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1865, exclusively by its lifeboats, bears ample testi and success with which these services have been

Again: 182 lives have been saved in the sai boats and other means,- -a result due, in a lar couragement the institution gives to their cr utmost efforts to save human life.

This large number of 714 lives is entirely

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Lugger Peep o' Day, of Wexford
Barque Maria Soames, of London
Schooner Speed, of Wexford .
Smack Agnes and Mary, of Glas-
gow
Sloop Catherine, of Liverpool-
saved vessel and crew
Schooner Johnson, of Exeter
Brigantine Light of the Harem,
of Whitstable-saved vessel a

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WHO National t fleet of life

the hour of their deep

at the lifeboats of the

s, been manned on occasions t 26,550 persons, and that out st their lives.

by the institution of the cases in - have been voted. It appears that ials, 27 votes of thanks inscribed on 790 have been granted for saving the ais, shore and fishing-boats, and other banks of the United Kingdom.

Jat our boatmen and fishermen, all over ar exertions in saving life from shipwreck ewarded by the National Lifeboat Instisk and exposure incurred in the perilous spirit of emulation and activity is fostered s of the British Isles, productive of the best

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work the committee have continued to receive the Co-operation of their active colleague, Commodore Controller-General; also of Capt. J. W. Tarleton, ty-Controller-General, and of the officers and men rvice, to whom the best thanks of the institution

mation of the society it has expended on lifeboat esta136881, and has voted 82 gold and 759 silver medals for pecuniary rewards to the amount of £22,140.

operation of local branch committees, which consant a portion of the machinery for the supervision

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st the many gratifying donations to the institution since the ort, occur the following, the receipt of which the committee Fully acknowledge:

iiss Mary Ann Sanford, per Henry Wittey, Esq., Colchester, £500; oseph Pease, Esq., Darlington, £100; Lady Maxwell's Contribution Box in the hall of her house, 3rd donation, £2 15s.; the Quiver Magazine Lifeboat Fund, per Messrs. Petter and Galpin and the Rev. Teignmouth Shore (on account), £800; X. Y. Z., £100; Offertory at St. James's Church, Ratcliffe, including 240 farthings, the savings of a Sailor's Widow, per Rev. J. Malcolmson, £1 1s.; Lady Martin, in memory of her brother, the late Admiral Sir H. Byam Martin, K.C.B., £100; collected by Master Henry Hall, of Clevedon, and one or two. of his schoolfellows, 8s.; a Sailor's Daughter, per Messrs. Drummonds, 3rd donation, £100; F. Blockey, Esq., for finding the body of a

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1865, exclusively by its lifeboats, bears ample testimony to the activity and success with which these services have been performed.

Again: 182 lives have been saved in the same period by fishingboats and other means,-a result due, in a large measure, to the encouragement the institution gives to their crews to put forth their utmost efforts to save human life.

This large number of 714 lives is entirely independent of the 180

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Lugger Peep o' Day, of Wexford 6
Barque Maria Soames, of London 19
Schooner Speed, of Wexford

saved vessel and crew

crew

saved vessel and crew

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Brig Zeeploeg, of Hoogez

Brig Kathleen, of Hartlepoolsaved vessel and crew

Schooner Patrios, of Barth

Sloop Robert Hood, of Newcastle

on-Tyne

French brig Providence, of Granville

Schooner Earl Zetland, of Al

mwch-saved vessel and crew Schooner Emma, of Barrow Brig Reaper, of Scarborough Schooner Franklin, of Belfast Longships Lighthouse keeper

Brig Lucy, of Sunderland

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Smack Dieu Protégé Alexandre et Leon, of Dieppe

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Total lives saved in 1865 by life

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During the same period the institution has granted rewards for saving lives by fishing and other boats

182

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lives saved by the rocket apparatus, which is worked by the coastguard, and provided by the Board of Trade, who continue to co-operate heartily and zealously with the National Lifeboat Institution.

Altogether nearly 4000 lives were saved last year from various shipwrecks in the seas and on the coasts of the British Isles by lifeboats, the rocket apparatus, and various other appliances-such as steamers, ships' boats, fishing and shore boats, &c.

The institution expresses deep sorrow at the calamitous loss of life from the foundering of the iron steamship London, in the Bay of Biscay, during a fearful storm on the 11th of January last. Like the wreck of the Royal Charter, in November 1859, when no less than 455 of her crew and passengers perished-the destruction of the ship London, with the loss of the brave Capt. Martin and the 220 people under his charge-has caused woe and lamentation in many a home in these lands.

"On the other hand," as the Times so eloquently remarked at the time, "there is one consolatory reflection, and one only, suggested by the sad records of the frightful disaster of the steamship London. If we are tempted to feel that man, with all his boasted triumphs over the forces of nature, is still but the sport of the elements when they put forth their full strength against him, we may find comfort in dwelling on the courage which, inspired by a sense of duty, raises even men of ordinary mould to the moral level of heroes and martyrs. Could a history be written of all the services rendered by the lifeboats of the National Lifeboat Institution, it would contain more golden deeds than Plutarch and his successors ever culled from the annals of war."

The total number of lives saved during the forty-two years from the establishment of the institution in 1824 to the end of the year 1865, either by its lifeboats, or by special exertions for which it has granted rewards, is as follows:

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Number of lives rescued by lifeboats, in addition to

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Let any one think of the large number of human beings thus rescued, in numerous instances, from the very jaws of death, as in the service so nobly and perseveringly performed by the St. Ives lifeboat before referred to; and let him think, on the other hand, of the fearful calamities that have overtaken the unhappy crews and passengers of the ships London, Royal Charter, and others, and he will then have some conception of the gratitude which British and foreign sailors, who are constantly exposed to such calamities, express to the National Lifeboat Institution and its supporters, for the magnificent fleet of lifeboats provided on our shores for their succour in the hour of their deep distress. And here it may be mentioned that the lifeboats of the institution have, during the past four years, been manned on occasions of service and quarterly practice by about 26,550 persons, and that out of that large number only six have lost their lives.

An interesting summary is given by the institution of the cases in which honorary and other rewards have been voted. It appears that during the past year, 9 silver medals, 27 votes of thanks inscribed on vellum and parchment, and £1,790 have been granted for saving the lives of 714 persons by lifeboats, shore and fishing-boats, and other means, on the coasts and outlying banks of the United Kingdom.

It is satisfactory to know that our boatmen and fishermen, all over the coast, know now that their exertions in saving life from shipwreck are promptly and liberally rewarded by the National Lifeboat Institution, in proportion to the risk and exposure incurred in the perilous service; and in this way a spirit of emulation and activity is fostered and encouraged on the coasts of the British Isles, productive of the best results to the shipwrecked sailor.

In this important work the committee have continued to receive the prompt and cordial co-operation of their active colleague, Commodore A. P. Ryder, R.N., Controller-General; also of Capt. J. W. Tarleton, R.N., C.B., Deputy-Controller-General, and of the officers and men of the coastguard service, to whom the best thanks of the institution are hereby tendered.

Since the formation of the society it has expended on lifeboat establishments £136,881, and has voted 82 gold and 759 silver medals for saving life, and pecuniary rewards to the amount of £22,140.

The cordial co-operation of local branch committees, which constitute so important a portion of the machinery for the supervision

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