The Sun.
London, England, 1866-03-15 00:00:00

ble lord mentary to the Colvial Office ; but, doubtless, it
contained some wise hints. The no
hi extensive
Colo-
that he had never heard a good woke
for the
nial-office from the colonists during all s
observation in the colonies. Earl RUSSELL, in pro-
posing the second readin Under See billcretar, menytiofor ned the
the„
fact that when he was
in 1839, he asked the house to agree, to a
somewhat similar measure ; but so great was the
Colonies,
opposition it met with that Ministers were compelled
to withdraw it, and substitute one of a most imper-
fect character. Happily the present day sees no
party struggles made on colonial topics, and we need
entertain no doubt that the present measure will meet
with success. The noble earl also attributed the
wretched condition of Jamaica to the faults of the
Legislature. If this be true, a new era will now
commence, and we may hope and believe that the
late disastrous state of affairs in that island may be
put a stop to. It is certain that too great laxity of
speech was permitted in the House of Assembly, and
sufficient proof of this is given in the extracts from
the speeches of GORDON and others that have ap-
peared in this country, and which could answer no
other purpose than to foster discontent and to give
rise to sedition.

There is probably none of our philanthropic or
benevolent institutions which has gained so large a
share of general approval and support as the Na-
tional Lifeboat Institution. Its objects are so prac-
tically important, and their urgency so imperative,
that the most cautious or niggardly critic can hardly
blame the generous and kindly hand which is
stretched out to the imperilled sailor without paus-
ing to ask his origin or destination. Very often
charitable enterprises are discouraged by the cavils
of those who warn the originators that they are only
encouraging improvidence or inducing others respon-
sible to neglect their own duty, but in the case of the
Lifeboat Institution no one can deny that it is the
first duty of those on shore, if possible, to assist a
ship in danger, without stopping to ask whether any
one is to blame for her getting into difficulties, or
whether all proper precautions have been taken by
her owners in case of wreck. The terrible storms
of the winter just passing have certainly not lessened
the warmth of the interest felt in the Institution.
It is long, indeed, since the public mind has received
such a shock as on the loss of the London, but
though, happily, that catastrophe was of unusual
magnitude, there have been a vast number of lesser
casualties involving loss of life and property. These
tragedies would have have been far more numerous
had it not been for the admirable Institution whose
annual assembly was held last Tuesday. It is a
very gratifying fact for the members and suppor-
ters of the society, that since the formation of the
Lifeboat Institution the average number of lives

lost by shipwreck along our cost has been reduced
nearly one-half, although there has certainly been
neither a diminution of traffic nor an amelioration
of the winter storms. During the 42 years in
which the society has been in existence it

has been the direct means of saving

14,980 lives, the proportion of late years
rapidly increasing with the number of the
lifeboat stations, and the increased efficiency of the
whole system. Thus the number saved in 1845,
half way from its origin to the present time, was
only 235, and this was above the average for that
period ; whereas, in 1865, it was 714, more than
three times that amount, and in the two years pre-
ceding the numbers were respectively 698 and 714.

The lifeboats of the institution now number 162,
and have been directly instrumental in saving 532
lives during the year, the remaining 182, which the
institution include in their list, having been saved by
shore boats and other means. During the year 37 new
boats have been added to the fleet, and the report
of the committee mentions with pride and pleasure

the large number of splendid gifts, defraying the
whole cost of lifeboats which have been presented
by individuals during the past twelve months,
and in some instances by inland towns.
Another gratifying ' fact is the formation of
a French society on the same principle,
which already possesses 11 self-righting boats, built
under the direct superintendence of the committee.
The example thus wisely and worthily set by
France will, it is to be hoped, be speedily
followed on a similar scale by other con-
tinental nations, since lifeboats have been
established along the entire seaboard of the
Baltic and German Oceans. At the same time,
while congratulating themselves and the public
upon the results already accomplished, the com-
mittee are far from supposing that their work is
already done. The Wreck Register for the year
shows us 1,738 shipwrecks, attended with the loss
of 472 persons, on the coasts and in the seas of the
British Isles. So far from relaxing their efforts,
then, they are stimulated to make fresh ones, and
to endeavour by every means in their power to
increase the efficiency and extent of their noble
establishment, which has already become an example
and an encouragement to all the maritime nations
of the civilised world.

No doubt Mr. HUNT feels disappointed at the
withdrawal of his bill ; and yet he has no particular
cause to be so, for the principles which he was so
anxious to introduce into the measure are to be
carried out by the Government. At any rate so
they have promised, and if they do not it will re-
main for the House and the country to call them to
account for their faithlessness. It must be observed
that the members of the Government have not been
very straightforward in the manner in which they
have acted, and it is quite absurd for them to talk
of Mr. HUNT'S bill as a failure, for it in reality suc-
ceeded better than theirs. As Lord J. MANNERS
said, the Home Secretary was not correct in stating
that Mr. HUNT had failed in his endeavours, because
he had " at length compelled the Government to
come forward and take the responsibility of dealing
with the subject upon their own shoulders." We
entirely agree with Mr. READ in his remarks when
he said that " the course the Government now pro-
posed to adopt was exactly that recommended in
the Report of the Royal Commission in November
last, and had Government then thought proper to
adopt it the cattle plague would by this time have
been extinguished." In fact, the course the Go-
vernment has pursued in the affair of the cattle
plague has been open to censure from the outset, for
they have hesitated and drawn back just when they
ought to have bestirred themselves, and sad indeed
have been the consequences of their unequal efforts
and dilatory proceedings. It is a little too much for
them now to talk as if any merit accrued to them
from the recent measures introduced into Parlia-
, intheenmt, becandause
daecbt
ai on
owf atsh
ei mfipr
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assumed a character that they could not mistake.
ainwtauy G. GREY that the
only sure and certain Neither can we agree wi
is to issue Orders in
Council, because the orders have been tried ever
since the middle of last summer, and they have not
produced the desired effect. Mr. HUNT'S bill has
not been fairly treated, and therefore it is easy now
for the Government to turn round and declare that
it is a failure, because they have taken very good
care that none of its intentions should be fulfilled.
As the hon. member said, the Fabian policy which
they have adopted in both Houses ecting it has