The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-04-13 00:00:00

ANCIENT JEWELRY.

The Lords of the Committee of Council on Education
having determined that an exhibition of ancient and
modern jewelry and personal ornaments should be
made at South Kensington Museum for purposes of
public instruction in June, 1872, have appointed a com-
mittee of management, consisting of her Royal High-
ness Princess Louise, her Royal Highness Princess
Mary of Trek, the Duchess of Manchester, the
Marchioness of Westminster, the Marchioness of Ripon,
the Countess of Tankerville, the Countess of Warwick,
Countess Spencer, the Countess of Carnarvon, the
Countess of Cork, Countess Somers, Countess Gran-
ville, Lady Mildred Hope. Lady Dorothy Nevill, Lady
Londesborough, Lady Wyatt, Mrs. Fortnum, Mrs.
Gladstone, Mrs. Holford. Mrs. Alfred Morrison, Mrs.
MCallum, and Mrs. Gambier Parry, with MacLeod
of MacLeod as searetary. This committee has made
the following announcement :
- •

1. The committee request the possessors of specimens of
ancient and modern jewellry and personal ornaments, re•
inarkable either for the artistic design, or the fineness of
toe stones, or the skill displayed In their setting, to lend
specimens to the South Kensington Museum with the view
of promoting the general Improvem,ot of the taste of the
designer, the producer, and the public generally.
2 The specimens may consist of jewelry and the fine art
in gold and silver of all kinds used for personal wear. MI
kinds of orders, badges, Rce., would thus be admissible.

3. It is known that there i 3 much ancient family jewelry
in the country, and the committee desire to borrow it for
this eshibitton. . . .

......
4. Arrangements will be made to enable lenders of jewelry
to have the use of ti.eir loans whenever they desire it.
6. It is proposed that the exhibition shall open early in
June, and the objects returned, it it be withed, at the end of
July.
6. l'oasessors of jewelry, to, willing to lend objects are
requested to fill up a form and return it by post, unpaid, on
or before the 20th of April, 1872.
Thia form may be had of the Secretary, South Ken-
sington Museum, on application by letter.

THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH ON LIFE-
BOAT SERVICES.
The annual meeting of the Royal National Lifeboat
Institution was held at the Mansion-house, London, on
Monday.
Captain H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh, as Chair-
man, in opening the proceedinge, said—l have, in the
first instance, to assure youths-se sensible I am of the
honour which has been conferred upon me in being
invited to take the Oair at the annual meeting of this
great Lifeboat Institution. As a sailor I must
naturally take a great interest in a society which
is as national in its character as it is benefieient
in its object. Indeed, the services of an institution
of this description cannot be overrated in a great
chipping and commercial country like this. Since its
commencement this society has saved nearly 21,000
British and foreign sailors, and I may, therefore, well
say it is hardly possible to overrate this society in a
maritime country like this ; nor can we estimate rightly
the value of its merciful work, for who can place a
value upon human life? Its benign operations are
known throughout the civilised world, and the dis-
treseell sailor on our shores, whether British or foreign,
participates alike in the suceour which its lifeboats are
ever realy to offer. The institution has now close upon
240 lifeboats under its management, every one of
which, I am assured, is in the most perfect order. It
is impossible to praise too highly the courage of those
men who are always foremost to man the lifeboats
which rescue every year hundreds of lives which would
otherwise perish upon the rocks. One of these services
was rendered a few days ago at Paistow, on the
coast of Cornwall, by a lifeboat there named the
Albert Edward, after my brother, the Prince of Wales.
(Cheers.) This boat rescued seven shipwrecked per-
sons under the most perilous circumstances. I think I
cannot do better than cite this, which is one of the
most recent of lifeboat services, as an example of the
character of their noble efforts. It appears that the
barque Viking had been driven ashore near Padstow
'hiring a gale, and the Albert Edward lifeboat, having
n promptly got upon her carriage, was launched
: hr i a tremendous sea, and after a great struggle
commenced to take the people from the bowsprit,
whieh was then the only accessible part of the vessel.
' G of all the master's infant child was lowered
j hie, the arms of one of the sailors, and safely
taken by the lifeboat men, but unfortunately the
sailor was washed overboard and drowned. Then
the rope connecting the boat with the ship parted
from the great strain caused by the heavy
seas. This happened twice, and on one occasion the
boat was driven ashore by a succession of heavy seas.
Still, though she sustained some damage, the noble
hoet and her gallant crew returned to the charge, and
evelitirdly they were able to save the master wife
ahll use of the crew, who were all landed in safety.
(Cheers.) These are subjects which are caloulated to
armies one beet sympathy on behalf of the Lifeboat
Institution. It is a society which (*ems to grow every
it,e
yeari in tile affections of the British people, on whom
pends for its support, and it will never, I trust,
seek (I ovenment helper control. (Cheers.) I know that
my lamented father was an early partron of the Life-
bw't Society, and that it continues to receive the
support of the Queen awl tl:a Prince and Princess of
Wake. I lere, is the heart of the City of Londcn, this
philanthropic Institution was first established. Its
citizens have in all ages been distinguished for their

loyalty to the throne, and for their munificence, ever
displayed on behalf of the cause of reli‘ion, charity,
and philanthropy. I feel sure that this noble institu-
tion will never appeal in vain either to them or to the
British public generally, for it is one deserving in an
tttninent degree of their liberal support and sympathy.
(Cheers.)

•
Mr. Richard Lewis, secretary to the Institution, read,
the annual report, which commenced by saying that the
Committee of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution,
in presenting their annual statement to its supporters
and to the public, on that, its forty-eight anniversary,
desired to express their grateful thanks to all those who
had afforded it their generous aid. During the past year
eighteen now lifeboats had been placed on the coast ;
some of them at new stations, and others replaced worn-
out or inferior boats. New transporfing-carriages and
boat-houses had likewise been provided for several
boats. The Institution had 233 lifeboats On the
coasts of the United Kingdom, and in the
Channel blands. During the past year those
boats save! the lives of 658 persons ' • nearly the
whole of them having been rescued under circum-
stances of peril that would have precluded any
ordinary boats from proceeding to their aid. In ad-
dition to those services, no fewer than 31 ships were
saved by the lifeboats. The storms of the pant year
in the sons of the British Isles hail fortunately not
been charagjerised by any fearful shipwrecks attended
with great rose of life. Towards the latter end of the
year, however, the gales on our coasts became unusually
frequent and violent. Between the 6th and the 22nd
December the crews of the lifeboats of the Insti-
tation distinguished themselves much in saving
146 lives from various shipwrecks. The efforts of
the Board of Trade continued unceasing in the
maintenance and extension of the rocket life-
saving apparatus on the coasts of the United King-
dom. The total number of shipwrecks on the coast of
the United Kingdom in 1871 was 1,574, accompanied
by theluss of 626 lives. In the same's/FM.I the Institution
c mtributed altogether to the rescue of 882 lives; of
these 658 owed their lives immediately to the lifeboats,
and for saving the remainder the Institution granted
rewaids to the crews of shore-boats and other persons,
in acknowledgment of their laudable exertions. Tints
during tho past year the society had granted as
rewards nineteen silver medals and votes of thanks
inscribed on vellum, besides £2,302 in money.
Since the formation of the society it had ex-
pended on lifeboat establishments, and other
means for saving life from shipwreck, £290,000
and voted 91 gold and 826 silver medals for saving life,
besides pecuniary rewards to the amonnt of £36,673.
The number of lives saved during the forty-eight years,
from the establishment of the Institution in 1824 to
the end of the year 1971, either by its lifeboats or by
special exertions for which it has granted rewards, was
20,746. The receipts of the Institution during the year
1871 had been £29,140 4s. 3d., and the expenditure, in-
cluding liabilities, £29,421 Is. Bd. (Cheers.)

The report, on the motion of Admiral Sir G. Sartoris,
seconded by Admiral Sir John Hay, was unanimously
adopted ; after which resolutions expreming perfect
confidence in the Institution, and thanking the Board
of Trade, the Admiralty, and the Coast-guard Services
for their assistance ' • Mr. T. Baring, M.P., chairman
of the society, and Mr. T. Chapman, deputy-chair-
man, for their services ; the Lord Mayor for the use
of the Egyptian-hall. and the Royal Chairman for
presiding, were carried. Amongst the gentlemen who
supported the motions were the Lord Mayor, Sir John
Bennett, Sir James Elphinston,,, Lord Garlies, Sir T.
Moss, the Rey. Mr. Prescott, Mr. T. Chapman, &c.