The Sun.
London, England, 1860-10-06 00:00:00

ROYAL NATIONAL LIFEBOAT INSTITUTION,

A meeting of this institution was held on Thurs-
day at its house, John-street, Adelphi—Thomas
Chapman, Esq.. F.R.S ,in the chair. There were
also present Sir E. G. L. Perrott, Bart. ; Capt.
Ryder, R.N. ; Alex. Bodefour, Esq. ; Capt. De St.
Croix, and Capt. J. R. Ward, R.N., inspector of life-
boats to the institution.
Mr. LEWIS, the secretary, read the minutes of the
previous meeting.
A report was read from Capt. Shaw, the harbour
master at Ramsgate, stating that the Northumber-
land prize lifeboat had on the night of the 24th ult.,
in conjunction with the commissioners' steam tug,
been instrumental in saving during a heavy gale and
terrific sea the crew of nine men from the barque
Linda of Whitby, which had foundered on the Good-
win Sands on that tempestuous night, In the per-
formance of that service one of the crew of the
lifeboat, named Henry Venion, was by a heavy
sea completely washed out of her; but in God's
mercy he was saved. It was past 3 o'clock in
the morning before the shipwrecked crew were
brought into Ramsgate, where, on landing, the
master of the Linda expressed a strong conviction
that his ship would probably float off the Goodwin.
This was a most:providential interposition, as the
sequel will show. The lifeboat with her gallant
crew again proceeded, in less than an hour, in com-
pany with the steamer, towards the fatal Goodwin.
On their arrival they found the Linda full of water
and rapidly breaking up ; but on looking over the
sands at the dawn of day they saw :a large ship
with her three masts gone, the sea making a com-
plete breach over her, and her numerous crew hold.
ing on for their lives. Not a moment was now to
be lost. Bot how was the lifeboat to get through
such heavy broken water ? The crew and lifeboat
must be imperilled in this great venture. The noble
craft, like a thing of-life, ultimately succeeds in ap-
proaching the wreck, from which, one by one, 13
poor creatures are rescued from inevitable death.
The vessel proved to be the barque Ariel, of Gotten-
burg, with a cargo of deals, to Marseilles. Such is
the character of the last noble service performed by
the Ramsgate lifeboat, which is on the same
principle as the lifeboats of the National Life-
boat Institution. She will self-right if upset; will
readily self-eject any seas she may ship, as was too
often proved during the stormy night and morning
in question. The coxswain of the lifeboat, on land-
ing at Ramsgate, said he was too certain that some
of her planking had been • shaken, owing to the
blowy thumping the boat had received whilst cross-
ing the sands; but upon examination it was found
that she had sustained no injury. She belongs to
the Royal Harbour Commissioners of Ramsgate,
and has during the last seven or eight years been
instrumental in rescuing 110 shipwrecked sailors
from a watery grave. The crew will be rewarded
by the commissioners, in addition to receiving sal-
vage, for their intrepid and important services.
A reward of .£4 was voted to the crew of the Dun-
dalk lifeboat for pulling off and rendering impor-
tant services to the fishing smack John James, of
the Isle of Man, which, in a heavy sea and thick
fog, had stranded on Dundalk Bar, on the 18th ult.
The lifeboat had put two of her crew on board the
vessel, and they with the smack's crew ultimately
succeeded in beating her out of the bay, and in
starting her for her destination. Had not the life-
boat's services been very prompt, the smack, which
was thumping heavily, and rapidly making water,
would probably have gone to pieces. The life-
boat was reported to have behaved very well on the
occasion .

A reward of £l6 was also voted to the crew of
the lugger, Diana, of Deal, and the silver medal of
the institution to Thomas Trott, one of her men,
for their gallant and prompt services in putting off
and saving at considerable risk of life the crew of
ten men of the Norwegian brig Poseidon, which,
during a heavy gale of wind, had sunk on the Good-
win Sands very early on the morning of the 25th
ult. As the vessel was beating over the sands great
difficulty was experienced in boarding her. The
lugger's crew, however, succeeded at last in reach-
ing her just as she was drifting off the wands, where
she immediately sank. The rigging of the ship
having got foul of the lugger's mast must have
caused the upsetting of the latter had rot Thomas
Trott instantaneously jumped on board the wreck
and cut away the gear. The lugger, which sus-
tained considerable damage, drove into Ramsgate
about noon, when the ten shipwrecked men, with
their faithful dog, were landid amidst the cheers
of hundreds of persAas, who crowded the pice.
A reward of £l4 was likewise given to the crew
of a Pakefield yawl for putting off recently in the
night and rescuing, at much risk of life, and after
repeated attempts, the crew of the schooner Adam
Young, of North Shields, which, during a strong
gale of wind and thick weather, with rain, had re•
cently sunk on the Holm Sand, on the Suffolk
coast. In proceeding to the vessel's assistance the
yawl was compelled to cross the Newcome and
Holm Sands through a heavy surf, it blowing very
hard at the time with heavy squalls. On reaching
the vessel the yawl's crew found it impossible to
board her, in consequence of the heavy sea that was
breaking over the sands. They were, therefore, ob-
liged to let go an anchor outside of her, with a spring
on the cable to sheer down to her. They saw that
the vessel's boat hag been knocked to pieces, and
that she herself was rapidly sinking. Atter several
attempts a communication was effected between the
yawl and the vessel, and by means of a warp the
yawl was brought under the jibboom of the ship,
from which her crew of four men were taken by
means of another line, one by one, into the yawl.
After again crossing the Newcome Sands the poor
shipwrecked men were safely landed, at 2 o'clock in
the morning, in Lowestoft harbour.
Various ether rewards were also voted for saving
life from wrecks.

It will thus be seen that, even during the heavy
gales of the last few weeks, about 40 of our fellow-
creatures have been literally snatched by lifeboats
and shoreboats from an appalling death by ship-
wrecks. It is impossible to over-estimate the value
of such services as these, but they are properly ap-
preciated by the poor men themselves and by many
who, in the absence of these brave services, would
to-day be widows and orphans.
Commurications were received from the Gover-
nors of the Cape of Good Hope and Ceylon, stating
that their Excellencies had given directions for the
circulation, as widely as possible throughout the
colonies, of the Institution's Instructions for the
Restoration of the Apparently Drowned.
It was said that the institution was now taking
some active measures to supply its lifeboat stations
on the coast with excellent barometers for the use
of seafaring people of those localities. A gentleman
had kindly promised to defray the cost of the baro-
meter for Tenby, and a neat stone pillar in which
it was to be kept. We trust many persons will be
found to follow this laudable example, for it is
hardly possible to calculate the benefit that is likely
to arise from the use of a good barometer at many
fishing stations. It is not long since that one of
such places on the coast of Scotland was provided
with a barometer by the Board of Trade. The
fishermen observed the great fall of the mercury
during the night, and therefore refrained from
going to sea. The neighbouring fishing village
was not so fortunate as to possess a barometer. The
poor melll went to sea. They were overtaken by a
fearful storm, and nearly every one of them perished
in the course of the day and night that followed.
A lady resident in Bideford had forwarded to the

institution a very liberal contribution of £B7 to-
wards the purchase of a lifeboat, being the proceeds
of her own poems on " The Lifeboat" and " The
Wreck of the Royal Charter."
During the past month the society had forwarded
lifeboats to Newquay, in Cornwall ; Banff and
North Berwick, Scotland; Tyr.,ll?, in Dand-tum
Bay ; and Newbiggin, Northumberland ; the last
named to replace a lifeboat which had become un-
fit for service.

The committee expressed their sympathy with
the family of the late Mr. H. Ingram, M.P., pro-
prietor of the Illustrated London News. He was a
warm friend of the lifeboat cause, to which he had
for many years past rendered important service
through the medium of his well-conducted journal.
One of the most dangerous parts cf the English
coast is his native county, Lincoln. We should be
glad to see on it a lifeboat, to be called the " Her-
bert Ingram," in memory of one of the most indus-
trious and generous men of the county.
It was stated that the institution had expended
during the present year upwards of £7,500 on new
lifeboat establishments, and the maintenance cf its
previously formed stations in a state of efficiency.
As the demands on its limited funds continue to be
unusually heavy, the support of the public is ear-
nestly requested.

Payments amounting to £1,027 having been
made on various lifeboat establishments, the pro-
ceedings terminated.

GENERAL PEEL ON THE NATIONAL
DEFENCES.

HUNTINGDON, FRIDAY.
The annual meeting of the Huntingdon Agricul-
tural Association was held this day for the exhibi-
tion of stock, &C. At the dinner at the Town-
hall, in the afternoon, the Duke of Manchester
presided, and was supported by the Right Hon.
General Peel, M.P., Mr. T. Baring, M.P., Lard
Robert MOntagu, M P., Mr. Fellowes, M.P., Mr.
Rust, formerly member for the county, Mr. D.
Herbert, mayor of Huntingdon, Dr. Ward, Lieut.
Heathcote, the Rev. J. D. Shafto, Mr. J. M.
Heathcote, Mr. G. Thornhill, the Rev. J. Linton,
Mr. C. Veasey,

The usual loyal toasts having been honoured,
The CHAIRMAN gave "The Army, Navy, and
Volunteers."

General PEEL, M.P., on rising to respond, was
received with loud cheers. He said—Gentlemen,
the compliment that you have just paid to the
army and navy and the volunteers includes some
600,000 individuals. That branch of it to which I
have the honour to belong, and for which it is now
my duty to return thanks, namely, her Majesty's
regular army, comprises alone, with the magnifi-
cent addition which has just been made to it of the
local European army of India, no lees than. 250,000
men. The volunteers, the pensioners, the militia,
and the yeomanry swell the number to 500,000, and
if we add our gallant sailors and the Royal
Marines, than which there is not a finer body of
men in the world, the total number will reach at
least 600,000, all of whom were prepared to defend
the possessions of her Majesty. (Cheers.) And yet
gentlemen, we are told that we are not a military
nation. For the purposes of aggression I trust we
never may be. (Loud cheers.) I sincerely hope
that we shall never be induced to interfere with the
affairs of other nations, and I trust, at all events,
that we shall never go to war for an idea. (Hear,
hear.) But for the purposes of defence, I hope we
may ever be found a very military nation, and that
it will be seen that upon that point we entertain
some very strong ideas, which we are prepared to
fight for if necessary. (Cheers.) One of those
ideas I take to be this—that if a foreign foe were
ever to be allowed to land in the country, we have
an idea that he would never be allowed to go back
again. (Cheers.) In carrying out that idea, lam
perfectly certain that the regular army would re-
ceive every assistance from all those other branches
of the service which I have just mentioned. I have
not, however, the slightest idea that such a con-
tingency will ever arise. (Cheers.) The volunteer
movement has now become a great and established
fact, and I trust that it will long continue to be so.
I trust that those who have come forward with so
much spirit will not only continue their own ser-
vices, but do all in their power to encourage others
to follow their example. (Cheers.) This has been
truly a voluntary movement. I give the Government
every credit for the assistance and encouragement
they have afforded to it—an assistance and encour-
agement greater than I was able-to afford to it, be-
cause the rifles were not in existence when I was

in office, though I have the gratification of knowing
that they were all ordered by me. (Hear, hear.)
But you may depend upon it the movement would
never have assumed the magnitude it has done if it
were not for the exertions of individuals in different
localities. You all know in this county how much
you are indebted to the noble duke in the chair,
and to others, for the corps which now do you so
much credit; and though it would be invidious to
mention the names of individuals, it is impossible
not to admit that Lord Elcho, and other young
noblemen who came forward to form the corps
which they now so worthily command, are entitled
to the thanks of the country. (Cheers.) The esta-
blishment of the National Rifle Association was
also a most praiseworthy object, and I am glad to
see that the plan of offering prizes for competition
is rapidly extending throughout the whole country.
At the same time I hope I may be allowed to say a
word to the volunteers in reference to these prize
meetings. Let no man be discouraged because be
has failed b obtain a prize. If you cannot attain
that accuracy necessary to enable you to secure
good prizes do not let it dishearten you for a mo-
ment or induce you to think of withdrawing from
the corps. You may depend upon it that there are
very good soldiers who are very indifferent shots.
(Hear, hear.) To fire at a bull's-eye and at a bat-
talion are two very different things. No great battle
was ever won by the dexterity of individuals but
by the steadiness and valour of the masses and
the confidence that each places in the other.
(Hear, and cheers.) Those are the means by which
great results are attained. (Hear, hear.) Perhaps
as I was for 16 months responsible for the security
of the country from attack as much as the minister
for war, whoever he may be, is responsible to the
country for its security, it will not be out of place
to mention one fact which makes me think that this
volunteer movement is of far greater consequence
than wally penors imagine. It is admitted by
everybody that the great security for the defence of
the country must always rest upon our maritime
superiority. It is imagilei by many that our navy
ought not only to be equal to that of any other
country, but equal to that of all other countrics
combined; and that if it be not so we must always
maintain in the country a large trilit-.:.ry force, and
that without the volunteers we should not have such
a force. Now, it is somewhat disheartening that
after all the exertions we have made during the
last two yeara, and the money we have lavished
upon the navy, to say that a great doubt has arisen
whether the ships we have built and the money we
have expended have not been thrown away. It is
now supposed that a new war vessel—the iron cased
frigate—has been established, and that it will ren-
der almost all the exertions we have made and the
money we have spent useless. Upon this subject I
may state an opinion which, within the last eight
days, was given to me by ogle to whose judgment,
with respect to projectiles, I attach great import-
ance—l mean Sir William Armstrong. He told
me that he considers this question as merely one of
naval architecture, and that if you can produce
iron cased vessels attaining anything like the
same speed, and as seaworthy as the ordinary
man-of-war, no other vessel will have the
slightest chance against them. (Hear, hear.) If
this be true, and I do not doubt it for a moment,
what will be the consequence ? Why, the entire
reconstruction of our navy. (Hear, hear.) To give
you an idea of the expense that would attend such
reconstruction, allow me to inform you that two
vessels which were ordered by Lord Derby's Go-
vernment, and which are now in the course of con-
struction, will cost no less than a million of money
—X500,000 each. (Hear, hear.) But whatever
the cost may be, this country cannot afford to be
behind any other either with regard to the supe-
riority of its ships or of weapons of defence gene-
rally. (Cheers.) I perfectly believe that we are
at least Equal in point of soldiers and sailors, and
in the name of the former I beg to return you my
thanks for the honour you have done them in
drinking their healths. (Loud cheers.)
Mr. FELLOWES, M.P., proposed " The health of
the Chairman, as Patron of the Association."

The Duke of MANCHESTER, in responding, refer-
red to the volunteer movement. He said one great
std. vantage of the movement was that it enabled
him to mix more freely and intimately with his
neighbours than he had ever had an opportunity
of doing befom. He felt very grateful to the county
for the assistance it had afforded him, and he was
happy to say that at the late review in Hyde-park
the Huntingdon Mounted Miles occupied a very
high position. He thought it the duty of every man
who possessed health, strength, and leisure to join
some corps or assist with his money. In many re-
spects the movement was most beneficial. It made
persons think of something beyond money-making,
upon which they had thought and legislated too
much of late years. (Hear, hear.) The forma-
tion of a body of volunteers had, .he believed,
raised the position of the country immensely in
the eyes of foreign nations, and he hoped the
men who had joined the differest corps would
persevere in their drill. He had heard some per-
sonssay, as a reason for not joining, that they
would join soon enough if there Nvas an invasion
i
But they should remember that t would be too.
late then, as an untrained, man was utterly use-.