The Sun.
London, England, 1865-04-12 00:00:00

Life-belts for Shipwrecked Sailors.

The committee of tho Royal National Lifeboat Institu-
tion have for several years been painfully impressed by the
fact that, notwithstanding all the efforts made to rescue
shipwrecked seamen by means of the numerous lifeboats
and rocket and mortar establishments which now happily
surround our coasts, there are yet large numbers of sailors,
amounting to several hundred annually, who miserably
perish on our shores.

After a full consideration of the subject, and taking for
their data the results of accidents to lifeboats, the crews of
which have been provided with efficient life-beltss and of
others which have not been so the committee have come to
the conclusion that a largo number of the unfortunate men
who are thus every year lost to their friends and their
country, might be saved, if they wore invariably supplied
with really efficient life-belts.
With a view to bring about so desirable an end the
Committee of the National Lifeboat Institution have, in the
first place, caused to be prepared, an efficient cork life-belt
of so simple and inexpensive a character that its costli-
ness, at all events, should be no barrier to its universal
supply to our merchant seamen. Secondly—They have
decided to make an appeal to the owners of all mer-
chant vessels, but especially of those in the home and coast
ing trade, on behalf of the seamen who work their craft,
and whose lives are risked in their service, and to implore
them to provide their servants with this important means
of safety. Thirdly—The Committee have determined to
undertake, at least for a time; the supply of life-belts" of
the description above referred to at cost price, with a view
to bring about their general use on board our merchant
ships.

It is proposed to supply these belts in chests, containing
the requisite number for every size of vessel, through the
Custom-houses and shipping- offices at the principal ports,
and to which sample chests will at once be forwarded.
The cost of each belt will be 45., and the average cost
of the chest to contain them will be 10s.

A popular writer lately commenced a tale by asking the
question, "Is a man's life worth 10s. 6d. ?" In now ap-
pealing to the owners of ships and employers of seamen,
the committee would ask the question, "Is a man's life
worth 4s. ?

Lest any shipowner should, without reference to amount
of cost, think that it is not his duty to provide his men with
such a means of safety, it is suggested that, whilst he should
provide, in the first instance, the chest of bells as a part
of the ship's furniture, he should require his master and
crew to pay 6d. each man annually, or ld. each on short
voyages, in consideration of being thus provided for, which
amount would be a good interest on the sum thus invested;
and it is thought that it would rarely happen that men
would decline to insure their lives at so trifling a cost.
It had at first occurred to the committee that the Life-
boat Institution might undertake the gratuitous supply of
lifeboats to the crews of merchant vessels, but on further
consideration the magnitude of the undertaking appeared
so great as to bo likely to interfere 'with the present ample
sphere of its operations on the coasts of the United King-
dom.

It is hoped, however, that those immediately interested
in the movement—namely, the owners of ships and fishing
vessels, and the crews themselves, will so readily under-
take its direction, that there will be no need for the more
direct action of the society.

We may add that applications for chests of belts.may be
forwarded to the secretary of tho National Lifeboat Insti-
tution, John-street, Adelphi, London, through the collec
tors of customs and shipping masters at the different ports
of the United Kingdom.

AN INCORRIGIBLE CIDER-DRINKER !—lf I could
have abolished or even moderated the use of cider
in the district, my labours would have been much
lightened. It may be thought au exaggeration, but
I have known a Somersetshire labourer drink sixteen
quarts of cider in a day. I asked this man what he would
do if he were to become suddenly rich. He replied, "lid
zit and drink zider all day, and when I couldna' sit, Pd
lie."—From a capital paper in to-day's number of Once aWee.k