The Sun.
London, England, 1859-12-16 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OP THE SUN.

Bm,—ln consequence of two shipwrecks a few days ago
on the back of the Isle of Wight, with the lamentable loss
of 14 mariners, the public have been strongly impressed by
communications from the Rev. John Pellew Gaze, and T.
Turner, Esq., owner of the yacht Constance, of the neces-
sity of stationing one or two lifeboats on the south coast of
that island. A liberal response has been made to the
appeal of these gentlemen, and it will be satisfactory for
you and your numerous readers to know that this desirable
and important work is now likely soon to be accomplished,
in conjunction with the National Lifeboat Institution.
One can hardly imagine the benefit that is likely to arise
to the cause of humanity from the establishment of a life-
boat on a dangerous point of the coast. In the two cases
mentioned by Mr. Gaze and Mr. Turner, it is the opinion of
the officers of the coastguard and others that the fourteen
mariners who perished on that unhappy occasion might
have been rescued if a suitable lifeboat had been on the
spot.
Again, at North Berwick, a few weeks ago, a vessel was
wrecked and all hands lost. The officer of the coastguard
and the minister of Liberton Manse express their belief
that had a lifeboat been in the vicinity every one of the poor
fellows might have been saved. Unfortunately, it is only
when the bridge totters to its fall, and wrecks strew our
shores, that the bridge is repaired, and the lifeboats built
and stationed.

In the very heavy gales of the latter end of October and
the beginning of November last, a period hardly extending
over six weeks from this day, 325 vessels were wrecked,
with the loss of 748 lives. On the other hand, the lives of
487 persons were rescued by the lifeboats of the Royal Na-
tional Lifeboat Institution, these of local bodies, and the
mortar and rocket apparatus of the Board of Trade.
For the gallant services performed on these and other
recent disastrous occasions, the National Lifeboat Institu-
tion has granted rewards amounting to nearly £3OO to its
lifeboat crews and other persons, besides one gold medal and
13 silver medals, and other honorary distinctions.
There is at the present time a permanent expense on the
institution of maintaining 92 lifeboat stations, thoroughly
equipped, charged principally on its funds. The average
cost of supporting a lifeboat station is £3O a year. This
amount is expended as follows :—Payment of £8 a year to
the coxswain, or master of each boat ; £lO to £l2 to the
crew for exercising her every quarter, the remainder being
appropriated to meet the incidental charges or repairs, paint-
ing, &c., of lifeboat, carriage, and boat-house.
Surely such facts as these will rouse up the most lethargic
amongst us to help forward zealously and heartily so truly
philanthropic a cause. This is not the time when England
can afford to behold her sailors perishing by hundreds with-
out extending to them a helping hand by lifeboats and other
practical means, and endeavouring to snatch them from the
boiling elements. You have for years past unceasingly ad-
vocated this sacred cause, and perhaps there are many
wives and children who would now be widows and orphans
but for the services of lifeboats silently blessing your name,
and many others who have, like yourself, been assiduously
engaged in this good work. It should also be remembered
and pondered over that the very men whom the National
Lifeboat Institution fosters and encourages by its rewards to
perform frequently such deeds of daring in its lifeboats,
would unquestionably be the first and the bravest amongst
our sefaring population to repel an invading foe. On the
score, then, of humanity, love of country, and its commer-
cial prosperity, let every one who can help forward a cause
which appeals so strongly to our sympathies,, and nation-
ality.—l am, sir, your obedient servant,
RICHARD LEWIS, Secretary.
Royal National Lifeboat Institution,
14, John-street, Adelphi, Dec. 15, 1859.

The Duchess of Inverness gave a grand enter-
tainment last evening, at Kensington Palace, to their Royal
Highnesses the Duchess of Cambridge and the Princess
Mary and his Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge. The
following were invited to meet their royal highnesses :
His Excellency the Austrian Minister and the Countess
Apponyi and the Countess Baumgarten, the Countess of
Lichfield, Count Brandenburg, Count Paumgarten, Count
Wimpfen, Captain Falbe, Mr. George, Russell, &c.
The Duke of Buccleuch is staying at Bowhill,
his grace's hunting seat in Selkirkshire. The duchess and
Ladies Scott have taken up their residence at Dalkeith
Palace, near Edinburgh, for the wintar.

The Marquis of Bath has during the last fort-
night entertained a succession of visitors at Longleat, Wilts,

The Countess (Dowager) of Jersey, left Berkeley-
square yesterday for Middleton Park, near Bicester.
The Countess (Dowager) Granville, with Lord
and Lady Rivers, and the Hon. Misses Pitt,!are sojourning
at Eastiogton House, Bournemouth, until the end of
December.

Sir Robert Peel, Bart., has left Whiteha
gardens for Geneva.

The Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone. M.P., and
Mrs. Gladstone left Trentham for Edinburgh on Monday,
after visiting the Duke and Duchess of Sutherland during
the stay of their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess
d'Auinale at the ducal seat.

General Sir de Lacy and Lady Evans left the
Pavilion Hotel, Folkestone, yesterday, afte- a stay of three
months, for their town residence, Bryanstone-square.

Mr. Deedes, M.P., and Mrs. Deedes have arrived
at Farrattee's Hotel, from Sandling-park, Kent.

The dry dock at Mauritius is now open. The
Sarah Sands was the first ship which entered it. A ship
365 feet in length can be accommodated there. The dock
is SO feet wide at the top, and 40 feet wide at the bottom.
Its depth from surface of high water is 23 feet. The water
is pumped out in 21 hours.
THE WEATHER AND THE PARKS.—A considerable
number of persons yesterday ventured on the ponds and
canals in the various parks, though the ice is by no moans
strong enough yet to bear with safety. Several—as might
be expected—fell through, but no serieus accident occurred.
THE 'WEATHER IN THE PRoviNcgs.—During the
last day or two the weather has been exceedingly sharp and
winterly, and on Wednesday there was a fall of snow in
Leeds. Several of the trains were detained in consequence
of the drifting of the snow upon the rails, and the express
from York, due at Leeds about 11 o'clock, did not reach its
destination until half-past 12, the detention having occurred
in consequence of the engine and some of the carriages run-
ning off the line. No personal injury was sustained by any
of the passengers. On Wednesday large quantities of snow
fell, covering tho ground in Newcastle to a depth of two or
three inches. The mail from London on that evening was
delayed for a considerable time, but fortunately, so far as
we could ascertain, no accident occurred.
THE RELIGIOUS DISSENSIONS, ST. GEORGE'S,
EAST.—Yesterday evening a vestry meeting was specially
convened for the purpose of considering the conduct of the
rector in sending " a threatening letter " to the church-
wardens on the subject of their retention of the keys of the
parish church, which the rector claimed in connection with
his right as the ecclesiastical ruler of the parish. Mr.
Churchwarden Thompson, who presided, deprecated any
further movement and, without saying so in so many
words, gave the vestry to understand that between the
rector and the parishioners a compromise might be made if
the olive-branch of peace were held out by the parishioners.
Some discussion ensued, and at the earnest request of the
churchwarden the proceedings were adjourned, the church—
warden having pledged his word that he would not yield
an inch unless the wishes of the parishioners were com-
plied with.
DEATH OF Mn. DAVIDSON.—We have to record
the
knowsuudindetnhedtehaethatroifeaAllr. wolrlVd.
als.
air.
Wids.,
I.mporaevidfasomilin. allrlye
hroevanednabtiyoneen indisposed for some few weeks, but had
recovered,appa-
ggthutheitalete,sse havings
oft finishedh)andolymwar,
Olympic
8e
heartyT sho Theatre,
well
r supper, o.nt
hhlWednesday
enht
i nn od
up till midnight writing a farce, which ho intended to sub-
mitslept soundly till four o'clock the next morning,
esta-
blishment he had formerly been connected. tseemshe
awaking* with a sudden exclamation, he immediately f when,
1 v.l 11, e \ p:r,,l. l',lr. Davidson will' be rerainabere.l aasttehr;
I,isnal,;er of the Olympic Theatre in the year 15.18, For
the last few years lie has contributed chiefly to the Ameri-
can stage, and at one period obtained some repute as an
artist. It is much to be regretted that he leaves a widow
and children quite =provided for.