THE Institution was founded on 4th March, 1824, " at a Public Meeting of Noblemen, Gentlemen, Merchants, and others, held at the City of London Tavern, His Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury in the Chair." Such is the brief record in the archives of the Institution, followed by a list of twenty resolutions, with the names of their proposers and seconders, all of which were unanimously carried. The first and principal of these resolutions, the reso- lution which called the Institution into being, was proposed by the Archbishop of Canterbury (Dr. Manners Sutton).

The report which appeared in The Times newspaper of the following day was almost as brief. It runs as follows :— " SHIPWRECKED SEAMEN. — A public meeting was yesterday held at the City of London Tavern, for the purpose of forming a National Institu- tion, to be supported by voluntary donations and subscriptions, for the preservation of life in cases of shipwreck on the coasts of the United Kingdom, and for affording assistance to persons rescued, and for conferring rewards on those who preserve their fellow-creatures from destruction ; and also for granting relief to the destitute families of any who might unfortunately perish in attempting to save the lives of others.

His Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury took the Chair, and explained the objects of the meeting, at the same time an- nouncing that His Majesty had been pleased to become the Patron of the proposed institution. Several resolu- tions were then moved and agreed to, and the management of the affairs of the Institution committed to the care of a Committee of forty gentlemen, with a Treasurer, Secretary, and assistants.

The Bishop of London, the Bishop of Chester, Mr. Wilberforce, Mr. Manning, and Captain Manby, in moving some of the resolutions, warmly eulogized the objects of the Institution. Subscriptions to a considerable amount were an- nounced as already received, and further sums were subscribed at the table. The meeting was but thinly attended, which was attributed to the shortness of the notice given for holding it, as well as to the active canvass going on for the East India Direction." In this way the Institution was launched.

In holding the Centenary Meeting we tried, so far as was possible, to recon- struct that original meeting. It was held on 4th March, and it was held in the City of London ; but this time in the Mansion House, a change fitly marking the place which, long before the end of its century was reached, the Institution had taken among the permanent organi- zations of our national life.

The Lord Mayor presided, and once again the principal resolution was moved by the Archbishop of Canterbury (Dr. Randall Davidson). We were also very fortunate in having with us on this great occasion the descendants—or present holders of the same office—of several of those whose honour it is that they took part in the founding of the Life-boat Service 100 years ago. Not only was the successor in office of Dr.

Manners-Sutton present, but the Vis- count Canterbury, the head of the family of Manners-Sutton. The Mar- quess Camden, the Earl Spencer, and the Lord Suffield represented original Vice-Presidents. Captain Sir Herbert Acton Blake, 'K.C.M.G., K.C.V.O., Deputy Master 'of the Trinity House, and Mr. Ernest E. Adams, the Chairman of Lloyd's, were present, both as members of the Committee of Management and as representatives of original Vice- Prcsidents, and the Bishop of London, Major A. G. R. Foulerton, and Lieu- tenant Barclay Foulerton, R.N., as representatives of movers of resolutions at the meeting in 1824.

Among other descendants of original •Vice-Presidents, who were unable to be present, but sent their good wishes, were the Archbishop of York, the Earl of Craven, the Lord Braybrooke, the Bishop of Bristol, and the Bishop of Durham ; and among the descendants of movers of resolutions who also wrote.

but could not be present, were the Bishop of Chester, Sir Alan Reeve Manby, K.C.V.O., who is of the same family as Captain Manby, who received one of the first of the Institution's Gold Medals in recognition of his invention of the Manby rocket apparatus, and Mr. H. W. Wilberforce, the Metropolitan Police Magistrate and the great-great- grandson of William Wilberforce, M.P., the emancipator of the slaves, who moved the second resolution at the original meeting.

The Institution's founder, Colonel Sir William Hillary, Bt., was represented by a descendant of his daughter, Mr. S. A. R.

Preston-Hillary, and Captain Free- mantle, R.N., who received the first Gold Medal of the Institution for gallantry in saving life, by his nephew, Admiral the Hon. Sir Edmund Fremantle, G.C.B.

The presence of these descendants marked in a striking way the historical continuity of the Institution's work, and the speakers marked even more strikingly its national character and its universal appeal.

They were, in addition to the Lord Mayor and the Archbishop of Canterbury, H.R.H. the Prince of Wales, K.G., the Institution's Presi- dent ; the Right Hon. the Viscount Chelmsford, G.C.M.G., G.M.S.I., G.M.I.E., G.B.E.; the Right Hon.

Austen Chamberlain, M.P.; Admiral of the Fleet Sir Doveton Sturdee, Bt., G.C.B., K.C.M.G., C.V.O., LL.D.; the Right Hon. Sir Donald MacLean, K.B.E.; the Lord Mayor of Liverpool (Mr.

Arnold Rushton), and Sir Godfrey Baring, Bt., the Chairman of the Com- mittee of Management. Thus the Government, both the other political parties, the Navy and the civic life of Great Britain all paid their tribute to the Life-boat Service through dis- tinguished representatives.

Three members of Life-boat crews were decorated by the Prince of Wales : Coxswain John Innes, who received the Silver Medal for the service of the New- burgh (Aberdeenshire) Life-boat to the trawler Imperial Prince, on 19th Octo- ber, 1923 ; Bowman James Innes, who received the Bronze Medal for the same service, and Acting Coxswain Andrew Young, who received the Bronze Medal for a service of the Cloughey (co. Down) Life-boat to the brigantine Helgoland, of Plymouth, on 11th January last.* Petty Officer C. A. W. Essam, of H.M. De- stroyer Vampire, was also awarded the Silver Medal for the part which he took in the rescue of the crew of the Imperial Prince, but he was unable to be present to be decorated with it. As the Lord Mayor pointed out in his speech, in the two services for which the medals were presented, Englishmen, Scotsmen, and Irishmen had all taken part.

Among those present at the meeting were :— The Earl of Albemarle; the Hon. George Colville (Deputy Chairman of the Committee of Management); Colonel Lord William Cecil, C.V.O. ; Captain the Viscount Curzon, R.N.V.B., M.P. ; Rear-Admiral Sir Lionel Halsey, K.C.M.G., K.C.V.O., C.B. ; Colonel Sir Henry MacMahon, G.C.M.G., G.G.V.O., K.C.I.E., C.S.I. ; Commodore Sir Richard Williams-Bulkeley, Bt., K.C.B., R.N.R. ; Sir William Corry, Bt. ; Sir Woodburu Kirby ; Commander Sir Harry Main waring, Bt., R.N.V.R. ; Sir John G. Gumming, K.C.I.E., C.S.I.; Major Sir Maurice Cameron, K.C.M.G.; Vice-Admiral Sir H. H. Tothill; Admiral Sir Thomas H. M. Jerram, G.C.M.G., K.C.B. ; the Hydrographer of the Admiralty (Rear-Ad- miral Frederick Learmouth, C.B., C.B.E.); Engineer Rear-Admiral Charles Rudd; Ad- miral Sir Herbert King Hall; Mr. J. J.

Crosfield; Mr. H. Hargood, O.B.E., J.P. ; Commander F. F. Tower, O.B.E. ; Mr. John F.

Lamb; Captain Charles J. P. Cave; Mr.

Frederick Cavendish-Bentinck; Brigadier- General Noel M. Lake, C.B. ; Sheriff R. C.

Seunett; the Chairman of the Baltic; the Chairman of the Stock Exchange ; Mr. Thomas B. Gabriel; Captain George B. Preston ; Mr.

Herbert F. Lancashire; Colonel D. Watts- Morgan, M.P.; Major-General J. Boughey ; Mr. W. Fortescue Barratt (Hon. Secretary of the Civil Service Life-boat Fund); the Mayor and Mayoress of Deptford; the Mayor of Acton ; the Mayor of Fulham ; the Mayor of Greenwich; the Mayor of Islington; the Mayor of Stepney; the Mayor of Kensington. The following members of the London Women's Committee : Lady Baring, the Dowager Marchioness of Queensberry, the Lady Adelaide Taylour, the Lady Florence Pery, Lady White, Lady Fisher, Lady Strutters, the Hon. Mrs.

Seely, the Hon. Mrs. Merry of Belladrum, Mrs.

Auberon Kennard, Mrs. Hopkinson, Mrs.

Timothy Davies, Mrs. Austin Farleigh, Miss Silvester; representatives of the Navy League, the Mercantile Marine Association and the National Sailors' and Firemen's Union; Mr.

Rowland Berkeley (Deputy Secretary), and Captain Howard F. J. Rowley, C.B.E., R.N.

(Chief Inspector of Life-boats).

* Accounts of both these Services will be found in the Report of the Meeting..