The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-03-23 00:00:00

ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT
INSTITUTION.

On 'Euesday afternoon (19th inst.) the annual rneral
meeting of the friends arid supporters of the Royal
National Life-Boat Institution was held • at Willie's
rooms, St. James's, Londoe. In the unavoid,ibie
absence of the Duke of Nortliumberlan4, president Of
institution, its Chairman, Thomas Chapman, Esq , pre-
sidod. The meeting was influentially and numerously
ati,nded.

The Chairman said that before ceiling upon the
Secretary to read the annual report, he would make a
few general remarks. The Committee of Management
had to give an account of what hist arisen in connection
with the affairs of the society during the past year, and
he was rejoiced to be able to report to them that the
blessing which had hitherto been afforded to the inetitu-
lion had been continued, and that by the exertions of
the brave and gallant men who manned the lifeboats of
the institution, they had been instrumental in saving
during the last twelve mouths 811 lives. They were
alt aware that au enterprise like theirs could not be
obtained or carried on without great hazard of life, but
be was aapey to say that during the past year in the
efforts made by the lifeboats to save life from ehipvvreek
no accident bad happened. The lifeboat crews risked
their lives, and although there was great difficulty at
times both in launching and managing the boats,
nevertheless there had been immunity from all acci•
dents. He would have been glad to have been able to
report that there had been a diminutioa in the number
of wrecks an casualties occurring upon our coaate, but
notwithstanding the legislation whieh had recently
taken place, the efforts aad vigilance of the Trinity
Board, and the buoys, lighthouses, awe beacons whicu
that Board had placed on the various parts of the
coast, shipwrecks had not diminished. He trusted, in
addition to the warnings afforded by lighthoueee and
beecons, some progress was being male in connection
with fog signals. (Hear, hear) fhe casualties which
had occurred from the year 1875 to 1876 were no less
than $.700, and that upon our coasts only. If we
loeked to the East Coast we should tiud aa usual that
the largest number of wrecks sued casualties occureed
there, and yet the coast was to well lighted, buoyed,
and beaeoned, that an able navigator could never for 011 e
m ;merit lie in doubt as to we,ere Lie wai. Yet he re--
vatted to say that itepractiee it was tint so. His reason
for alluding to these facts was that it showed the
rif cessity for continued watchfulness and interest in the
lifeboat cause. They had now between 260 anti 270
life-boats placed upon various parts of the coast, mid
during the past year the conauaittee bad eatleavoared by
by every means in their power—through the instru-
mentality of Lloyd'a agents and of the coastguard
officers—to obtain information as tee plaace wnere
atiditional life-boats could be satiefactonly stet:ode:l.
It was not that they ware unable to piece a iite beat
waere danger existed, hecause uaueer frerieteetey exist:et
where it would be impoeeible to man a iile-eaaa, aal
taerefore it vvouid be uaeless to to. in a sta,aou ur to
endeavour to place a life.huat where it could not be
manned. They were aware that tee society was ic-
debted for all its life-boats to the kindness laid libera'ite
of individuals.

If•air some further general remarks awl reference to
the admirable manner in whica the secretary and in-
spectors of the institution performed their duties, he
cAed on Richard Lewie, ELI., barrister and seererary
of the institutioe, to real the annual report,.
Ili° report comineucel by atating taat siace the het
meeting fourteen new difci-beata had b iea placed on our
coasts, nine of toem at new etations and live to repiace
other boats, there now being 268 Life-boats aud, Lbs
etenagement of the society. During the year 1877 the
life-boats of the institution had saved no less than eiyht
7:uncirecl and forty-one persons, nearly the whole of
them under perilous circumstances, wile .1 orareary
boats could not have been employed without great riek
of life to those on board of them. le addition the life-
°oats had helped last year io rescue 35 vessels fro
destruction. For those services, and for saving 200
lives by fidiing-boats and other means, 10 silver tuedale,
17 votes of :hanks iuscribed on vellum, add £1,069 had
been granted by the institution. It was eati-factuty to
know that the exertions of the fife-boat men on 'Me
lieestrous occasions of shipwreck continued to be triosi,
gallant and persevering. The number of lives saved
during the fifty I.mr years Lom ;ha eat tbeisaulaat:of
the institution to the end of the year 1877, e. her by its
life-boats or by epecial exertions for vvii;c:i i h.at
granted rewards, was 25 426. For these derv:cos it bad
voted 92 gold and 886 silver medals besides pecuniary
rewards to the amount of £54,200. The committee
cordially acknowledged the coatinned co-operation of
the Admiral Superintendent of Naval Reserves, the
officers and men of the coastguard service, the local
branch committees, and their honorary secretaries, and
the coast boatmen and fishermen. Many very liberal
donations and legacies recived daring the past year were
gratefully acknowledged. The 'total amount of the
donations, subscriptions, and dividends received during
that period had been £42.442 ef which 5um..£10,295
were special gifts to defray the cost of thirteen life-boats.
The expenditure, including liauilities, had amounted to
£47,309. The items of receipt anl expenditure were
detailed in the financial statement annexed to the report
audited, as usual, by Mr. Lovelock, public accountant.
The committee, in conclusion, observed that while they
had the satisfaction in former years to dwell on tee
continued prospsrity of the institution, they had at no
previous period been in a position to present SO
encouraging a .report. They felt that an • iustitutioa
which had contributed to the saving of 25,428 persons
from shipwreck would never appeal in vain for support
and sympathy, and they prayed to Almighty God that
its successful warfare with the elements working
through its gallant crews and life-boats might, as each
year rolled round, be more and more marked with sue•
OeSS.

Admiral Sir Richard Collinson, K.C.8., moved the
adoption of the report, and in doing so bore testimony
to the thoroughly efficient state in which he had found
the life-boats of the institution on the occssiJa of his
official visits to the lighthouses on the coast.
L. Antrobus, Esq., seconded the motion, which
was adopted unanimously.
The following resolution was then proposed by
Admiral Sir WiAlter Tarleton, K.C.8., seconded by
Edward Birbeck, Esq., and carried unanimously :
" That this meeting regards with peculiar satisfaction
the continued prosperity which marks the.career of the
National Life-boat Institution, whose benign work is
now in full operation on the whole coasts of the United
Kingdint. It there:ore engages Rfre%h—in view of
these encouraging results—to use every effort to sustain
and perpetuate the original great and national object
of the institution—the preservation of life irom ship-
wreck."

Sir Walter Tarleton called attention to the fact that
the great life-saving fleet of. the institution needed con.
stant watchful !ems on the part of the Coudmittel of
Management, and he' was glad to be in a posilion to
gate that the watchfulnesa was most efficiently rendered.
'('he expenditure neceT,sitated by the maintenance of the
fl,et which amounted to £30,000 or £40,000
year, could not be met except by the liberal contribu-
tioni of the pnbiic, which he felt certain would be forth-
comie., in aid of so noble an object.
Admiral Philli:nore, Admiral Superiatenidet of Naval
Reserves, then moved and the Hon. Agar-Robartes
seconded :

-•filat this meeting views with great satisfaction the
continued; brava and ever active exertions of the cox-
swains and crews of the life-boatF, through whose per-
severing and skilful services 811 live 3 were saved
from r:rions shipwrecks during the storms of lust
winter." •

Admir.,l Phillimoro bore testimony to the gallantry of
the life-hlat men, which he thought deserved every
encouragement from the British pu)tic.
A. cordial vote of thanks was afterwards passed to the
clmmitke and officers of the parent and branch institu-
tion.; for their able adminiAtration of its extensive
affairs, It being proposed by James Glaisher, Esq.,
F.R.S., and seconded by Charles Dibdin, Esq.,
F.R.G.S

A. most hearty vote pf thanks was then passed to the
Chairman, Mr. Chapman, who fir a quarter of a century
had rendered most valuable assistance in the manage-
ment of the institution. The motion was put to the
meeting by George Lyall, Esq., and seconded by Sir
Edward Perrott, Bart. Mr. Chapman having briefly
acknowledged the compliment, the proceedings ter-
minated.