The Express.
London, England, 1862-12-26 00:00:00

LIFEBOAT SERVICES.

The following is an extract from the quarterly
report of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution :
Darin the past year (1862)316 lives have been directly
rescued by lifeboats of the National Lifeboat Institution
from a 'natty grave, mid 21 vessels have bee. safely brought
into port through the instrumentality of the lifeboats. The
lifeboats went 0'43 time. in reply to signals of dietrese from
ships in danger, but wbioh in the meantime lad either N-
otepad it or bad had their crews saved by other means. The
lifeboat,' crews bad also assembled on nine oomeioas in
stormy weather to be ready for amorgencieviexpectedtoarise.
We feel assured that no one am peruse them accounts
without experiencing a satisfaction which can better be
felt than expremed. Let anyone think of the feelings
of these 136 persona thus snatched, during'stormy weather,
from an apparently inevitable death by the lifeboats of
the institution. Although such services can onlj be pro-
perly appreciated by the persona themselves cm whom such
important benefit has been conferral in their hour of dis-
tress. yet they are always keenly and gratefully acknow-
ledged by the wives and children or pulsate of the men
saved, who would otherwise have become widows, orphans,
or childless. The acknowledgment. of the National Life-
boat Institution are, of came, mainly due to those who
have contributed to this large amount of human bappinesa,
by manning the lifeboat", or by subscribing towards their
establishmentand support. Rewards amounting to 730/.ls led.
have been voted by the institution to the crews of the life-
boat, for their laudable services during the put year.
We also refer with great pleasure to the accounts of the
services rendered by shore boats, and other means,
rein life from wrecks on our shores duriog the preceding
year. Some of thews services have been of the noblest
character, for it should be borne in mind that men engaged
during Wes of wind in this dangerous work undergo
grader risk in open boats than is usually incurred in life-
boats, which are well adapted for the important work
which they have to perform, god which are fully equipped,
including excellent lifeboats for their crews. Although fully
acknowledging the valuable services of the crews of the so-
ciety's lifeboats, we are glad to find that the committee of
the National Lifeboat Institution proportion their rewards
for wring lifefroni shipwreck according to the risk incurred;
hence it is seen that the rewards granted to shore boat
crews fare frequently in excess, per man, of those voted by
the committee to the crews of the Institution's lifeboat..
These reward. continue most materially to stimulate our
oust population to make the greatest exertions to save life
from shipwreck. The men feel now assured that their ser-
vices will not go unrequited ; and also that, in the event of
a calamity overtaking them, their widows and orphans will
not be forgotten by the National Lifeboat Institution, in
conjunction with the benevolent public, which in ever ready
to succour cases of real distress. One of the earlicat and
most fundamental principles of the institution was to foster
and encourage these heroic enterprises, because fishermen's
boats are always handy, and are often knell available in
localities where it would be impracticable to plant a life-
boat. From a summary which the Institution gives of its
operations during the past three years we observe that is
that period 1.408 lives have been rescued from a watery
gram by the joint efforts of its lifeboats and shore boats,
far which united services the society has granted awards,
ithicaniting to 3,3421. fie. 7d., in addition to 68 silver models.
The number of lives eared by the lifeboats of the society
and other means since it. formation is 12,900, for which
services 82 gold medals, 718 silver medals, and 16,413/. in
cash have been paid in rewards. The institution has also
expended 66,8801. co lifeboats, lifeboat transporting-car-
riages, and boathouses. Deeply sensible of the great re-
sponsibility that ruts on the institution to maintain its
large life-saving fleet of 123 lifeboats in a thoroughly effi-
cient state, and its crews practised in the management of
the huts, which can only be effected by a large permanent
annual income, the committee of the National Lifeboat In-
stitution earnestly appeal to all Clllllll4l. of their countrymen
to aid them in upholding and perpetuating so great and truly
national a work.

The Tribunal of Commerce of Paris has just I
given a judgment of great importance to tradesmen who are
in the habit of transmitting orders by telegraph. M.
Sorbet, residing at Malls (Dees-avrea), some time sire
sent a conditional ceder for goods to MM. Jima and Sons,
with a request that if hi terms were accepted an answer
should be returned at once by telegraph. MM. Jeanti ac•
cepted the offer, and at once handed in the answer to the
telegraph office, bat the clerk unfortunately mistook Melte
for so abbreviation of Marmillea, and sent the userage to
the latter city. The error was discovered daring the day,
and the merge was then sent to its proper destination,
where it arrived in the eveuiog. Meanwhile, however. M.
Souchet had purchased the goods he wanted of another
party, and refuted to take those of MM. Jeuiti. The latter
accordingly commenced proceedings against him for breach
of• contract, and demanded 2,000 f. damages, on the
ground that they bad forwarded their answer by the means
selected by M. Souohet, and that he alone must be respon-
sible for the ewasequecee. Alter hearir morel for N.
Sorbet the Tribunal decided that the telegraph was r
much the agent of one party as of the other, and that Sim
responsibility most fall on the person sending the messep ;
it therefor* rejected the plaintiff's demand with seeM.