The Sun.
London, England, 1860-11-02 00:00:00

ROYAL NATIONAL LIFEBOAT

I 2 STITUTIOIV.

A special general meeting of the subscribers of
this institution was held yesterday, at its house,
John-street, Adelphi, to consider and pass some
bye-laws for the government of the society, under
the Charter of Incorporation recently granted to it
by the Queen. Mr. Thomas Baring, M.P. F.R.S.,
Chairman of the Institution, presided. There were
also present Sir E. Perrott, Admiral Gordon,
Deputy Master of the Trinity House, Mr, Boete-
feur, Mr. John Clayton, and other gentlemen. The
chairman, having explained the objects of the
meeting, stated that the bye-laws had been care-
fully prepared by Messrs. Clayton and Son, honorary
solicitors of the institution, that they had been
maturely considered by the Committee of Manage-
ment, who had submitted them to Vice-Chaneellor
Sir Page Wood, Vice-President of the society, and
who took considerable interest in its welfare. Sir
Page, after having made one or two alterations,
fully approved of them. They had also received
the approval of the Duke of Northumberland, the
president of the institution. The bye-laws were
afterwards moved and carried unanimously. By
its charter of incorporation the institution has
become one of the most important benevolent
societies in the country ; and in order to enable
it to perpetuate its humane and national objects,
the charter has made special provision that any
person may hereafter grant, sell, alien, and con-
vey in mortmain unto it lands, tenements, and
hereditaments, not exceeding £2,000 a year.
The third service clasp of the institution was
voted to Captain Wasey, R.N., Inspecting Com-
mander of the Coastguard, who had for previous
gallant exertions received its silver medal and
second service clasp for his recent services in the
Fleetwood lifeboat, belonging to the institution, in
saving 16 persons from the barque Vermont, of
Halifax, Nova Scotia. Payments amounting to
£BO were ordered to be made to the crews of the
lifeboats at Fleetwood, Appledore, Margate, Yar-
mouth, Fraserburgb, Silloth, Holyhead, Portmadoc,
Barmouth, and Tyrella, for saving or attempting to
save life from various wrecks during the recent
heavy gale. It was reported that the St. Andrews'
lifeboat belonging to the institution had proceeded
off and had rendered, in conjunction with a steam-
tug, some important services to several fishing boats
from Buckhaven, which, during the hurricane of
the 3d ult., had drifted out of the Firth of Forth ;
and that the poor fishermen had sent £3 a few days
afterwards towards the support of the lifeboat, with
expressions of much thankfulness. It was also
stated that the cost of the new lifeboat stations of
the institution now in course of formation at
Thurso, Margate, Buckie, Portrush, St. Ives, Sel-
sey, Llandudno, Southport, Llandwyn, and Penrith
amounted to upwards of £3,000. To meet this
large and important outlay the society earnestly
appealed to the public for help, otherwise it would
be compelled to entrench on its small funded capital,
the interest on which was said to be so 'essential
to aid the institution to keep up in an efficient
state its numerous lifeboat establishments. Various
rewards were also voted to fishing and
other boats for highly laudable services in
saving life from different wrecks during
the heavy storms of the past month. It was
reported that the effects of these storms had been
very disastrous to ships ; but in consequence of the
noble services of lifeboats, shoreboats, and the life-
saving apparatus, the loss of life had been compara-
tively small on those fearful occasions. A comniu_
nication was read from Thompson,
of Lockhart
Mr.
of Edinburgh, stating that a lady resident in that
city was desirous of benefitting mankind by form_
ing a lifeboat station on .some part of the west coast
of Scotland ; and that it was her wish that the
lifeboat should be called after her late husband.
The cost of the station when complete would pro-
bably be upwards of £5OO.

DETERMINED SUICIDE OF A GENTLEMAN.—Great
consternation was created amongst the passengers on board
the Emerald steam
_packet on hber passage from Cowes to
Portsmouth yesterday morning, y a gentleman stepping on
to t hobulwarks and throwing himself into the sea. The
body immediately sunk, and was no more seen, though the
steamer was stopped as quickly as possible and a boat plashed
off. It appears the gentleman's name was George Churcher,
a man of large property and a hop-grower, from Kent. He
leaves a wife and four children. No cause is known for his
committing this rash act. While on the passage he in-
quired of the captain and the man at the helm whether the
water was deep, and at what part it was deepest. He was
told it was shallow where they then were, that the deepest
part was between Hyde and Portsmouth ; and just before he
leaped into the sea he was told they had arrived at the
deepest part. Still there was nothing in his manner to
had any one to believe what he was contemplating. Just
before he destroyed himself he had taken off his greatcoat
and placed it on the seat, desiring a friend who was with
him to look to it. On examining the breast pocket, his
watch was found in it—the guard -chain fastened to the
button of the pocket, lie had wrapped his money up (two
five pound notes and ten sovereigns) in his handkerchief,
and put it in the greatcoat pocket with his watch. In his
Darpet bag was found a letter addressed to his wife,