The Sun.
London, England, 1860-08-30 00:00:00

ISLE OF WIGHT LIFE-BOATS.

Ever since the fearful shipwrecks, attended with
much loss of life, which sad events took place last

year, the inhabitants of the Isle of Wight have, in
conjunction with the Royal National Life-boat In-
stitution and the Royal Victoria Yacht Club, been
most sedulously striving, by voluntary contributions,
to establish lifeboat stations along the more dan:

gerous parts of the coast of the island, the scene of
so many melancholy disasters, and it is this week
our pleasing duty to record the accomplishment of
this most desirable and truly philanthropic under-
taking. Two substantially-built houses for the
lifeboats, with resuscitating rooms adjoining, have
been jrovided, the one at Brook and the other at
Grange. After the arrival of the boats at their
respective stations overland, the local committee
assembled in the resuscitating room, at the Brook
Lifeboat Station-house, for the purpose of
choosing a crew and launching the boats. The
chairman, Mr. Seeley, having requested the hon.
secretary, Rev. J. Pellew Gaze, rector of Brooke,
to read the list of names of fishermen and others

volunteering to form the crew for service in the
lifeboats, eleven volunteers answered on their
names being called over, the whole of whom were
introduced ; and, being welcomed by the committee,
the men ranged themselves on one bile of the room,
when the chairman kindly addressed them, request-
ing that they would select from among themselves
one in whom they could place the utmost confi-
dence for their coxswain. They unanimously
elected John Halter, and for the second or assist.
ant coxwain, William Cooper. The Lifeboat
Inspector to the Royal National Lifeboat Institu-
tion then explained to the crew their relative
duties and po.ition, urging the necessity of obe-
dience to the command of their coxswain when
on duty, for by discipline, good order, and sobriety,

their exertions in the time of need would be doubly
effective. The committee adjourned to the shore,
accompanying the boat on its carriage drawn by
horses, and when at the water's edge, ready for
launching, the crew having equipped themselves
in the lifebelts, and a large number of spectators
standing around, Mrs. Seeley took the bottle of
wine, slung for the occasion, and dashing it against
the boat, said, " Success to the Dauntless." Mr.
Seeley and the honorary secretaries, the Rev.
Edward M'All and the Rev. J. Pellew Gaze,
with the crew, amidst much cheering, en-
tered the boat, which readily glided from her
carriage into the element on which it is hoped
she may be the means, under Providence, of
saving the lives of those who may unfortu-
nately be wrecked on this coast. The committee
and visitors afterwards adjourned to Grange, where,
at half-past two o'clock, a similar ceremony took
place, but on this occasion Lord Heytesbury was
in the chair. After the appointment of the crew,
their coxwains, James Buckett, and William Mer-
weed, being unanimously elected, the Rev. Edwd.
WAR remarked that it was a great pleasure to him-
self to bear testimony to the orderly honest charac-
ter of the man the crew had elected for their cox-
wain. The rev. gentleman had known Buckett
for a period of upwards of 20 years, and he could
also bear testimony, though gained by sad experi-
ence as an eye-witness, that nearly the whole of the
eleven men he saw before him had distinguished
themselves in the cause of humanity by hazarding
their own lives when endeavouring to save the
lives of their fellow-men. Such men, he felt sure,
with the means now provided by the National
Lifeboat Institution, in conjunction with their own
exertions, would be, by God's help, of the utmost
service in the hour of need. The boat was then
conveyed on her carriage to the sands, and after a
short pause, the silence was broken by the dash of
Heytesbury,a bott l e againws
wishing
gb oswucoc
success
s thes to ltihfeebßo aoty,
Yacht Club Lifeboat Rescue, seemed as it were Victoria
ie
signal for spontaneous heartfelt cheering, whilst
hundreds of handkerchiefs betokoned
the crew, were seated in the b
the response,
both from far and near. Eighteen persons, in-
cludinger
carriage at the time of her launch,
when she readily
bounded into the water and b
the day felt satisfied that became as lively as a
galley. Every one oa:Vtdcioi renLet ahta.
who witnessed the doings of
establishment on the coastof
of the Isle Wight is
now a reality, and it •is most sincerely hoped that
a most effective lifeboat
the usefulness of these all-important undertakings
will not be retarded for the want of funds to defray
the necessary incidental expenses, as a small yearly
contribution from the many will enable the com-
mitteefrom time to time may be considered to be most of management to carry out matters which
desirable for their efficiency. Who can tell that
he or she may not shortly be truly thankful for the
assistance rendered by a lifeboat and her gallant
so crew,edear either
relativeherfor
or ving their own life or that of
mfriend.