AT the ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING of the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, held at the Royal United Service Institution, Whitehall, on Tuesday, the 23rd day of March, The Eight Honourable Lord George F. Hamilton, G.C.S.I., in the Chair, the following Report of the Committee of Management was submitted and adopted:— ANNUAL REPORT.

1909.

THE Committee of Management have used every effort during the past year to maintain and as far as possible increase the efficiency of the Institution's service and they are glad to feel that their work has not been in. vain.

They have however to record-with a deep sense of their importance the following changes, which occurred in the administration of the Institution.

In September last they were deprived by death of the very valuable services of Sir Edward Birkbeck,Bart.,K.C.V.O., who for the long period of twenty-five years had been their indefatigable and able Chairman. He had devoted the best part of his life to the interests of the Institution, and through his long and fatal illness, which he struggled against with the utmost fortitude, he kept in touch with the Institution, and the last Meeting of the Committee he ever attended as Chairman was that of the 20th February, 1908. It is difficult to estimate the loss •which the Institution, has sustained through his death. He had been a Vice-President since 1866, and a Trustee since 1880 ; and for more than forty years he had taken a leading part in promoting the aims of the Institution, and defending its interests.

It is not too much to say that the high place which the Institution holds in the estimation of the Public is very largely due to his constant, unselfish and devoted attention to its affairs.

Sir Edward Birkbeck was succeeded in the chair by Colonel FitzRoy Clayton, who joined the Committee of Manage- ment iu 1863, and is their senior member.

Colonel Clayton had been the Deputy Chairman since 1883, and was appointed a Trustee in 1886. He was also Chair- man of the Preparatory Committees from 1895 until 1908. He has been succeeded as Deputy Chairman by the Earl of Hardwicke, an old friend of the Institution and Chairman of the Life-boat Saturday Fund; and as Chairman of the Preparatory Committees by Sir John Cameron Lamb, C.B., C.M.G. The vacant Trusteeship has been filled by the appointment of the Hon. W. F. D.

Smith, M.P.

Life-boats.—Further success has been obtained in the experiments with Motor Life-boats and four additional Life-boats will be sent to the coast very shortly.

Five new pulling and sailing Life-boats were completed and placed where they were most needed. They took the places of boats which were worn out or had become obsolete. The steam Life-boat which had been stationed at Gorleston for nearly eight years was in December last transferred to Angle (Milford Haven), where the services of such a Life-boat were much needed. A reserve pulling Life-boat was also sent to Penzance for service there, whilst the station boat is being tried at Newlyn, where in the opinion of the Committee of Management she will be more usefully placed.

The station at Mullion (Cornwall) has been closed, the altered conditions of the immediate locality not rendering its retention longer necessary. Wherever desirable the boats have been thoroughly overhauled, repaired and renovated.

The following is a complete list of the new boats despatched to the coast during the year. In each case the coxswains and crews were fully consulted as to the class and type of boat in which they most confided.

Blakeney .... Norfolk.

Buckie Banfishire.

St. Anne's No. 1 . . Lancashire.

Seaton Carew . . . Durham.

Whitby No. 1 . . . Yorkshire.

At the close of 1908 the entire fleet of the Institution comprised 272 sailing and pulling Life-boats, 4 motor Life- boats, 4 steam Life-boats and 1 steam-tug.

Transporting Carriages.—New trans- porting carriages were built and sup- plied during the year.

Inspection of Life-boats.—Each station of the Institution was carefully in- spected, a report of every inspection being submitted to and considered by the Committee of Management.

Shipwrecks.— Although the storms | and gales of the past year provided plenty of work for the Life-boats and their gallant crews, the year taken as a whole was not a remarkably boisterous one. It is with great regret however that the Committee have to report that whilst the Newquay (Cornwall) Life- boat was out for exercise, in bad weather, on the 6th March, she was suddenly capsized in a terrific sea, the crew as well as the District Inspector, who was on board being thrown out.

All fortunately regained the boat, which promptly righted herself, excepting one poor fellow who although brought to land died of shock. The Institution at once contributed 200Z. for the dependent relatives of the deceased man and also paid the funeral expenses.

The heaviest gales of 1908 occurred on the 6th-8th March, when 19 Life- boats were launched, 62 lives being saved and 5 vessels; and on the 31st August-lst September, when there were 21 launches of Life-boats, 7 lives j being saved and 1 vessel.

Between the 1st January and the 31st December, inclusive, the Life-boats were launched 421 times on service, and 1080 times for exercise, besides which the crews were assembled in readiness for service on 59 occasions when fortunately it proved their aid was not needed.

The number of lives, for the saving of which by Life-boats the Institution granted rewards in 1908, was 486, in addition to which it granted rewards for the saving of 152 lives by shore- boats and other means, making together a grand total of 638 lives saved. The Life-boats were instrumental in saving 42 vessels and boats.

The following table furnishes the details of the services during month of the January .

February .

March .

April .

May June .

July . . .

August September October November December.

Total. .

year : — Number of Lifeboat Launches.

51 37 38 27 5 16 13 30 41 39 34 90 421 The total of lives Lives Saved by Lifeboats.

69 39 83 12 5 23 12 25 31 33 154 486 V 1 and Boats Saved ' 5 4 7 1 2 1 3 4 4 5 6 42 each Lives Saved hv uy Shore-boats, Total IS'o.

Year. Life-boats. etc. of Lives.

1853 97 581 678 1854 132 223 355 1855 75 331 406 1856 129 344 473 1857 132 242 374 1858 110 317 427 1859 227 272 499 1860 210 245 455 1861 288 136 424 1862 358 216 574 1863 417 297 714 1864 432 266 698 1865 532 182 714 6 1866 426 495 921 6 ! 1867 783 303 1,086 17 1868 603 259 862 _ l 1869 871 360 1,231 6 1870 513 271 784 3 1871 658 224 882 8 1872 569 170 739 6 i 1873 471 197 668 13 i 1874 543 170 713 11 1875 726 195 921 6S ' 1876 515 85 600 8 1877 848 200 1,048 152 for the saving of which the Committee of Management have granted tion of the March, 1824, rewards since the founda- Institution on the 4th has been 47,983.

1878 471 145 616 1879 637 218 855 1880 577 120 697 1881 966 155 1,121 1882 741 143 884 1883 725 230 955 1884 633 159 792 1885 371 184 555 1886 601 160 761 1887 368 204 572 Shore-Uoats, Total Xo. 88 626 174 800 Year. Life-boats. etc. of Lives. 1889 420 207 627 1824 1825 1826 1827 1828 1829 1830 1881 1832 1833 1834 1835 1836 1837 1838 1839 1840 1841 1842 1844 1845 1846 1847 1848 1849 1850 1851 1852 _ — 124 1890 555 218 773 _ _ 218 1891 568 168 736 _ _ 175 1892 8S6 220 1,056 — — .

— — — — — — — — — — — — 163 301 463 372 287 310 449 214 364 •225 272 456 279 353 128 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 — — 276 , 1908 486 152 638 noc — — — — — __ — — — £i*j j 193 noc ZOO 134 157 123 209 470 230 773 Q1 QQ OJ.Ut' jfoTE. — Prior to 1853 the lives saved by Life-boats, Shore-boats, etc., were not separately recorded.

Total 28,225 11,569 47,983 Rewards. — The rewards granted by the Institution in 1908 for the saving of life from shipwreck on the coasts of the United Kingdom, or for meritorious efforts to save life and in recognition of other good services rendered, included 1 Gold Medal, 14 Silver Medals, 2 Decorations, 10 Binocular Glasses, 9 Aneroid Barometers, 35 Votes of Thanks inscribed on vellum and framed, 10 Certificates of Service framed, and 11,068Z. 9s. 9d. in money payments, including pensions, retiring allowances, gratuities and compensation for per- sonal injuries or loss sustained in the service. The Gold Medal awarded to Mr. William Owen, Coxswain of the Holyhead Steam Life-boat, was pre- sented to him at Marlborough House on the 4th May, 1908, by His Royal Highness the PRINCE OF WALES, President of the Institution.

At the close of 1908 the Institution had granted altogether in rewards since 4th March, 1824, when it was founded, 101 Gold Medals and Clasps, 1,261 Silver Medals and Clasps, 68 Decora- tions, 397 Binocular Glasses, 15 Tele- scopes, 86 Aneroid Barometers, 1,893 Votes of Thanks inscribed on vellum and framed, 206 Certificates of Service framed, and 286,162J. in money.

Aneroids,—During the year 72 ap- plications were received for the very reliable Aneroid Barometers issued by the Institution, at a greatly reduced price, to masters and owners of fishing boats and small coasters. Of these 59 were disposed of to fishermen and 13 to coasters. The total number of Aneroids thus issued by the Committee since 1882 has been 5,039.

Local Committees.—The most cordial thanks of the Committee of Manage- ment are due to the Institution's Local Committees, and to one and all of their honorary secretaries, treasurers and workers. The Committee fully realize that without such valuable and much appreciated help it would be difficult indeed to efficiently maintain the service.

Life-boat Saturday.—This valuable auxiliary of the Institution, notwith- standing the difficulties with which it has been confronted during the past year due to the serious depression of trade has worked well, and the Cen- tral Committee, as well as all the other committees and Ladies' Auxiliaries are to be heartily congratulated on the ex- cellent results obtained by their zealous and enthusiastic efforts, which are worthy of the very grateful acknow- ledgment of the Committee of Manage- ment.

Public Authorities.—The Committee would avail themselves of this opportunity to express again their high appreciation of the aid which they continue to receive from the various Light-house and Light-vessel authorities, including the Elder Brethren of the Trinity House, the Commissioners of the Northern and Irish Lights, as well as from other public bodies. Their thanks are also due to the Postal officials for the important assistance which they so constantly give the Institution in connection with the electrical communications established on the coasts for life-saving purposes, such communications having proved of the utmost importance in the direction of securing promptness in rendering aid to distressed vessels.

Coastguard.—The Committee cannot speak in too high terms of the importance of the help given to the Institution by this useful Service, and they would again urge on the Government as well as on the Public their unshaken opinion that it will be a very serious day for the Institution, and indeed for any organisation which now exists for the purpose of life-saving on or near the coasts of the United Kingdom, should it be decided to abolish or further reduce H.M. Coastguard.

Public Press.—The powerful and much- needed advocacy of the public Press has continued to be generously used throughout the country in the interests of the Institution and is gratefully and thankfully acknowledged.Inventions. — Suggestions and inventions have as usual constantly been brought under the notice of the Committee during the past year, who have carefully considered and examined all of them, their object being to find and avail themselves of anything which might perchance increase the efficiency of the Service.

Finances.—The amount received by the Committee of Management in 1908 in annual subscriptions, donations, dividends, etc., and inclusive of the hand- some sum of 18,251Z. 11s. received from the Life-boat Saturday Fund, was 73,388Z. 16s. Id., a decrease of 1,779Z. 13s. 2d. as compared with the corresponding total for the previous year. In addition, 39,314Z. 8s. 9d.

was received in legacies, of which 12,634Z. 3s. 5d. was for special trusts or specified purposes. 2,600L were also received in gifts specially earmarked.

Were it not for the valuable help received by the Institution in legacies its great work could not be carried on efficiently, inasmuch as the moneys received from the other sources of revenue are inadequate for the purpose.

The total expenditure in 1908 was 90,335Z. 8s. 3d. This amount included 36,085Z. 9s. 4d. for building, equipping and repairing Life-boats, Life-boat trans- porting carriages, Life-boat houses and slipways and for experiments with motor Life-boats; 16.126Z. 10s. 3d for subsidies for non-self-supporting stations, branch outlays, aneroids for fishermen and coasters, life-belts and other stores and the store-yard; I 31,122Z. 15s. for payments to coxswains, ' bowmen and signalmen, 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, and for injuries, for pensions, and other retiring allowances to coxswains, bowmen and signalmen; for medals and vellums; also 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 be- quests and leases. Each item of receipt and expenditure has 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 very earnestly for increased support and more especially for that of a permanent character, such as annual subscriptions. The Institution, as has been so frequently pointed out in former years, is supported and maintained entirely by voluntary contributions, and unless these continue to be received from the British Public on a large and generous scale it will be- come impossible to carry on this great national life-saving service efficiently | and effectively.

P.S.—Although the foregoing Report relates to the year 1908, the Committee of Management feel that they cannot present it to the Subscribers and Contributors to the Institution without placing on record, their sorrow at the death of their Deputy-Chairman, Lord Hardwicke, and their deep sense of the loss which the Institution has sustained. His Lordship was constant in his attendance at the Meetings of the Committee and Sub-Committees until and including Tuesday, the Qth March, 1909, when he appeared to be in good health and spirits and took an active part in all that was done. On the evening of that day he was seized with illness; on Thursday, the llth, he seemed to be somewhat better; but pneumonia supervened and he passed away early on Saturday, the 18th, to the great grief of all who had been associated with him.