHAMS GRAHAM, M.V.O., R.N., Deputy Chief Inspector of Life-boats, giving notice of his resignation of that post. He had been in the service of the Institution for 22 years.

Resolved unanimously that the resignation of Commander CUNNINGHAME GRAHAM be accepted with great regret.

Also that Commander THOMAS HOLMES, R.N., Inspector of the Eastern District, be appointed Deputy Chief Inspector of Lifeboats on and from the 1st August next.

Voted the best thanks of the Committee to Mr. JOHN RAMSAY and Mr. H. A. GLIDDON in recognition of their valuable services respectively as Honorary Secretaries of the Musselburgh and Weston-super-Mare branches of the Institution, which offices they had now resigned.

Paid 2,089Z. for sundry charges in connection with various Life-boat establishments.

Voted 821. 14s. to pay the expenses of the following Life-boat services:— Lives Lifo-boat. Vessel. saved.

Dungeness No.2 Smack Alice, of Rye.

Stood by vessel.

Gourdon . . Fishing boats of Gourdon.

Remained in attendance.

Hartlepool No.2 Harwich .

(Steam) Johnshaven .

Staithes Sunderland (South outlet) S.S. Dresden, of Hartlepool.

Landed Schooner Notre Dame de Toutes Aides, of Nantes Fishing boats of Gourdon.

Remained in attendance.

Two fishing cobles of Staithes. Assisted cobles.

Two cobles of Sunderland.

Remained in attendance.

Life-boat.

Whitby No. 1 , Vessel.

Fishing cobles Lives saved.

Whitby.

cobles.

of Attended The Hastings Life-boat saved the barge Amy, of London, and her crew of three hands.

Also voted 270Z. Is. lid. to pay the expenses of the following Life-boat launches, assemblies of crews, etc., with the view of assisting persons on vessels in distress:—Atherfield, Blyth, Broadstairs, Eastbourne No. 2, Gorleston No. 1, Hope Cove, Holyhead (Steam), Margate No. 1, Pakefield, Palling No. 2, Poole, Southend (Cantyre), Southwold No. 1., Totland Bay, Winterton No. 2, and Yealm River.

The Ramsgate Life-boat was also out on service, but rendered no service.

Voted 31. 10s. to a Life-boatman for illness contracted on Life-boat service at Holyhead.

Voted 111. as an additional grant to the crew and engine-room staff of the Harwich Steam Life-boat for saving the crew of the schooner Notre Dame de Toutes Aides on the 7th April.

Also granted 4Z. and SI. 10s. to nine men and seven men at Hornsea and Withernsea respectively for putting off in cobles for the purpose of assisting the crew of a vessel supposed to be in distress off Aldeburgh, in calm but foggy weather on the 2nd May.

Also 6s. to three men who assisted in launching one of the boats.

Also 11. to four men for putting off in a boat from Ardrossan, and saving a man named A. Muir from Horse Island, on the 2nd April.

In this case Muir had gone with two other men to their lobster pots when a heavy sea swamped the boat and washed out one of the men. Muir at once dived after him and conveyed him to a rock. In the meantime the boat foundered, Muir thereupon proceeded to search for the other man but without avail.

He then returned to the rock only to find that the man whom he had originally rescued had been washed away and drowned. He then made for Horse Island and made signals, and in response the four men went off and saved him. The Committee granted Muir 31. in recognition of his gallant attempts to save his companions.

Granted 4Z. to four men for saving five men whose boat capsized and sunk, in a strong southerly breeze and rough heavy sea in Portland Firth on the 16th March.

The salvors were fishing in a similar sized boat and incurred considerable risk.

NOTICE.

The next number of the LIFE-BOAT JOURNAL will be published on the 2nd November, 1908.