24
THE LIFE-BOAT. JOURNAL OP THE IRo^al Batfonal %ffe-Boat Jnstftutton. (ISSUED QUARTERLY.) VOL. XX.—No. 229.] IST AUGUST, 1908. [PRICE 3d. " MANY INVENTIONS." IT is only natural in this and other countries that the humane desire to improve the means for saving life from shipwreck should appeal to and occupy the minds of men -with a turn for invention or mechanically inclined. Such being the case, it will surprise few to learn that the offices of the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION are frequently visited by those who have given much time and thought to the praiseworthy object of the improvement of Life-boats or the methods of launching and transporting them, or to the gear used in connection with Life - boat work. It is perhaps needless to say that any suggestions or inventions likely to prove of even the smallest advantage are most eagerly welcomed, for, as has often been pointed out, the efficiency of the practical part of the Institution has been built up on experi- ence gained from those who have to use the Life-boats and from those who have taken a deep interest in their improve- ment. Unfortunately a very large number of inventors who visit the Life-boat Institution seem to have omitted what anyone would think would be the cardinal principle of finding out what has been done before in the particular direction in which they have spent much time, thought and often skill. A little trouble taken in making in- quiries, either at the offices of the Institution, or at the Patent Office or the British Museum, would in a very large percentage of cases save the expendi- ture of much misplaced energy and its resultant disappointment. It must be most disheartening, after weeks and months of trouble, to be told that your labours are wasted, and that the principle you are advocating has been tried and experimented on frequently before and found to be of no advantage. Such however is the experience of the greater number of inventors who visit the Institution, not that they ever go away convinced ! No doubt the ex- periences of the Life-boat Institution are by no means singular in this respect. A list of the strange devices which have been brought before the notice of the Life-boat Institution would fill a good-sized volume, but reference to a tew of what might be called " Freak Life-boats" possibly would prove of some interest to the readers of this Journal, and also might possibly act as a deterrent to those who are ambitious to swell the list. Different methods of propulsion (other than oars and sails) have long occupied the minds of inventors. A model of a steam Life-boat was submitted as early as 1850, but such is the difficulty of adapting means of propulsion to a boat which has to meet all the complicated requirements of Life-boat work, that it was not until 1889 that a steam Life- boat appeared on the list of the Institu- tion's fleet, and even now so few are VOL. XX.—No. 229.—LIFE-BOAT JOURNAL. 2 M

THE LIFE-BOAT. - Microsoft · the Life-boat ansd from thos wheo have taken a deep interest in thei improver - ment. Unfortunately a very large number of inventors wh visio tht Life-boae

  • Upload
    others

  • View
    1

  • Download
    0

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

Page 1: THE LIFE-BOAT. - Microsoft · the Life-boat ansd from thos wheo have taken a deep interest in thei improver - ment. Unfortunately a very large number of inventors wh visio tht Life-boae

THE LIFE-BOAT.J O U R N A L

OP THE

IRo^al Batfonal %ffe-Boat Jnstftutton.(ISSUED QUARTERLY.)

VOL. XX.—No. 229.] IST AUGUST, 1908. [PRICE 3d.

" MANY INVENTIONS."

IT is only natural in this and othercountries that the humane desire toimprove the means for saving lifefrom shipwreck should appeal to andoccupy the minds of men -with a turnfor invention or mechanically inclined.Such being the case, it will surprise fewto learn that the offices of the ROYALNATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION arefrequently visited by those who havegiven much time and thought to thepraiseworthy object of the improvementof Life-boats or the methods of launchingand transporting them, or to the gearused in connection with Life - boatwork. It is perhaps needless to saythat any suggestions or inventionslikely to prove of even the smallestadvantage are most eagerly welcomed,for, as has often been pointed out, theefficiency of the practical part of theInstitution has been built up on experi-ence gained from those who have to usethe Life-boats and from those who havetaken a deep interest in their improve-ment.

Unfortunately a very large numberof inventors who visit the Life-boatInstitution seem to have omitted whatanyone would think would be thecardinal principle of finding out whathas been done before in the particulardirection in which they have spentmuch time, thought and often skill.A little trouble taken in making in-quiries, either at the offices of theInstitution, or at the Patent Office or the

British Museum, would in a very largepercentage of cases save the expendi-ture of much misplaced energy and itsresultant disappointment. It must bemost disheartening, after weeks andmonths of trouble, to be told that yourlabours are wasted, and that theprinciple you are advocating has beentried and experimented on frequentlybefore and found to be of no advantage.Such however is the experience of thegreater number of inventors who visitthe Institution, not that they ever goaway convinced ! No doubt the ex-periences of the Life-boat Institutionare by no means singular in this respect.

A list of the strange devices whichhave been brought before the noticeof the Life-boat Institution would fill agood-sized volume, but reference to atew of what might be called " FreakLife-boats" possibly would prove ofsome interest to the readers of thisJournal, and also might possibly act asa deterrent to those who are ambitiousto swell the list.

Different methods of propulsion (otherthan oars and sails) have long occupiedthe minds of inventors. A model of asteam Life-boat was submitted as earlyas 1850, but such is the difficulty ofadapting means of propulsion to a boatwhich has to meet all the complicatedrequirements of Life-boat work, that itwas not until 1889 that a steam Life-boat appeared on the list of the Institu-tion's fleet, and even now so few are

VOL. XX.—No. 229.—LIFE-BOAT JOURNAL. 2 M

Page 2: THE LIFE-BOAT. - Microsoft · the Life-boat ansd from thos wheo have taken a deep interest in thei improver - ment. Unfortunately a very large number of inventors wh visio tht Life-boae

540 THE LIFE-BOAT. AUGUST, 1908.

the places at which a steam Life-boatcan honestly be said to justify the greatcost of upkeep, that there are only fourof these boats on the coast.

A very favourite idea with inventorsis to apply manual power to turn paddle-wheels or screw-propellers by means ofcranks, and numerous models anddesigns have been submitted to theInstitution having this method in view,but apart from many and obvious otherreasons against this idea, there hasnever been any proof adduced thatsufficient power or speed can be obtainedby this means, and as a method ofmanual propulsion the oar of unknownantiquity still reigns supreme.

Numerous mechanical systems ofpropulsion have, and are being, con-tinually advocated, such as enginesdriven by air or electricity, not tomention every conceivable kind of oiland gas motor, but with the exceptionof the last-named, with which the Insti-tution is busily engaged, either fromexcessive complication, weight or othercauses, none of these systems has yefcbeen found suitable for Life-boat work.

It is, however, in the variety of formand shape that the inventors havegiven the greatest scope to their energiesand imagination. Pontoons, rafts, cata-marans and such-like contrivances,often excellent for special work inforeign countries, are continually beingsubmitted. Most of such designs, un-doubtedly possessing at least one goodqualification for a Life-boat, namely,stability, but unfortunately lacking innearly every other necessary quality.Catamarans are much used in manyplaces, notably in Brazil, and it isknown that they keep at sea in heavyweather, but that is a very differentthing from being so much under controlas to be able to approach a wreck;neither can they be considered satis-factory for pulling off a lee shore in agale of wind. One type of pontoondescription has been given a very fairtrial in the Life-boat service, and also by

the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board,namely, Messrs. Richardson's TubularLife-boat. For very many years a fewof these were in use. One was tried atthose very important competitive Life-boat trials conducted by the Institutionwhich took place at Lowestoft and atMontrose in 1892-1893. Compared withthe sailing competitors, the tubular boatwas anything but a success, but in com-petition with the pulling Life-boats thistype showed to better advantage, and infact gained a good many adherents.In spite of this, and although for manyyears it was the custom to send deputa-tions of Life-boat men to see a tubularLife-boat before deciding on the de-scription of boat they required, this typeof boat has not " caught on," and isrepresented by a solitary example atRhyl, where, at any rate, it must beconceded that the men have every con-fidence and satisfaction in her.

Double boats, and even triple boats,have claimed a great deal of the atten-tion of inventors. These of coursehave a strong affinity to the pontoon ortubular Life-boats, and their advocateshave in many cases produced some ex-cellent examples of craft having greatstability and seaworthy qualities, butwhen all is said and done, this class ofboat leaves much to be desired from aLife-boat point of view, both in handi-ness and speed; added to this, to be ofany value they must be of considerablesize, requiring large boat-houses, andrendering them difficult to transport.

Formerly inventors turned theirminds towards fitting paddle-wheels indouble boats, and many people will nodoubt have seen boats of this descrip.tion on ornamental waters in publicparks, etc., usually propelled by cranksworked by the feet.

In addition to "double boats," bywhich is meant two boats joined togetherside by side, another form of " doubleboat" has claimed the attention of thoseanxious to help the Life-boat service,viz., one boat suspended within another,

Page 3: THE LIFE-BOAT. - Microsoft · the Life-boat ansd from thos wheo have taken a deep interest in thei improver - ment. Unfortunately a very large number of inventors wh visio tht Life-boae

IST AUGUST, 1908.] THE LIFE-BOAT. 541

much like a compass on its gimbals.Not content •with this anything butsimple departure in naval architecture,one design was submitted which furthercomplicated the arrangement by intro-ducing a screw propeller worked by sixmen.

Many designs for boats with openbottoms have also from time to timebeen, submitted. This, of course, isonly carrying to extremes the methodfor admitting water ballast formerly invogue in the Norfolk- and Suffolk Life-boats. It will be remembered thatthese boats had about 20 four-inch (orlarger) plugs in their bottom, whichwere withdrawn as soon as the boatwas afloat, the water then finding itsown level in the boat. Even this wasopen to objection and has been super-seded by the system of confining thewater ballast in tanks. The open-bottom boat, except in the case ofthe tubular Life-boats, has never comeinto practical use in the Life - boatservice.

A great variety of boats, completelycovered in by convex steel decks, orsome such method, having small hatchesby which to obtain access to the interior,have been invented, and brought tothe notice of the Life-boat Institution.Their power of keeping the sea hasfrequently been proved, but a great dealmore than this is required to make asuitable coast Life-boat, and in thesecovered-in boats one of the most im-portant necessities is absent, viz,., thepower of the crew to work the boatwhen nearing a wreck, and to assist ingetting the shipwrecked crew from theship to the Life-boat. It would indeedpuzzle a Life-boat Coxswain to transfera shipwrecked crew from a vesselstranded on the Goodwin Sands to aboat with a semicircular1 deck, withperhaps only a small hatch abouteighteen inches diameter, down whicheach of the survivors would have to betaken.

Whatever the description of boat used

as a coast Life-boat, she must be sodesigned that her Coxswain and crewcan not only see what they are about,but also have full freedom for their legsand arms, and be able, when required,to work together. Neither the intro-duction of steam nor motor-power willcounteract this necessity.

Boats have been designed combininga method of land transport with theirlegitimate functions as boats. Onesuch had carriage-wheels fixed on axlesunder two of the thwarts, with anarrangement for detaching the wheelsby means of a lever as soon as the boatwas afloat. Another had four littlewheels, twelve inches in diameter, fittedinto the keel, while several have beenfitted with a cylindrical roller in theirbottoms, to come into action when beinglaunched or hauled up.

One of the strangest suggestions evermade was that of a wicker Life-boatcovered with canvas, intended to berolled along the beach to the site of thewreck, and then opened out into boatshape.

Many systems of obtaining the powerto " self-right " have from time to timebeen submitted. In one case the designshowed five round shot placed in thebilge to roll from side to side against aspiral spring. Another designer advo-cated a suspended weight, in conjunctionwith the usual high end-boxes as usedby the Institution in their self-rightingLife-boats. Traversing ballast in variousforms other than the five rovmd shotalluded to above have had many ad-herents ; likewise many have favouredprinciples in which water is used for theself-righting agent, admitted in variousways into tanks. In fact, even tomention all the methods advocated formaking a boat " self-right " would pro-vide material for a long chapter.

Many strange means for getting ridof or ejecting water have also been pro-posed. Here again the systems havebeen usually of so complicated a de-scription as to render them quite

2 M 2

Page 4: THE LIFE-BOAT. - Microsoft · the Life-boat ansd from thos wheo have taken a deep interest in thei improver - ment. Unfortunately a very large number of inventors wh visio tht Life-boae

542 THE LIFE-BOAT. [1ST AUGUST, 1908.

unsuitable for Life-boats, especially asan extremely simple arrangement forself-baling has been found to fulfil allthe requirements.

Speaking generally, the inventors whovisit the Life-boat Institution have onefixed idea in their heads as to how Life-boat work is done, and have worked inthis direction, not having any experi-ence of the multifarious ways in whichLife-boats carry out their task, governedas it is by all sorts of geographicalconsiderations. Again, nearly everyinventor, in explaining his invention,begins by stating that his boat is uncap-sizable. Here is another pitfall, for itis a statement not at all likely to impressthose who have made the study of Life-boats their profession. It can honestlybe said that no absolutely uncapsizableboat or even ship has ever yet made itsappearance, rafts there may be. Stability

is comparative only, size, form and dis-tribution of weights being the governingfactors. If it is permissible to offer aword of advice to those anxious toimprove the machinery used by theROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITU-TION; let them, before setting themselvesto a hard and intricate task, first studythe methods in which Life-boat work iscarried out, not only at one part of thecoast, but at many parts, and if this isimpossible, they should try to ascertainwhat has been done before in the par-ticular direction in which they think animprovement might be effected. By so

j doing valuable time will be saved anddisappointment avoided.

The Life-boat Institution has muchto be grateful for in the efforts ofinventors, but it is specially indebted tothose who have carefully studied thesubject before making their proposals.

PRESENTATION BY H.R.H. THE PRINCE OF WALES TO A

GALLANT LIFE-BOAT COXSWAIN.

ON the 4th May, 1908, the Prince ofWales, who is the President of theROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTIONand takes the greatest interest in itswork and welfare, graciously commandedMr. William Owen, the Coxswain-Superintendent of the Institution's steamLife-boat Duke of Northumberland,stationed at Holyhead, to attend atMarlborough House in order that hemight confer on him the Institution'sGold Medal, the highest award for life-saving bestowed by the Committee ofManagement, for a service of exceptionalmerit attended by grave risk to all onboard the Life-boat, and which wouldalmost certainly have ended disastrouslyhad it not been for the gallant and ex-tremely skilful management of the Life-boat by Owen. His Royal Highness, whowas attended on the occasion by ColonelFitzRoy Clayton (Deputy-Chairman ofthe Institution), Mr. Charles Dibdin

(the Secretary), and Commander St.Vincent Nepean, M.V.O., R.N. (ChiefInspector of Life-boats), after pinningthe Gold Medal on Owen's breast andpresenting him with a framed vellumof the Committee's resolution, whichH.R.H. had signed, conferring themedal, heartily congratulated himupon his gallant and intrepid conduct,and shook him cordially by the hand.Mr. William Owen when he was pre-sented was wearing the Silver Medalof the Institution voted him for a

j gallant rescue in 1890, and also theSilver Medal of the Royal HumaneSociety. The following are the detailsof the service in respect of which theGold Medal was conferred on CoxswainOwen.

On the 22nd February, 1908, a galeof unusual severity blew over the wholeof the United Kingdom, and at about2 P.M. the Holyhead Steam Life-boat

Page 5: THE LIFE-BOAT. - Microsoft · the Life-boat ansd from thos wheo have taken a deep interest in thei improver - ment. Unfortunately a very large number of inventors wh visio tht Life-boae

IST AUGUST, 1908.] THE LIFE-BOAT. 543

had returned but a very short time fromrendering valuable assistance to a dis-abled steamer when information wasreceived that another steamer, theHarold, of Liverpool, was in difficulties.She was attempting to reach Holyheadbut was drifting with the ebb tidetowards that precipitous and rockboundpart of the coast of Anglesey between thetwo projecting headlands known as theNorth and South " Stacks." The Life-boat was ordered out again immediatelyand notwithstanding the terrible seaswhich were running she made for thedisabled craft. By this time the wind,which was westerly and had been in-creasing, was blowing with hurricaneforce at a velocity of upwards of eightymiles an hour, but the Steam Life-boatmade headway against it as probably noother boat could have done.

On reaching the neighbourhood ofthe distressed steamer it was found thatshe was anchored not very far from theshore but with such tremendous seasaround her that it was quite impossiblefor the Life-boat to even get near her.Huge waves tossed the Life-boat aboutlike a cork, but eventually, after twohours' very skilful manoeuvring by Cox-swain Owen and owing to the slacken-ing tide for which he had waited, theLife-boat was able to approach suffi-ciently near for communication to beeffected by means of a rope. Seven of thecrew of the ill-fated steamer were by theuse of lines drawn through the waier tothe Life-boat, when a heavy sea suddenlycarried her almost alongside the steamerand the two remaining men jumped onboard. The rope was slipped and theLife-boat steamed clear, happily success-fully, and it was a great relief to allwhen Holyhead was reached in safety.

During the whole time the Life-boatwas out the sea was described as" mountainous," and the successfulrescue of the steamer's crew is worthyof unqualified praise. The service wasattended by the greatest danger, as theLife-boat was at times in imminent

peril of being driven against the dis-abled ship. Had this occurred it wouldprobably have meant death to all onboard the Life-boat. The coolness andintrepidity displayed by Coxswain Owenand the crew of the Life-boat were thesubject of universal admiration at Holy-head, and this, together with the Cox-swain's gallant and skilful managementwere folly appreciated by the Committeeof Management of the Institution. Theslightest error of judgment on the partof Coxswain Owen or any hesitancy incarrying out his orders must have occa-sioned disaster.

In recognition of the gallantry dis-played, the Committee of Managementof the Institution, in addition topecuniary grants, and conferring theGold Medal upon Coxswain Owen,bestowed the Silver Medal on each of theengine-room staff and the deck hands(eleven in all), the position of the formerhaving been particularly trying, as theywere battened down below and inignorance of what was taking placearound them.

The behaviour of the Life-boatthroughout was much extolled, both bythose "who were in her and by all whowitnessed the service. The steamerHarold was a small craft of seventy-fivetons and at the time of the disaster wasbound from Teignmouth to Buncornwith a cargo of china clay. She becamea total wreck the next day.

The Silver Medals of the Institutionwere publicly presented to the recipientson the 14th May at a function speciallyarranged for the purpose at the TownHall, Holyhead, the President of thebranch, Lord Stanley .of Alder ley, kindlyhanding them to them. The meetingwas also attended by the Admiral Burr,C.M.G., M. V. O. (Vice - President),Captain McKinstry (Chairman), theRev. Chancellor Owen Lloyd Williams,Mr. J. Lewis (Hon. Secretary), theCommittee, and by a large and re-presentative number of friends, theceremony passing off with great'_eclat.

Page 6: THE LIFE-BOAT. - Microsoft · the Life-boat ansd from thos wheo have taken a deep interest in thei improver - ment. Unfortunately a very large number of inventors wh visio tht Life-boae

544 THE LIFE-BOAT. [1ST AUGUST, 1908.

LIFE-BOAT SATURDAY FUND.

EVERYBODY is complaining that tradeand business are bad, and that as aresult any effort to raise money forcharitable purposes requires an operationsimilar to that time-honoured one ofextracting "blood from a stone" ! Itis sad indeed that we have fallen appar-ently on bad times, but notwithstandingthis it is gratifying to find—and thisgives a gleam of brightness in the dark-ness—that there are very many self-denying and good people about who arenot to be daunted in their work forothers by any obstacle or failure, un-promising as their efforts may appear.Fortunately for the ROYAL NATIONALLIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION thousands ofthese good kind people seem to take aspecial interest in the Life-boat cause—-the work of the Institution and itsbranches, the heroism of the Life-boatcrews, their injured members, the tearsof the poor widows and orphans ofthose breadwinners who nobly perish asLife-boatmen in their grand efforts torescue fellow-creatures from a waterygrave. The summer months whichbring—or ought to bring—sunshine and

joy are those specially chosen by theLife-boat Saturday worke'rs in which tourge the object of their appeal on theBritish Public, whether in the highways

! of our large cities and towns, on theJ promenade and the beach of our water-j ing-places, or in the mill and thefactory; and we would ask all whohave any thought at all for the meritsof the appeal to encourage and aid theefforts of the workers iu their uphill

! and unselfish task. For fourscore yearsi and more the Life-boat Institution ofGreat Britain has been strenuouslyworking to minimise the loss of life

I from shipwreck on our dangerous shores,and hitherto the efficiency of this theoldest and largest life-saving service inthe world has been maintained andsupported by voluntary effort. Thisalone, coupled with the fact thatdirectly or indirectly upwards of 47,000lives have been saved as the resultof the organisation, should entitle,we think, any application on itsbehalf for financial assistance to aresponse at once prompt and favour-able.

LIFE-BOAT WORK IN FRANCE.FEOM time to time special attention hasbeen drawn in the LIFE-BOAT JOURNALto the excellent work in life-saving doneby means of Life-boats, etc., connectedwith the Life-boat services on the Con-tinent and elsewhere, all of which havecome into existence since the establish- '•ment of our own Institution in 1824. |No Life-boat services on the Continentare, perhaps, more interesting to us in |Great Britain than those of our goodfriends the French, the largest and mostimportant of which is,that so admirably Iand usefully managed by the Societe iCentrale de Sauvetage des Naufrages,which has its headquarters in Paris. !This Society was founded by Decree |on the 17th November, 1865, to render

assistance to shipwrecked persons andto the victims of the "evenements" ofthe sea on the coasts of France, Algeriaand Tunis. Ever since the formationof the Society the officials have beenin constant communication with theofficials of the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, who have found it apleasure and a privilege to give everypossible aid and advice to their col-leagues in France. Indeed, many yearsago a Life-boat was built for Calais inEngland under the special supervisionof our Institution. The great majorityof the 107 Life-boats of the SocieteCentrale are of the self-righting type,which was introduced originally intoFrance after correspondence with the

Page 7: THE LIFE-BOAT. - Microsoft · the Life-boat ansd from thos wheo have taken a deep interest in thei improver - ment. Unfortunately a very large number of inventors wh visio tht Life-boae

IST AUGUST, 1908.] THE LIFE-BOAT. 545

Institution, and most of them are pro-vided with transporting carriages. Asa general rule the crews of the Life-boatsconsist of twelve men—a coxswain, asecond coxswain, and ten. others for theoars, another ten men being enrolledfor service in case of need. The cox-swains, as with us, receive an annualretaining fee, the rest being paid onlyon the occasions when they are employedeither for service or exercise. Thecrews, composed principally of fisher-men, go out for exercise quarterly.The Society has recently added asteamer of 374 tons to its fleet at acost of 3,OOOZ. She has been stationedat Royan, where she will at all timesbe ready to render assistance to anyvessel in distress at the mouth of theGironde. At upwards of 500 places onthe coast the Society has placed therocket apparatus, life-buoys, and otherlife-saving apparatus, and these are forthe most part entrusted to the care ofCustom House officials. The cost of estab-lishing aLif e-boat station in France ranges

from l.OOOZ. to 1,200Z., and the averageexpenditure on upkeep is at least 60Z.a year. The Society estimates the valueof its property on the coast at about120,000?. The total number of livessaved by the Societe Centrale, or forthe saving of which it had grantedrewards, since its foundation in 1865,was, on the 31st December, 1907,16,382, and the total number of shipsassisted was 1,349.

The Societe Centrale is supported byvoluntary contributions, and the Com-mittee appeal earnestly to the publicfor help, as we do on this side of theChannel. The expenditure of theSociety in 1907 was 332,044/. 2.35c.(13,281Z. 7s. 2d.). Although the FrenchGovernment gives the Societe Centraleno regular financial assistance, it con-tributes to the establishment of eachnew station. Our readers will, we feelsure, wish the sister service in Francea hearty " God-speed " and all possiblesuccess in its very important mission ofmercy.

THE LIFE-BOAT'S CREW.

WHEN raging seas the bark assail,And hope recedes before the gale,Who follow in the storm's fierce trail?

The Life-boat's crew.

Who shrink not from destruction's throes,Nor quail before the dreadful blows,When hurricanes their forms disclose ?

The Life-boat's crew.

Who, on the surging billows thrown,Still thread the ever-darkening zone,With courage but by heroes known?

The Life-boat's crew.

No death-bolts from their hands are hurled,See " Rescue" on their flag unfurled 1They battle but to bless the world,

The Life-boat's crew!

Hail 1 to the hearts so true, so brave IDefying oft the watery grave 1Intent alone to aid and save 1

Hail 1 noble crew ! ALBERT MIDLANE.

Page 8: THE LIFE-BOAT. - Microsoft · the Life-boat ansd from thos wheo have taken a deep interest in thei improver - ment. Unfortunately a very large number of inventors wh visio tht Life-boae

546 THE LIFE-BOAT. [1ST AUGUST, 1908.

SERVICES OF THE LIFE-BOATS OF THE ROYAL NATIONALLIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION.

ROSSLARE HARBOUR, co. WEXFORD.—During a moderate E.S.E. gale on the1st January signals of distress wereobserved at 9.30 A.M. on a schoonerlying at anchor in Rosslare Bay. Thecrew of the Life-boat Tom and Jenniewere assembled, and in a heavy sea theboat proceeded to the assistance of thoseon board. On reaching the vessel themaster reported that she was leakingbadly and he required the assistance ofa tug to tow him into harbour. At therequest of the master the Life-boattherefore returned ashore to telephonefor a tug. The vessel was the WilliamThompson, of Wexford, laden with coaland bound from Newport to Wexford.

KESSINGLAND, SUFFOLK.—At 7.30 onthe morning of the 6th January a vesselwas observed on the West BarnardSand with a signal of distress flying.Information was given to the Coxswainand the No. 1 Life-boat Bolton wassmartly launched. On reaching thevessel, which proved to be the smackYoung Bert, of Lowestoft, she was foundto be in a bad state, having sprung aleak. The assistance of the Life-boat-men was accepted by the master andevery effort was made to save the craft.Eventually the efforts were successfulaud the smack floated. She was thentaken to Lowestoft accompanied by theLife-boat, the Life-boatmen remainingon board to assist at the pumps. Thewind was blowing strongly from W.S.W.with a heavy swell at the time of theservice, and considerable difficulty wasexperienced in getting alongside thesmack, some of the Life-boat's gear beingcarried away.

MONTROSE, FORFARSHIRE. — Duringa whole W.S.W. gale on the 6thJanuary a fishing-boat was observed inthe offing in a helpless condition, withher foremast carried away. In responseto her signals the No. 1 Life-boat SarahJane Turner was promptly despatchedto her assistance under sail, but beforeshe could reach her another fishing-boatwent to the help of the men on board.

The fishing-boat took the boat in towand proceeded towards the harbour. Asthere was a heavy sea running the Life-boat stood by the fishing-boats, untilboth were in safety, she then returnedto her station and was re-housed. Thedisabled boat was the Caledonia ofFerryden.

ST. IVES, CORNWALL.—At about 9.15P.M. on the 7th January, during a heavyN.W. gale, a vessel was seen runningfor the harbour, but on nearing theentrance she missed stays and wasdriven on to Porthminster Beach, firststriking heavily on Pednolver Point.Within a quarter of an hour the Life-

, boat James Stevens No. 10 was launchedand on her way to the distressed vessel.After some little difficulty she succeededin rescuing the crew, five in number,and in the teeth of the gale landedthem safely in the harbour about 10.30P.M. Owing to the heavy swell in theharbour the Life-boat could not be re-housed until 2 A.M. The vessel was theschooner Lizzie R. Wilce, of Falmouth,

I and was bound from Swansea to St.i Malo with a cargo of coal. She becamea total wreck.

About three hours after she had beenre-housed the Life-boat was again calledout to the assistance of the schoonerMary Barrow, of Barrow. The vesselhad been making for the harbour forshelter, but owing to the low state of the

i tide she struck heavily on the ridge! and was quickly driven ashore on thePorthminster Beach. The Life-boatanchored and veered down to the wreck.After considerable danger, due to thevery heavy sea, the five men on boardwere rescued and taken into safety.The vessel, which also had a cargo ofcoal, was bound from Swansea to theIsle of Wight.

PENMON, ANGLESEY.—At 10.30 P.M.on the 7th January the Coxswain of theLife-boat Christopher Brown receivedinformation by telephone from the light-keeper at Trwyn Dhu Lighthouse, thata vessel in close proximity to the Dutch-

Page 9: THE LIFE-BOAT. - Microsoft · the Life-boat ansd from thos wheo have taken a deep interest in thei improver - ment. Unfortunately a very large number of inventors wh visio tht Life-boae

lax AUGUST, 1908.] THE LIFE-BOAT. 547

man Bank was making signals. Thecrew of the Life-boat were summonecand the boat launched. On reachingthe vessel, she proved to be the schoonerMaggie BrocMebank, of Barrow. Shewas anchored in a dangerous positionon the edge of the bank where shewould ground at low water and verymuch exposed to the northerly windshould it freshen (which subsequentlyhappened eventually blowing a wholegale). The master asked for assistanceto remove his vessel to a safer anchorageand four Life-boatmen were placed onboard. She was then taken up toFryar's roads, the Life-boat accompany-ing her until in safety. The schoonerwas bound at the time from South-ampton to Birkenhead with a cargoof steel rails.

MOELFRE, ANGLESEY.—One of theworst gales that had been experiencedfor some years blew off Anglesey on the8th January, and at 8.40 A.M. theketch Margaret Elizabeth of Beaumarisstranded near Moelfre.

The Life-boat Star of Hope waspromptly launched and in a very heavysea rescued the two men on board. Therescue was a timely one because two hoursafter the crew were taken off the ketchhad gone to pieces on the rocks. At thetime of the disaster ahe was bound fromCemaes to Glasson Dock with a cargoof oats.

SOUTHESTD-ON-SEA, ESSEX.—Shortlybefore 9 A.M. on the 8th January atelephone message was received fromthe Maplin Lighthouse, stating thatthere was a barge ashore on the"Burrows" with a signal of distress inher rigging. There was a strongW.N.W. gale at the time accompaniedby a rough sea, and with all promptnesspossible the Life-boat James Stevens No. 9was despatched to the assistance ofthe men on board. About 10.30 theCoxswain found the barge Dorothea ofHarwich stranded in the position in-dicated with her sprit broken and sailsblown away. She was bound fromLowestoft to Grays, Essex, and her boathad been smashed. The Life-boatmenwere employed to save the vessel andsucceeded in getting her and her crew

of two men into safety about 4 P.M.The Life-boat then made for Southend,arriving at midnight.

PADSTOW, CORNWALL. — During awhole N.N.W. gale on the 8th Januarya vessel was sighted dismasted andapparently at anchor about eight milesoff Trevose Head. The crew of theNo. 2 Life-boat Edmund Harvey weresummoned, and in tow of the Institution'stug she proceeded to the vessel. A veryheavy sea was running and on arrivalit was found that fourteen of the crewhad been rescued by a steamer, whilst aboy had unfortunately perished beforethe arrival of help. Seven men stillremained on board and with considerabledifficulty they were rescued and conveyedinto safety, Padstow being reached at5.30 P.M. The vessel was the barqueEuropa of Bilbao.

GILES QUAY, co. LOUTH.—About4 o'clock in the afternoon on the 8thJanuary a telephone message was re-ceived from Newcastle stating that aschooner had been sighted to the south-westward drifting in an apparentlydisabled condition. A look-out waskept and an hour and a half later thevessel was seen to the south-east ofGiles Quay. The Life-boat Providencewas launched and on reaching the vesselfound that she was the schooner Ethelof Drogheda, bound from Dublin toBelfast with a cargo. A heavy sea wasrunning and in the fresh E.N.E. galethe schooner's foreyard was carriedaway and all the head sails had blownaway. At the request of the Masterfive of the Life-boatmen went aboardand stowed the torn canvas; the Life-soat then stood by the vessel until theweather moderated about 3 A.M. thenext morning.

LOWESTOFT, SUFFOLK.—The schoonerJanet, of Carnarvon, whilst bound fromYarmouth to Portsmouth, with a cargoof wood, stranded on the 10th Januaryon the Holm Sand. The No. 1 Life-joat Kentwell, in tow of a tug, proceededto her assistance, but just before she;ot to her the schooner knocked over.he sand into deep water. As she waseaking badly several of the Life-boat-

Page 10: THE LIFE-BOAT. - Microsoft · the Life-boat ansd from thos wheo have taken a deep interest in thei improver - ment. Unfortunately a very large number of inventors wh visio tht Life-boae

548 THE LIFE-BOAT. [1ST AUGUST, 1908.

men were put on board and they assistedto make fast the tow-rope from the tug.The vessel was then taken to LowestoftHarbour accompanied by the Life-boat.During this service the sea was heavybut the wind was light.

ROSSLABB HABBOUK, co. WEXFORD.—-About 8 P.M. on the llth January, theCoastguard reported that there was avessel on the Splaugh rock, and theLife-boat Tom and Jennie was promptlydespatched to her assistance. After aheavy beat against wind and tide theLife-boat found the schooner Navigator,of Arklow, as stated. She went along-side and rescued the six men on board,regaining her station at 6 o'clock thenext morning. The schooner was boundfrom Liverpool to Foynes with a cargoof coal, and but for a sudden change inthe direction of the wind after the crewwere rescued she would have become atotal wreck.

KESSINGLAND, SUFFOLK.—About 10P.M. on the 15th January, the Coast-guard watchman reported that a steamerwas blowing her whistle apparently closeto the shore. The weather was thickat the time and nothing could be seen,but on the fog lifting a little a steamerwas observed stranded two miles to thesouthward. The Coxswain at oncedecided to launch the No. 2 Life-boatSt. Paul. On arriving on the scene ofthe casualty the steamship Briton, ofStettin, bound from Calais to Leithwith a general cargo, was found in needof assistance. The crew were at onceemployed to salve the vessel, and themajority of the Life-boatmen were placedon board. It was then seen that tosave the vessel additional help would benecessary, and signals to the shore wereaccordingly made. In response theNo. 1 Life-boat Solton was launchedand reached the steamer shortly aftermidnight. Throughout the night theLife-boatmen in conjunction with tugsworked to float the vessel, and at 8 A.M.on the 16th idem, they were successful,the steamer being taken to Lowestoft.During the night there was a veryrough sea alongside the steamer and themen were exposed to a strong and bitterS.S.W. wind.

PALLING and WINTESTOX, NOBFOLK.—At 9.25 A.M., on the 16th January, atelephone message was received at Pal-ling stating that a steamer was ashoreon the Hasboro' Sands.

The No. 2 Life-boat Hearts of Oakwas promptly despatched and found thes.s. Excellent of Sunderland, bound fromthe Tyne to London with a cargo ofcoal on the sand. The weather at thetime was hazy, the wind about S.W., afresh breeze and a nasty choppy sea.The Life-boat in going alongside thesteamship received considerable damagebeing partially stove in, but the crewwere engaged to try and salve the vesseland failing that to save the twenty-twomen on board. The crew of the Winter-ton No. 2 Life-boat, which had also putoff to the vessel, were in additionengaged by the Captain to assist in thesalvage work. Anchors were run outand the work proceeded until the after-noon when with the assistance of a tugthe vessel got off. She was then taken,accompanied by the Life-boats, intoYarmouth Harbour, the Life-boatsgetting back to their respective stationsnext day.

NEWBIGGIN, NORTHUMBERLAND.—Astrong westerly gale with a rough seacame up, on the 16th January, whilst thefishing cobles were at sea, and about11 A.M. the Life-boat Ada Lewis waslaunched to attend them into safety.The gale having arisen quite suddenlythe fishing gear had to be left, and theLife-boat was launched very hurriedly.Some of the crew being at sea a scratchcrew manned the boat and the womenof the place assisted in launching her.Great alarm was felt for some time forthe safety of one coble whose sail hadbeen lowered as she could not be seenin the spindrift; happily however theboats reached the harbour in safety.

WALMER, KENT.—The four-mastedbarque Lisbeth of Hamburg, whilstsailing into the Downs on the 17thJanuary took the ground off WalmerCastle. The Coastguard having warnedthe Coxswain of the Life-boat CivilService No. 4, the boat was launchedand proceeded to her. At the requestof the captain the boat stood by the

Page 11: THE LIFE-BOAT. - Microsoft · the Life-boat ansd from thos wheo have taken a deep interest in thei improver - ment. Unfortunately a very large number of inventors wh visio tht Life-boae

IST AUGUST, 1908.] THE LIFE-BOAT. 549

barque until about 10 P.M., when withthe help of a tug the vessel was floated.A moderate W.S.W. gale was blowingat the time and the sea was rough.

CLOVELLY, NORTH DEVON.—At about4.15 on the morning of the 27th January

•during a thick fog a boat with nine menin her landed at Clovelly. They reportedthat their steamer, the Huddersfield, ofCardiff, was ashore about four miles tothe westward with the remainder of thecrew, twelve in number, on board. Thesea was rough with a heavy ground-swelland the wind was strong from W.S.W.

The Life-boat Minor Soget waslaunched and found the steamer asreported about a mile from the HartlandLighthouse, with the sea making aclean breach over her. All the boats onboard had been smashed and the menhad no means of escape. The twelvewere successfully rescued and conveyedto Clovelly, where they were landed at9.30 A.M.

The vessel was bound from Barry tothe River Plate with 3,000 tons of coal,and when the men were rescued thesteamer was completely submerged.

NORTH SUNDERLAND, NORTHUMBER-LAND.—A stormy westerly breeze wasblowing in the early morning of the27th January, and only three of theNorth Sunderland cobles ventured out,two or three from Beadnell being out.During the forenoon the wind fresheneduntil it blew a hurricane from W.N.W.As it was evident that the NorthSunderland craft intended to try andmake the harbour the Life-boat. ForsterFawsett was launched to protect themen on board. With considerable diffi-culty and risk the cobles got in, onebeing nearly capsized between the piers.

The Life-boat then proceeded to oneof the Beadnell boats named the SeaNymph. If the wind had held she couldnot have got in but must have beenblown out to sea. The wind howevereased somewhat and the coble made theharbour at Beadnell safely, beingattended by the Life-boat the wholeway.

YARMOUTH, NORFOLK.—Shortly afternoon on the 28th January the brig

Fleetwing, of Carnarvonshire, whilstbound to King's Lynn, was observed tomiss stays when close to the Scrobysands and let go her anchors. As itwas thought that the vessel was on thesands, the Life-boat John SurcJi waslaunched to her assistance. On arrivalit was found that she was not actuallyaground but in a very dangerous position,with the sea breaking quite close to her.The Life-boat's crew were employed bythe captain to get the brig's anchorswhich had fouled, and to get the vesselinto a safer position. With the assist-ance of a tug this was accomplished, andthe vessel was towed into YarmouthRoads and anchored.

ST. IVBS, CORNWALL.—About 8 P.M.on the 28th January, during a verystrong N.N.W. gale, signals of distresswere seen from a ketch which had putinto the bay for shelter and was ridingheavily to her anchors. The Life-boatJames Stevens No. 10 was launched,and within half-an-hour had rescuedthe three men on board. The ketchwas the Yswith, of Padstow, and wasbound at the time from Llanelly toPalmouth.

When the Life-boat had rescued thecrew she then proceeded to the trawlerVictor, of Brixham, which was alsoriding heavily, and having rescued thefour men on board, she made for theharbour, where all were landed in safety.Shortly afterwards the ketch parted hercables and was driven ashore on CarrackGladden beach, where she became atotal wreck.

The trawler Victor happily rode outthe gale, and next morning the Life-boatmen replaced the crew on boardand assisted to work the craft out ofthe bay.

RAMSEY, ISLE OP MAN.—The Life-boat Mary Isabella was launched atabout 8.45 P.M. on the 28th January, ina moderate N.E. gale, in response todistress signals from a schooner abouttwo and a half miles off the harbour.She was riding at single anchor, hersails having been blown away, and itwas feared she would drag. A heavysea was running. On the arrival of theLife-boat the four men on board were

Page 12: THE LIFE-BOAT. - Microsoft · the Life-boat ansd from thos wheo have taken a deep interest in thei improver - ment. Unfortunately a very large number of inventors wh visio tht Life-boae

550 THE LIFE-BOAT. [IST AUGUST, 1908.

rescued and taken into safety. Thevessel was the schooner Quiding Star, ofRuncorn, and was bound at the timefrom Teignmouth to Glasgow with acargo of clay.

YARMOUTH, NOBFOLK.—On the 30thJanuary the schooner John Pickard, ofGoole, whilst bound to London withcoal, sprang a leak when near the SouthCaistor Buoy. Her signals of distresswere observed by the Coastguard, whoreported them to the Coxswain of the Life-boat John Burch. The boat was at once

of the Life-boat Civil Service No. 6, con-sidered it advisable to launch the Life-boat. The crew were summoned andthe boat launched. On reaching theBegalia, the master stated the clew ofthe mainsail had started, and there wasconsiderable danger of it blowing away.The Life-boat therefore stood by thevessel and accompanied her to land incase she should have been renderedhelpless.

FLAMBOBOUGH, YOBKSHIBK. — At6 A.M. on the 4th February a telephone

By permission of Mr. Henry Jackson, Liverpool.

launched and proceeded to the schooner,whose captain engaged the crew tosave her. Men were placed on boardto assist with the pumps, and by theunited efforts of the Life-boatmenand a tug the vessel was taken into theroads.

DOUGLAS, ISLE OF MAN.—The fishingvessel Begalia, of Douglas, was underobservation about seven miles off theshore on the 3rd January, on accountof the very choppy sea and the strongW.N.W. gale prevailing. About noonthe vessel was missed, and the Coxswain

message was received stating that a shipwas burning flares as a signal of distressclose to the headland. With all hastethe No. 2 Life-boat Matthew Middleuoodwas launched and proceeded to her.They found that she was the ketchPrincess May, of Littlehampton, boundfor Sunderland loaded, and in the strongnorth-west gale had lost one of hermasts. Assistance was offered- butdeclined ; the Life - boat thereforestood by the ketch until it was seenthat she would be able to get intosafety. The boat then returnedashore.

Page 13: THE LIFE-BOAT. - Microsoft · the Life-boat ansd from thos wheo have taken a deep interest in thei improver - ment. Unfortunately a very large number of inventors wh visio tht Life-boae

IST AUGUST, 1908.] THE LIFE-BOAT. 551

RUNSWICK, YORKSHIRE.—Fifteen ofthe fishing cobles belonging to Staithesand two belonging to Whitby had goneoff in the morning of the 7th Februaryto the fishing, when a heavy sea cameon, rendering it impossible for them toreach their own ports. Owing to themen's lack of knowledge of the pecu-liarities of Runswick Bay and the dangerin the heavy sea, the Coxswain of theLife-boat Gape of Good Hope launchedhis boat and assisted them all into safety.

NEWHAVEN, SUSSEX.—At 10.30 A.M.on the 8th February the Coastguardreported that a fishing vessel was ashoreabout four miles to the eastward ofNewhaven Harbour. The weather wasmoderate, but as the sea was makingand the wind freshening, the motor Life-boat Michael Henry proceeded to her.The vessel proved to be the Volunteer,of Colchester, and at the request of theskipper the Life-boat stood by her untilshe floated. The Life-boat then returnedto her station. To perform this servicethe motor, which had recently beenfitted in the Life-boat, was used.The motor worked admirably and gavethe greatest satisfaction.

WHITBY, YORKSHIRE.—During a verylight N.N.W. breeze, on the 10thFebruary, the coble Robert and Mary,belonging to Whitby, came from Runs-wick to work her crab-pots at theback of Whitby rock. There was aheavy sea on the Bar and a verystrong outset; the Rocket brigadetherefore had a line and life-buoysstretched between the piers.- About2.30 P.M. the coble made for the harbour,and as there was great risk to those onboard, the Coxswain considered it ad-visable to launch the Life-boat Robertand Mary Ellis, more particularly as,should anything happen to the coble,the occupants would be driven outsidethe harbour and be out of reach of thelife-buoys. After the Life-boat hadstarted, the crew of the coble signalledto her to go to them. She accordinglydid so and escorted the coble in.

KINGSTOWN, co. DUBLIN.—On the14th-15th February, shortly after mid-night, the Coastguard reported that a

vessel was ashore near the SuttonCoastguard station, on the north sideof Dublin Bay, and with all haste theNo. 2 Life-boat Dunleary was sent toher assistance. There was a strong S.to W.S.W. gale at the time, and thesea was rough. On reaching the vessel,which was the schooner Truthseeker, ofRuncorn, bound for Dublin, the crewdeclined to leave their vessel and statedthat they did not require any help.The Life-boat then stood by her untilmorning, in case their services shouldbe required, but the wind having thenmoderated, and the schooner being highand dry the Life-boat returned toKingstown.

NORTH SUNDERLAND, NORTHUMBER-LAND.—The steamer Geir, of Bergen,whilst bound for Blyth in ballast,stranded on the Knavestone Rock,Fame Islands, on the night of the18th February, during a northerly galeand heavy sea. Information reachedthe North Sunderland Life-boat Stationabout 7 P.M., and within a few minutes theLife-boat Forster Fawsett was launched.

On arriving at the scene of the wreck,it was necessary for the Life-boatmento use the greatest caution in approach-ing her, on account of the exceedinglydangerous nature of the locality. Evenin fine weather the sea is heavy there,and the tide and current are very strong.To go alongside the steamer to rescuethe crew was not possible. The Cox-swain, James Robson, therefore, afterfully considering the matter, decided toland on an adjoining small rock, takinga life-buoy with him. When he hadsafely accomplished this, the Life-boatwas pulled out into a safer position.By means of lines the crew of thesteamer, fourteen in number, got to therock on which the Coxswain stood, andthen, placing themselves in the life-buoy, they were one by one hauledthrough the sea to the Life-boat, theCoxswain being the last man to goaboard.

The conduct of the Coxswain, whowas only twenty-eight years of age, inacting in the manner he did, was bothgallant and praiseworthy, and a largenumber of people who awaited the Life-boat's return, loudly cheered the crew

Page 14: THE LIFE-BOAT. - Microsoft · the Life-boat ansd from thos wheo have taken a deep interest in thei improver - ment. Unfortunately a very large number of inventors wh visio tht Life-boae

552 THE LIFE-BOAT. [1ST AUGUST, 1908.

when she entered the harbour about11 P.M.

The Committee of Management, inrecognition of the gallant conduct andzeal displayed by the Coxswain, awardedhim the silver medal of the Institution.The presentation was made publicly,about a month later, by the Chairmanof the Local Committee, and on thesame occasion a framed certificate ofservice was presented to MICHAELROBSON, his father, who had recentlyrelinquished the post of CoxswainSuperintendent in favour of his son,after many years of faithful service.

FILEY, YORKSHIRE. — The fishingcobles belonging to Filey had, as usual,gone off for the fishing in the earlymorning of the 22nd February. Thewind increased, until about 10.30 A.M.it was blowing a gale, and six of thecobles were to the northward of theBrigg. As it was realised that theycould not reach home without danger tothe crews, the Life-boat Hollon the Thirdwas launched and proceeded to them.The wind continued to increase until awhole gale was blowing, but happilywith the assistance of the Life-boat allthe cobles were in safety by 2.15 P.M.

HOLYHEAD, ANGLESEY.—An excep-tionally severe gale was experienced onall coasts of the United Kingdom onthe 22nd February, and about 12.40 P.M.the steam Life-boat Duke of Northumber-land was called out to the assistance ofthe s.s. Bencroy, of Liverpool. Thewind was blowing W.S.W., and owingto the heavy seas outside the harbourthe steamer was not under control.Before help could reach her the vessellet go her anchors, but they did nothold, and when the Life-boat reachedher she was actually on the breakwater.Prompt help was given, two Life-boat-men being placed on board and ropesrun to another steamer. By this meansthe vessel was towed clear and taken toa safe anchorage.

Very shortly after the Life-boat hadreturned she was again called out to thes.s. Harold,oi Liverpool, and succeeded inrescuing her crew of nine hands. (Forfull particulars of this service see AugustLIFE-BOAT JOURNAL, page 542.)

POET LOGAN, WIGTOWNSHIRE. —During a W.N.W. hurricane with sleetshowers on the 22nd February a messagewas received from the Coastguard atDrummore stating that a vessel abouthalf-a-mile to the east of the harbourwas making signals of distress. Thecrew of the Life-boat Thomas McOunnwere immediately summoned and theLife-boat was transported by road toTirally Bay, where she was launched.The sea was very heavy, and the vesselwas riding heavily to her anchors, thecrew of three hands being afraid thatshe would founder. The Life-boat tookthe men off and landed them at Drum-more Harbour about 6 P.M. The vesselwas the ketch Jane, of Belfast, boundfrom Garlieston with stone.

THURSO, CAITHNESS-SHIRE.—At 4.45P.M. on the 22nd February, the barometerhaving suddenly dropped to 28 • 2, witha full gale of wind from west, theschooner Barbara, which was lying inScrabster Roads, made signals of dis-tress. The crew of the Life-boat Co-operator No. 3 were summoned, and at5.20 P.M., the wind having increased tohurricane force, the boat was launchedand proceeded to the Barbara. Havingtaken off the four men on board sheproceeded to the schooner Smethurst,whose crew were also taken into theLife-boat. When this was safely accom-plished, an attempt was made to returnto Scrabster Harbour, but in the prevail-ing gale it was not possible. Theboat therefore made for Thurso RiverHarbour, where they landed safely at6.30 P.M.

PAKEFIELD, SUFFOLK.—On the 22ndFebruary, during a whole W.S.W. gale,accompanied by thunder and lightning,the Assistant Coxswain of the Life-boatsaw a vessel caught in a squall, her sailsblown away and her foretopmast staycarried away. As the vessel appeared tobe unmanageable he gave the alarm,and the crew of the Life-boat The TwoSisters, Mary and Hannah, were mustered.The boat proceeded under sail to thevessel, and on arrival the captain statedhe wanted assistance. She proved tobe the brigantine Alroyd, of London,bound to Shields with a cargo of burntore. She was about half-a-mile from the

Page 15: THE LIFE-BOAT. - Microsoft · the Life-boat ansd from thos wheo have taken a deep interest in thei improver - ment. Unfortunately a very large number of inventors wh visio tht Life-boae

IST AUGUST, 1908.] THE LIFE-BOAT. 553

Newcome Sands, where the sea wasvery heavy.

Life-boatmen were put on board andthe vessel anchored. The Life-boatthen remained with her until about9 P.M., when a tug arrived, and theAlroyd was towed to Lowestoft.

->• PALLING, NORFOLK.—At 5.10 P.M. onthe 22nd February, during a W.N.W.hurricane, the schooner Lord March, ofWhitstable, was observed about fivemiles to the north of Palling, flyingsignals of distress. With all speed thecrew of the No. 2 Life-boat Hearts ofOak were summoned and the boatlaunched. On nearing the vessel it wasfound that she had lost both sails andgear, and it was with considerable diffi-culty, owing to the wreckage, that theLife-boat approached her. One Life-boatman got on board, when the forceof the wind and tide carried the boataway. After repeated efforts more menwere placed on board, and with theirassistance the vessel and her crew ofseven hands were taken into YarmouthRoads, where the vessel was anchoreduntil towed into harbour by a tug nextmorning.

LOWESTOFT, SUFFOLK. — At about6.45 P.M. on the 22nd February theCoastguard reported that a vessel wasburning flares near the Pakefield Gat-way. The Coxswain of the No. 1 Life-boat Kentwell at once assembled hiscrew and the boat proceeded in a wholeW.S.W. gale and heavy sea to herassistance. On reaching the vessel,which proved to be the trawler Arizona,of Lowestoft, they found that her sailshad blown away in a squall and all theropes had been lost overboard. TheLife-boat stood by the vessel for sometime and then, at the request of themaster, signalled for a tug. On thearrival of a tug the vessel was takeninto Lowestoft Harbour, the Life-boataccompanying her.

GKBENOEE, co. LOUTH.—At 10 A.M.on the 25th February the Coastguardat Kilkeel reported that there was askiff apparently in difficulties and inwant of assistance about five miles off.Within ten minutes of the messagebeing received the Life-boat Sir Arthur

Blackwood was launched. When offKilkeel she obtained the bearings ofthe boat, and proceeded to search forher. Fortunately, they succeeded inreaching her and found that she wasthe lugger Golden Hope, of Newry,with six men on board. She wasin trouble owing to the heavy seaand wind, the latter in the squalls,blowing with the force of a gale. Shewas under close-reefed sails, and theLife-boat stood by her whilst beatinginto Kilkeel. In this they were happilysuccessful, and the crew afterwardsexpressed their gratitude for the Life-boat's useful services.

GIRVAN, AYRSHIRE.—At 11 A.M. onthe 25th February, during a strongN.N.W. gale, the fishing-boat Renown,of Girvan, was seen returning from thefishing-grounds. As the sea was heavyand the bar was very bad, it wasthought advisable to launch the Life-boat James Stevens No. 18. When thefishing-boat was reached, the masterwas informed that the bar was toorough for him to attempt to cross. TheRenown, therefore, accompanied by theLife-boat, made for the shelter of Wood-land Bay. The crew of the Life-boatassisted in anchoring the fishing-boat,took the crew of four men off and landedthem in the harbour about 3 P.M.

DOUGLAS, ISLE OF MAN.—The Life-boat Civil Service No. 6 was launchedat 10.20 A.M. on the 25th February tothe assistance of three fishing-boatsbelonging to Douglas, which were caughtby a whole N.W. to N.N.W. gale,which suddenly sprang up. Fortunatelythe Life-boat was able to render theassistance necessary, and by towing thethree boats into safety saved them andtheir crews of nine men.

In the meanwhile, the fishing vesselRegalia had her mainsail blown awayin a squall, and she was drifting in analmost helpless condition when anotherfishing-vessel, the Marguerite, went toher assistance. As soon as the threeboats were in safety, the Life-boat againput to sea to render help. Havingreached the disabled vessel, it was foundthat she was in tow of the Marguerite,the Life-boat therefore stood by themuntil they got safely into harbour.

Page 16: THE LIFE-BOAT. - Microsoft · the Life-boat ansd from thos wheo have taken a deep interest in thei improver - ment. Unfortunately a very large number of inventors wh visio tht Life-boae

554 THE LIFE-BOAT. [1ST AUGUST, 1908.

SUMMARY OF THE MEETINGS OF THE COMMITTEE OF

MANAGEMENT.

Thursday, 9th January, 1908.

Sir EDWABD BIBKBECK, Bart., V.P.,in the Chair.

Bead and confirmed the minutes of theprevious meeting.

Also read those of the Building, Financeand Correspondence and Wreck and RewardSub-Committees and ordered that theirrecommendations be carried into effect.

Bead the report of the Chief Inspector ofLife-boats on his recent visits to Eyemouthand St. Abbs.

Decided that a new Life-boat Station beestablished at St. Abbs (Berwickshire).

Bead the report of the Deputy Chief In-spector of Life-boats on his recent visits tothe Padstow and St. Ives Stations.

Also the reports of the District Inspectorsof Life-boats on their visits to the followingLife-boat Stations:—

Northern District. — Berwick,- on - Tweed,North Berwick and Crail.

Eastern District.—Filey, Gorleston (threeboats), Winterton (two boats), Hasborough,Seaham, Hartlepool (two boats), SeatonSnook and Seaton Carew.

Southern District.—Teignmouth, HopeCove, Salcombe, Lyme Begis, Sidmouth,Bamsgate, Dover, Bembridge, Totland Bay,Byde, Shoreham and Swanage.

Western District.— Fishguard, Cardigan,New Quay (Cardigan), Burry Port, TheMumbles, Barry Dock, Aberystwyth, Aber-dovey, Barmouth and Point of Ayr.

Irish District.—Hilbre Island, Hoylake,Formby, New Brighton (two boats), Black-pool, Fleetwood, Lytham and St. Anne's (twoboats).

Reported the receipt of a contribution of20.686Z. lls. 1CW. from the Central Committeeof the Life-boat Saturday Fund as the netproceeds of Life-boat Saturday, 1907.

Besolved that the sincere thanks of theCommittee of Management be given to theCentral Committee of the Life-boat SaturdayFund for their continued valuable and muchappreciated services.

Beported also the receipt of 1,298Z. 17s. 6d.from the Civil Service Life-boat Fund, perMr. Harry Fincham, I.S.O., HonorarySecretary, towards recouping the Institutionall the expenses incurred in 1907 in maintain-ing the seven Stations at which the sevenLife-boats presented and endowed by theFund are placed. The total sum thus con-tributed to the Institution by gentlemen inHis Majesty's Civil Service has been36.574Z. 19s. 3d!.

Besolved that the grateful thanks of theCommittee of Management be conveyed tothe Honorary Secretary, to his Committee,and to the subscribers to the Fund for theircontinued valuable assistance.

Beported the receipt of the following otherspecial contributions since the last meeting:—Licensed Victuallers' Life-boat £ s. d.

Fund, per Mr. A. L. ANNETT(additional) 50 - -

Loyal Order of Ancient Shepherds,Ashton Unity (annual subscrip-tion) 25 - -

Mr. F. 0. BBOWN, West CromwellBoad (contents of contributionbox) 15 - -

ANONYMOUS (Marseilles) . . . 5 - -Brockdish Church, half of Christ-

mas offertory (per the Bev. WIL-S O N W . WHITE, M . A . ) . . . . 3 4 8

Little Comberton Church offerings(per the Bev. WILLIAM D.LOWNDES, M.A.) 1 10 3

Darley Church offertory on Christ-mas Day (per the Rev. R. W.WHITTINGTON, M.A.) . . . . 3 17 6

—To be severally thanked.

Also the receipt of the following legacies: —The late Mr. SEPTIMUS SMITH £ s. d.

KERSWELL, of Plymouth (on ac-count) 1,500 - -

The late Mr. JAMES HODGE, ofManchester, for a Life-boat forthe Coast of Scotland, to benamed the Helen Smitton . 1,000 - -

The late Mrs. M. ANDERSON, ofGlasgow (per Glasgow Branch) . 101 15 2

The late Miss BESSIE SCOTT, ofDublin (per Dublin Branch) . 100 - -

The late Miss CHRISTIAN TAWSE,of Edinburgh 90 - -Paid 5,925Z. for sundry charges in connection

with various Life-boat establishments.Voted 480Z. 10s. 2d. to pay the expenses of

the following Life-boat services:—Lives

Life-boat. Vessel. saved.

Brixham . . Ketch Lily, of Fal-mouth. Landed 2 andlater put them onboard again.

Brixham . . Fishing fleet of Brix-ham. Rendered as-sistance.

Broadstairs . Schooner Windermere,of Chester. Assistedto save vessel and . 6

Caister No. 1 . S.S. Andalusia, of Lon-don. Stood by vessel.

Cromer . . . Barge Britisher, ofLondon . . . . 3

Folkestone. . S.S. Scheldestroorn, ofAmsterdam . . . 7

Hastings . . S.S. Volano, of Sunder-land. Rendered as-sistance.

Page 17: THE LIFE-BOAT. - Microsoft · the Life-boat ansd from thos wheo have taken a deep interest in thei improver - ment. Unfortunately a very large number of inventors wh visio tht Life-boae

IST AUGUST, 1908.] THE LIFE-BOAT. 555

Life-boat. Vessel.Livessaved.

Hartlepool S.S. Hanna, of Stavan-No. 3 ger 23

Kingsdowne . S.S. Cap Lopes, of Ant-werp (also saved a dog) 14

Margate No. 2. Ketch Sleuthhound, ofBamsgate. Stood byvessel.

Mumbles . . Schooner John Ewing,ofCardigan . . . . 6

Afterwards assisted tosave vessel.

Newbiggin . Pishing cobles of New-biggin. Attendedcobles.

New Brighton. Sloop Pilgrim, of(Steam) Cemaes. Eendered

assistance.Eosslare Har- Schooner William

bour. Thompson, of Wexford.Bendered assistance.

Southsea . . Barge Blanche, of Lon-don. Stood by vessel.

Soathwold No. 1 Bargfc Decima, of Lon-don. Assisted to savevessel and . . . . 2

Totland Bay . Schooner Hans, ofBrake. Bendered as-sistance.

Yarmouth . . S.S. Andalusia, of Lon-don. Stood by vessel.

The Kessingland No. 1 Life-boat assisted tosave the Smack Yoking Bird, of Lowestoft,and the Bamsgate Life-boat saved the BargeThames, of G-reenhithe, and two lives.

Also voted 849Z. 18s. 5d. to pay the expensesof the following Life-boat launches, etc., withthe view of assisting persons on vassals indistress: Aldeburgh No. 1, Barry Dock, Bran-caster, Bridlington, Broadstairs, Clacton-on-Sea, Courtown, Dunmore East, Formby,Greencastle, Harwich (steam), Holyhead No. 2,Margate Nos. 1 and 2, North Deal, Poole,Port Logan, Bosslare Harbour, St. Agnes,St. Mary's, Selsey, Southend-on-Sea, Swanage,Totland Bay, Walmer, Walton-on-Naze(motor), Wells and Wiuchelsea.

The Kamsgate Life-boat was also launched,but her services were not required.

Voted 200Z., with an expression of deep sym-pathy, to the fund raised for the dependentrelatives of W. T. Hicks, a life-boatman, wholost his life on board the seven-mastedschooner, Thomas W. Lawson, of Boston,wrecked at the Scilly Islands, 13th-14thDecember, 1907.

Voted the Silver Medal to FBEDEBICKGHABLES HICKS, son of the above man, whosaved at imminent risk of his own life, theCaptain of the schooner, who had beenwashed on to the Helwether rock. The sumof 12Z. was also voted to the men whomanned the shoreboat by means of whichthe rescue was effected.

Also voted the Silver Medal to BOBEBTGBEIG, Coxswain Superintendent of theStromness Life-boat, together with an addi-tional pecuniary reward to him and each o£

the crew for a very gallant service on thellth December, 1907, resulting in three livesbeing saved from the steam trawler Shakespeareof Hull, totally wrecked at Breckness, in avery heavy sea.

Voted 21. 10s. to a man injured in theLife-boat service at Kingsdowne.

Also voted II. 10s. to three men for savingat moderate risk to themselves, a man whoseboat was capsized off Burton Port in squallyweather on the 2nd December, 1907.

Also 2i. 5s. to three men for saving, atconsiderable risk, two persons from the boatEleanor Mary, which broke from her mooringsin Lynmouth Harbour during a S.W. gale onthe 5th December, 1907.

Seven other men assisted in the work ofrescue, and they, together with a man whowas hurt, were allowed 11. 13s. Gd.

Also 11. to two men for saving a sailorbelonging to a vessel in Skerries Harbour,who was adrift in a boat without any oarson the 28th December, 1907. There was amoderate E.S.E. gale with a rough sea at thetime and the salvors incurred moderate risk.

Thursday, 13th February, 1908.

Sir EDWAKD BIBKBECK, Bart., V.P.,in the Chair.

Bead and confirmed the minutes of theprevious meeting.

Also read those of the Building, Financeand Correspondence and Wreck and RewardSub-Committees and ordered that theirrecommendations be carried into effect.

Also lead the minutes of the last meetingof the Central Committee of the Life-boatSaturday Fund and ordered that theirrecommendations be carried into effect, [i

Bead the reports of the District Inspectorsof Life-boats and their recent visits to thefollowing Life-boat Stations :—

Northern District.—Maryport, Whitehaven,Skateraw, Dunbar, Broughty Ferry, Anstrutherand St. Andrews.

Eastern District.—Aldeburgh (two boats),Lowestoft (two boats), Yarmouth, Caister(two boats), Palling (two boats), Winterton(two boats), Southwold (two boats), Kessing-.and (two boats) and Pakefield.

Southern District.—Hythe, New Bomney,Dungeness (two boats), Hastings, Walton-on-the-Naze, Clacton-on-Sea, Harwich (twoaoats), Swanage and Poole.

Western District.—Barry Dock, Ferryside,Burry Port, Fishgaard, St. David's, Tenby,Surnham and Barmouth.

Irish District.—Killough, Newcastle (Dun-drum), Portrush, Culdafi, Greencastle, Avon-more, Carrickfergus, Groomsport, Clougheyand Blackrock.

Beported the receipt of the following specialcontributions since the last meeting:—His Majesty the King, annual sub- £ s. d.

scription 21 - -

Page 18: THE LIFE-BOAT. - Microsoft · the Life-boat ansd from thos wheo have taken a deep interest in thei improver - ment. Unfortunately a very large number of inventors wh visio tht Life-boae

556 THE LIFE-BOAT. [IsT AUGUST, 1908.

Civil Service Life-boat Fund, per £ s. d.Mr. Harry Fincham, I.S.O.(additional) 266 17 6

" J. P." (Mauritius) 15 - -St. Michael's, Paddington, per the

Kev. G. F. Prescott, M.A. . . 9 17 6—To be severally thanked.

Also the receipt of the following legacies:—The late Mr. SAMUEL VALLEKTINE, £ s. d,

of Brixton Road, S.W., on accountof the Jacob and Rachel Vallen-tine Life-boat for Hasboroughand her endowment . . . 1,000 - -

The late Miss E. C. MACBEAN, ofLancaster 1,000 - -

The late Mr. J. P. MURPHY, K.C.,of Norwood 900 - -

The late Mr. AUGUSTUS KEMPSON,of Eastbourne 500 - -

The late Miss A. G. HOWDEN, ofHaddington 312 16 4

The late Mrs. I. F. LLOYD, of WestHampstead 50 - -

The late Miss H. F. SADLEB, ofThorpe Hamlet, Norwich. . . 25 - -

The late Miss CHARLOTTE ANDEB-SON, of Newburgh (interest) . . 18 15 1Very great regret was expressed at the death

of Mr. Robert A. B. PBESTOX,.who had for along period been a valuable member of theCommittee of Management of the Institution,as well as a great benefactor, and it was decidedto send a letter conveying'the sincere sympathyof the Committee to his Widow.

Reported also the decease of Mr. P. Bau-dains, Captain T. H. Williams and Mr. JamesCampbell, Honorary Secretaries respectivelyof the Jersey; Cardigan, Wick and Acker-gill Branches of the Institution, and decidedto send letters of condolence to the bereavedfamilies.

Voted the best thanks of the Committee ofManagement to Dr. Frank Harvey, in recogni-tion of his long and valuable services asHonorary Secretary of the Padstow Branchof the Institution, which office he had just

Livessaved.

Reported the transmission to their Stationsof the Buckie and Seaton Carew new Life-boats.

Paid 9,285Z. for sundry charges in connec-tion with various Life-boat Establishments.

Voted 393Z. 19s. 8d. to pay the expenses ofthe following Life-boat services:—

Life-boat. Vessel.Clovelly . . S.S. Huddersfield, of

Cardiff 12Douglas . . Fishing vessel Regalia,

of Douglas. Stood byvessel.

Flamborough Ketch Princess May, ofNo. 2 Littlehampton. Stood

by vessel.Giles Quay . Schooner Ethel, of Drog-

heda. Rendered as-sistance.

Life-boat.Moelfre. .

Montrose No. 1

Newhaven . .(motor)

Padstow No. 2(and tug)

North Sunder-land

Ramsey . .

LivesVessel. saved.

Ketch Margaret andElisabeth, of Beau-maris ..... 2

Fishing boat Caledonia,of Ferryden. Stoodby boat.

Fishing vessel Volun-teer, of Colchester.Stood by vessel.

Barque Europa, ofOporto ..... 7

Coble Sea Nymph, ofBeadnell. Attendedcoble.

Schooner Guiding Star,o f Runcorn . . . 4

Rosslare" Schooner Navigator, ofHarbour Arklow ..... 6

Runswick . . Cobles of Runswick andWhitby. Attendedcobles.

St. Ives. . . Schooner Lizzie R.Wilce, of Falmouth . 5

„ Schooner Mary Barrow,o f Barrow . . . . 5

„ Yacht Ystmth, of Pad-stow ..... 3

,, Trawler Victor, of Brix-ham ...... 4

Whitby No. 1 . Coble Eobert and Mary,of Whitby. Stood bycoble.

Yarmouth . . Schooner John Pickard,of Goole. Renderedassistance.

The Kessingland Nos. 1 and 2 Life-boatsassisted to save the S.S. Briton, of Stettin ;Lowestoft No. 1 Life-boat assisted to save theschooner Janet, of Carnarvon ; Palling No. 2and Winterton No. 2 Life-boats assisted tosave the S.S. Excellent, of Sunderland, and 19 ;Penmon Life-boat rendered assistance to theschooner Mary BrocTclebank, of Barrow; St.Ives Life-boat rendered assistance to thetrawler Victor, of Brixham ; Southend-ou-SeaLife-boat saved the barge Dorethea, of Harwich,and 2 ; Walmer Life-boat stood by the four-masted barque Lisbeth, of Hamburg; andYarmouth Life-boat rendered assistance to thebrig Fleetwing, of Carnarvon.

Also voted 692Z. Is. lOd. to pay the expensesof the following Life-boat launches, assembliesof crews, etc., with the view of assistingpersons on vessels in distress: — AldeburghNo. 2, Bembridge, Berwick-on-Tweed, Black-rock, Broadstairs, Caister No. 1, Clogher Head,Cullercoats, Dunbar, Flamborough No. 1,Formby, Gorleston Nos. 1, 2, and 3, Gourdon,Hartlepool No. 1, Hasborough, Llandudno,Lowestoft No. 1, New Brighton No. 2 (steam),North Deal, Palling No. 2, Selsey, Southend-ou-Sea, Southsea, Tynemouth, Upgang, WhitbyNo. 2, Winterton Nos. 1 and 2.

The Ramsgate Life-boat also went out onservice.

Page 19: THE LIFE-BOAT. - Microsoft · the Life-boat ansd from thos wheo have taken a deep interest in thei improver - ment. Unfortunately a very large number of inventors wh visio tht Life-boae

IST AUGUST, 1908.] THE LIFE-BOAT. 557

Voted 121. 15s. to men injured in the Life-boat service at Aldeburgh, Aranmore andNorth Deal.

Voted 91. to eight men for saving, atmoderate risk to themselves, two of threemen whose coble capsized off Flamborough ina sudden squall, on the 27th January.

Also 51. to five men for saving, at great risk,the fishing boat, Caledonia, and her crew ofthree men on the 6th January. The Caledoniawas dismasted and unmanageable in a wholewesterly gale and heavy cross sea off Montrose.

Also 11. to a man, for saving at moderaterisk to himself, one of two men from a boatbelonging to a pilot cutter, on the 17th January.The salvor was cruising off the Lizard whenhe saw the boat, which was swamped, withthe two men clinging to her. Every effortwas made to save the second man but withoutsuccess.

Also 11. to two men for putting off in a boatat Glactou-on-Sea on the 5th February tosearch for a man who was reported adrift in aboat. The boat could not be found.

Thursday, 20th February, 1908.

Sir EDWABD BIBKBECK, Bart., V.P.,in the Chair.

A special meeting of the Committee ofManagement was held to-day.

The meeting was called to consider theevidence given at the Board of Trade Inquiryinto the action of the Alnm&uth Life-boat inconnection with the stranding of the InaMactavish on the 17th October last, and itwaa resolved to appoint a Sub-Committee,consisting of the Duke of NOBTHUMBEBLAND,KtG., The Bight Hon. Sir JOHN 0. B. COLOMB,K.G.M.G., Sir B. U. PENBOSE FITZGEBALD,Bart., and Colonel J. E. B. SEELY, D.S.O.,M.P., with instructions to proceed to Alnmouthto meet the Branch Local Committee, andreport as to the steps required to be taken bythe Institution for increasing as far as possiblethe efficiency of the Life-boat Service in thelocality.

Thursday, 12th March, 1908.

Colonel FiizBoY CLAYTON, V.P.,in the Chair.

Bead and confirmed the minutes of theprevious meeting.

Also those of the special meeting held onthe 20th February, 1908.

Also those of the Building, Finance andCorrespondence and Wreck and Beward Sub-Committees and ordered that their recom-mendations be carried into effect.

Bead the report of the Deputy ChiefInspector of Life-boats on his recent visit tothe St. Anne's Station.

Also the reports of the District Inspectorsof Life-boats on their visits to the followingLife-boat Stations:—

Northern District.—North Berwick, Ber-wick-on-Tweed, Cullercoats, Cambois, Blyth,Newbiggin, Tynemouth, Alnmouth, Bouknerand Hauxley.

Eastern District.—Sheringham, Cromer,Aldeburgh (two boats), Palling (two boats)and Winterton (two boats).

Southern District.—North Deal, Walmer,Kingsdowne, Folkestone, Broadstairs, Margate(two boats), Weymouth, St. Helier, St. PeterPort, Brighton and Southend-on-Sea.

Western District.—Appledore (two boats),Clovelly, Ilfracombe, Lynmouth, Minehead,Watchet and The Mumbles.

Irish District.—Giles' Quay, Greenore,Wicklow, Queenstown, Ballycotton, Fenit(Tralee Bay), Courtmacsherry, Youghal,Helvick Head, Fethard and Dunmore East.

Beported the receipt of the followingspecial contributions since the last meeting:—

£ s. d.Mr. J. GOBY (additional) . . 50 - -Collected on board H.M.T. Scwdan,

per Capt. S. DE B. LOCKYEB, B.N. 10 - -" ANONYMOUS," Jamaica . . . 8 9 3Canteen Fund of H.M.S. Encounter,

per Commander G. E. COBBETT,B . N 3 - -

—To be severally thanked.

Also the receipt of the following legacies :—The late Mr. FREDERICK KITCHEN, £ s. d.

of Carnarvon, for a Steam-powerwater-motor Life-boat for theNorth-West Coast of England(on account) 2,400 - -

The late Mr. SAMUEL VALLENTINE,of Brixton Boad, S.W. (balance) 2,000 - -

The late Mr. H. L. SALTABN, ofLyndhurst 802 10 2

The late Mrs. ANN HAYS, of Bourne-mouth (on account) . . . . 100 - -

The late Mr. G. H. TBAILL, ofBlackrock, Victoria, Australia . 100 - -

The late Mr. WILLIAM CHURCHILL,of Dorchester 45 - -

The late Mr. F. W. N. LLOYD, ofBromley (half year's interest) . 15 4 -Bead the report of the Special Sub-

Committee appointed to visit Alnmouth tomeet the Branch Local Committee and toreport as to the steps required to be takenfor increasing as far as possible the efficiencyof the Life-boat service in the locality.

Besolved that the best thanks of theCommittee be tendered to the members ofthe Special Sub-Committee for their reportand for the great amount of trouble they hadkindly taken in the matter. Also that theirrecommendations be adopted.

Voted the best thanks of the Committeeof Management to Mr. J. LUSKBY COAD inrecognition of his long and valuable services

Page 20: THE LIFE-BOAT. - Microsoft · the Life-boat ansd from thos wheo have taken a deep interest in thei improver - ment. Unfortunately a very large number of inventors wh visio tht Life-boae

558 THE LIFE-BOAT. [IsT AUGUST, 1908.

as honorary secretary of the Salcombe andHope Cove Branch of the Institution, whichoffice he had just resigned.

The Committee of Management conferredthe Institution's Decoration for specialservices other than the personal saving oflife on Mr. PATBIOK HABNEY and Mr.BENJAMIN SIMONS in recognition of theirzealous and very valuable services for upwardsof twenty years as honorary secretaries of theDunmore Bast and Sutton-on-Sea Branchesof the Institution.

The Committee of Management also speciallyrecognised the good services, extending overmany years, of the following honorary secre-taries of Branches of the Institution:—

Mr. G. WATEBB BECK, Winterton: Mr.3. F. BUBGIS, Leamington; Mr. WILLIAMCEAWFOBD, Filey; Mr. ARTHUR Fox, Burton-on-Trent; Admiral J. F. G. GRANT, Malvern;Mr. H. A. HAWKEY, Newquay (Cornwall);Mr. ROBEBT LEGEETON, Clacton-on-Sea; Mr.FBANK R. LEITH, Selsey; Mr. THOMAS ROSE,Banbury; Mr. SYDNEY H. RUSSELL, Malton,and Mr. T. PEBCIVAL WHATELEY, Godalming.

Paid 3,532Z. for sundry charges in connectionwith various Life-boat establishments.

Voted 458Z. 10s. 9d. to pay the expenses ofthe following Life-boat services:—

LivesLife-boat. Vessel. saved.

Blyth . . . Steam Trawler Begonia,of G r i m s b y . . . . 14

Boulmer . . Schooner Caecilie, ofHamburg . . . . 3

Cromer. . . Barque Lodore, of Liver-pool. Stood by vessel.

Douglas . . Three fishing cobles ofDouglas. Saved coblesand 9

Fishing vessels Regaliaand Marguerite-, ofDouglas. Stood byvessels.

Filey . . . Six cobles of Filey.Stood by cobles.

Girvan . . . Fishing boat Renown, ofGirvan. Landed 4.

Greenore . . Lugger Golden Hope, ofNewry. Stood byvessel.

Holyhead . . S.S. Harold, of Liver-(Steam) pool 9

Ilfraeombe . . Schooner Gracien.se, ofGranville. Landed 4.

Kingstown No.2 Schooner TruthseeTcer,of Runcorn. Stoodby vessel.

Lowestof t No. 1 Trawler Arizona, ofLowestoft. Stood byvessel.

Newhaven . . S.S. Trouville, of New-haven. Rendered as-sistance.

North Sunder- S.S. Geir, of Bergen . 14land

Port Logaa . Ketch Jane, of Belfast.Landed 3.

LivesLife-boat. Vessel. saved.

Skerries . . Schooner Walter J.Cuinmings, of Irvine . 5

Tenby . . . Ketch Sultan, of Barn-staple 3

Schooner Pet, of Chester 4Thurso . . . Schooner Barbara, of

Wick. Landed 4.Schooner Mary Smet-

hurst, of Wick.Landed 4.

Wicklow . . Schooner J. H. Barron,of Lancaster . . . 4

The Brixhara Life-boat saved the ketchJohn Rees, of Plymouth, and 4; Holyhead(Steam) Life-boat rendered assistance to S.S.Bencroy, of Liverpool; Pakefield Life-boatrendered'assistance to Brigantine Alroyd, ofLondon; Palling No. 2 Life-boat savedSchooner Lord March, of Faversham, and 7 ;and Southwold No. 2 Life-boat saved the KetchCharles Yvonne, of Ostend, and 5.

Also voted 5061. 10s. 6d. to pay the expensesof the following Life-boat launches, etc.,with the view of assisting persons on vesselsin distress:—Atherfield, Ayr, Balcary, Berwick-on-Tweed, Blackrock, Bridlington Quay,Caister No. 1, Cambois, Cromer, GorlestonNo. 1, Grimsby, Hasborough, Holyhead(Steam), Holy Island No. 1, Kessingland No. 1,Littlehampton, Llandudno, New Brighton(Steam), Palling No. 2, Piel, Port St. Mswy,and Seaton Carew.

Voted the Gold Medal to WILLIAM OWEN,Coxswain Superintendent of the HolyheadSteam Life-boat and the Silver Medal to eachof the other members of the crew and theengine-room staff for an exceptionally gallantservice on the 22nd February, resulting innine lives being saved from the S.S. Harold,of Liverpool.

Also voted the Silver Medal to JAMESROBSON, Coxswain Superintendent of theNorth Sunderland Life-boat, for gallantlysaving the crew of fourteen persons from theS.S. Geir, of Bergen, wrecked on the FameIslands, on 18th February.

Also the Silver Medal to ALEXANDEEAITCHISON for gallantly saving, at the risk ofhis own life, a comrade when their fishingboat was capsized to the northward of Berwick-ou-Tweed, on the llth February.

Voted 200Z., together with an expression ofsympathy, to the fund raised locally for thebenefit of the widow and children of H.Storey, who lost his liie in the Newquay(Cornwall) Life-boat accident, on the CthMarch.

Voted 121,15s. to men for injuries sustainedin the Life-boat service at Dunmore East,Hastings and North Deal.

Also 11Z. 5s. to ten men for promptlyputting off in a boat and saving two menwhose boat was capsized about four miles tothe N. of Berwick-on-Tweed in heavy weatheron the llth February.

Page 21: THE LIFE-BOAT. - Microsoft · the Life-boat ansd from thos wheo have taken a deep interest in thei improver - ment. Unfortunately a very large number of inventors wh visio tht Life-boae

IST AUGUST, 1908.] THE LIFE-BOAT. 559

Also 51. to ten men for saving six personsfrom the S.S. Mandalay, of Hull, wreckedowing to foggy weather to the south of RobinHood's Bay on the 14th February.

Also 21. to four men for their promptnessin saving four men from a salmon yawl,which had capsized in Youghal Bay in astrong N.W. wind and rough sea on the 19thFebruary.

Also SI. to six men for saving the fishingvessel Regalia, of Douglas, and her crew offive hands, which was disabled in a N.N.W.gale and rough sea off Douglas on the 25thFebruary.

Thursday, 19th March, 1908.The Annual General Meeting of the

Governors and friends of the ROYALNATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, was heldthis day at the Royal United Service Institu-tion, Whitehall. The Rt. Hon. LOKD BAL-FOUB OF.BUKLEIGH, K.T., P.O., in the Chair.

The Chairman having made some suitableobservations on the great and nationalcharacter of the operations of the Institution,the Annual Report (which will be found inthe May number of Tlw Life-boat Journal)was presented to the meeting.

The meeting was also addressed by AdmiralA. J. CHATFIMD, C.B.; the Rt. Hon. LordELLENBOBOUGH ; Sir JOHN CAMEEON LAMB,C.B., C.M.G.; Sir ROBEBT U. PENBOSE FITZ-GBBALD, Bart.; Colonel JOHN E. B. SEELY,D.S.O., M.P.; Colonel FiizRoY CLAYTON,V.P., Deputy-Chairman of the Institution;and the Rt. Hon. the EABL OF HAEDWICKE.

The officers for the current year were chosenand various resolutions were moved, secondedand carried unanimously, pledging the meet-ing to renewed exertions on behalf of thebenevolent and national objects of the Insti-tution and expressing the fullest confidencein the management.

The officers' names and the resolutions willbe found in the May number of Tlie Life-boatJournal.

Thursday, 9th April, 1908.Sir EDWABD BIBKBECK, Bart., V.P., was

unanimously elected Chairman, and ColonelFuzRoY CLAYTON, V.P., Deputy-Chairman ofthe Committee of Management of the Institu-tion for the ensuing year.

Colonel CLAYTON having taken the Chair (inthe absence of the Chairman through indis-position), the members of .the Sub-Committeeswere elected for the current year.

Also the delegates to the Central Committeeof the Life-boat Saturday Fund.

Bead and confirmed the minutes of theprevious meeting.

Also read those of the Building, Financeand Correspondence and Wreck and RewardSub-Committees, and ordered that their re-commendations be carried into effect.

Read the reports of the Chief Inspector ofLife-boats on his recent visits to The Mumbles,Newhaven and Penzance Stations.

Also the reports of the Deputy Chief In-spector of Life-boats on his visits to Grail, St.Andrew's Bay, Broughty Ferry, Holy Island,Arbroath and Goswick Sands.

Also the reports of the District Inspectorsof Life-boats on their recent visits to thefollowing Life-boat Stations:—

Northern District.—Cresswell, Arbroath, St.Andrews, Broughty Ferry, North Suuderlaud,Eyemouth; and Holy Island (two boats).

Eastern District. — Filey, Sheringham,Whitby (two boats), Upgang and Brancaster.

Southern District.—Winchelsea.Western District. — Looe, Mevagissey,

Sennen Cove, Penzance, Hayle and Falmouth.Irish District.—St. Anne's, Peel, Port Erin,

Ramsey, Castletown, Port St. Mary, Douglasand Tramore.

Reported the receipt ot the following specialcontributions since the last meeting :—Friendly Brothers of St. Patrick £ s. d.

(London Knot), per Mr. E. NASH(additional) 10 10 -

Readers of "The Christian," perMessrs. MOKGAN and SCOTT(additional) 3 1 -

Collected at Sunday service onboard S.S. Putiala, per Mr. L.M.NELSON, Chief Officer . . . 2 - -

| Suffolk Volunteer Brigade, per thei Rev. J. GABFOBTH, Chaplain . 1 18 -I Linden Grove Sunday School,

Peckham, per Mr. RUPERT BEAB 1 10 3

—To be severally thanked.Also the receipt of the following legacies:—

The late Mrs. LEWIS-HILL, of £ s. d.Grosvenor Square, London, forendowment of Newbiggin andSkegness Life-boats (balance) . 1,786 1 11

The late Mr. SEPTIMUS S. KEBS-WELL, of Plymouth (additional). 952 - 1

The late Mr. WILLIAM BBINDLE, ofSt. Anne's-on-Sea 500 - -

Thelate Madame STEPHANIE ROPEBof Hampstead (on account) . . 225 - -

The late Mr. WILLIAM McCuNN, ofLargs, Scotland, for the mainten-ance of the Thomas McCunnLife-boat at Port Logan (onaccount) 100 - -

Ditto, for the benefit of widows andother dependent relatives of menwho have lost their lives in con-nection with the Life-boat servicein Scotland (on account) . . . 50 - -

The late Mr. SAMUEL LEWIS, ofCork Street, W. (additional) . 150 - -

The late Mr. EDWIN ADAMS, ofLaudport, Portsmouth . . . 100 - -

Page 22: THE LIFE-BOAT. - Microsoft · the Life-boat ansd from thos wheo have taken a deep interest in thei improver - ment. Unfortunately a very large number of inventors wh visio tht Life-boae

560 THE LIFE-BOAT. [IsT AUGUST, 1908.

The late Mrs. ANN HAYS, of £ s. d.Bournemouth 79 17 8

The late Mr. GEOBGE WHITELAW,of Glasgow 20 7 4Voted the best thanks of the Committee of

Management to Mr. .AENEAS M. MACKENZIE,Mr. HEEBEBT E. COOKE, Mr. J. M. JOHNSONand the Rev. J. ASHTON, in recognition oftheir past valuable services as HonorarySecretaries, respectively, of the Stornoway,Fowey and Polkerris, Dundalk and Blackrockand Courtown Branches of the Institution,which offices they had just resigned.

Paid 4,195Z for sundry charges in connectionwith various Life-boat establishments.

Voted 265Z. 6s. to pay the expenses of thefollowing Life-boat services :—

LivesLife-boat. Vessel. saved.

Blakeney . . Sloop Pioneer, of Lunn.Landed 2.

Eyemouth . . Schooner Terrier, ofDartmouth. Stoodby vessel.

Formby . . S.S.Carlstm, of Glasgow.Stood by vessel.

Littlehaven . Ketch Pioneer, of Milford 2Newbiggin . Three cobles, of New-

biggin. Stood bycobles.

New Brighton Schooner James O'Neil,(Steam) of Kinsale. Stood by

vessel.Pwllheli . . Ketch Syren, of Beau-

maris. Stood byvessel and landed 2.

St. Ives . . Schooner Charks Fran-cis, of Scilly . . . 3

Whitby No. 1 . Fif teen cobles of Whitby.Eemained in atten-dance.

Wicklow . . Schooner Aeron Belle, ofAberystwith. Savedvessel a n d . . . . 4

Afterwards landed 7 atArklow.

Yarmouth . . Schooner Henny, ofBrake. Stood byvessel.

Kessingland No. 1 Life-boat assisted to savethe smack Flora Bell, of Lowestoft, and 5.Margate No. 2 Life-boat saved the bargeTeaser, of Rochester, and 3; and PadstowNo. 2 Life-boat and tug assisted ;to save theS.S. FjordJieim, of Christiania, arid 22.

Also voted 297Z. 16s. 8d. to pay the expensesof the following Life-boat launches, etc., withthe view of assisting persons on vessels indistress :—Berwick-on-Tweed, Caister No. 1,Oambois, Olacton-on-Sea, Drogheda, Dunbar,Formby, Gorleston No. 3 (Steam), nfracombe,Newquay (Cornwall), Padstow No. 2, Pake-field, Poolbeg, Southend-on-Sea, Southsea,Southwold No. 1, Teignmouth, Walmer andWinterton No. 2.

Voted 61. to a Life-boatman at Yarmouthfor illness contracted in the Life-boat service.

Thursday, 14th May, 1908.

Colonel FITZROY CLAYTON, V.P.,in the Chair.

Read and confirmed the minutes of theprevious meeting.

Also those of the Building, Finance andCorrespondence and Wreck and Reward Sub-Committees and ordered that their recom-mendations be carried into effect.

Reported that His Royal Highness thePBINCB OF WALES, as President of theInstitution, presented the Institution's GoldMedal to WILLIAM OWEN, Coxswain Super-intendent of the Holyhead Steam Life-boat,awarded by the Committee of Managementon the 12th March, 1908. The ceremonytook place at Marlborough House on the 4thMay, there being present Colonel FnzRoYCLAYTON (Deputy Chairman of the Life-boatInstitution), Mr. CHABLES DIBDIN (Secretary)and Commander ST. VINCENT NEPEAN,M.V.O., R.N., Chief Inspector of Life-boats.The Medal was awarded to OWEN in recog-nition of his gallant conduct and very skilfulseamanship on the 22nd February, when theHolyhead (Steam) Life-boat saved nine livesfrom the S.S. Harold, of Liverpool, in awesterly hurricane and exceptionally roughsea.

Read the reports of the District Inspectorsof Life-boats on their recent visits to thefollowing Life-boat stations:—

Northern District.—Nairn, Buckie, Lossie-mouth, Banff and Macduff, Alnmouth, Troon,Ballaritrae, Ardrossan, Irvine, Girvan, Ayr,Thurso, Stromness, Huna, Longhope, Acker-gill, Wick, Balcary, Kirkcudbright, Whithorn,Port Logan and Port Patrick.

Eastern District. — Wells, Hunstanton,Blakeney, Seaham, Whitburn, Sunderland(three boats), Hartlepool (three boats), Salt-burn, Redcar, Seatou Carew and SeatonSnook.

Western District.—St. Ives.Irish District.—Wexford, Kilmore, Ross-

lare Harbour, Cahore, Arklow, Courtown,Hilbre Island, Hoylake, Formby, New Brigh-ton (two boats), Piel (Barrow), Lytham,Southport, Clogher Head, Drogheda andHowth.

Reported the receipt of the following specialcontributions since the last meeting :—"In memoriam K. M. E. CAMP- £ s. d.

BELL," to assist in maintainingthe Campbeltown and Southend(Cantyre) Stations 100 - -

Mr. and Mrs. JAMES HTTTCHINSON(additional) 25 - -

Collected on board H.M.S. Bri-tannia (per the Rev. G. H.HEWETSON, R.N., Chaplain). . 4 10 1

—To be severally thanked.Also the receipt of the following legacies:—

The late Mrs. ELIZABETH STOKER, £ s. d.of Lowdham, Notts . . . 1,015 4 8

Page 23: THE LIFE-BOAT. - Microsoft · the Life-boat ansd from thos wheo have taken a deep interest in thei improver - ment. Unfortunately a very large number of inventors wh visio tht Life-boae

IST AUGUST, 1908.] THE LIFE-BOAT. 561

The late Captain CHARLES CARTES, £ s. d.of Bedale 500 - -

The late Mrs. MARGABET JOHN-STON, of Bangor, co. Down . . 463 10 -

The late Mrs. MARIA STAGG, ofMortlake 450 - -

The late Mrs. MARY PARHINTER, ofWillitou, Somerset (per Ilfra-combe Branch) 110 5 11

The late Mrs. SARAH HIND, ofBirkdale, Lancaster . . . . 20 - -

The late Mr. STEPHEN KNIGHT, ofNewbury 10 - -Bead letter from Commander CHARLES

E. F. CUNNINGHAMS GRAHAM, M.V.O., R.N.,Deputy Chief Inspector of Life-boats, givingnotice of his resignation of that post. Hehad been in the service of the Institutionfor 22 years.

Resolved unanimously that the resignationof Commander CUNNINQHAME GRAHAM beaccepted with great regret.

Also that Commander THOMAS HOLMES,R.N., Inspector of the Eastern District, beappointed Deputy Chief Inspector of Life-boats on and from the 1st August next.

Voted the best thanks of the Committee toMr. JOHN RAMSAY and Mr. H. A. GLIDDON inrecognition of their valuable services respec-tively as Honorary Secretaries of the Mussel-burgh and Weston-super-Mare branches ofthe Institution, which offices they had nowresigned.

Paid 2,089Z. for sundry charges in connec-tion with various Life-boat establishments.

Voted 821. 14s. to pay the expenses of thefollowing Life-boat services:—

LivesLifo-boat. Vessel. saved.

DungenessNo.2 Smack Alice, of Rye.Stood by vessel.

Gourdon . . Fishing boats of Gour-don. Remained inattendance.

HartlepoolNo.2

Harwich .(Steam)

Johnshaven .

Staithes

Sunderland(South outlet)

S.S. Dresden, of Hartle-pool. Landed

Schooner Notre Damede Toutes Aides, ofNantes

Fishing boats of Gour-don. Remained inattendance.

Two fishing cobles ofStaithes. Assistedcobles.

Two cobles of Sunder-land. Remained inattendance.

Life-boat.Whitby No. 1 ,

Vessel.Fishing cobles

Livessaved.

Whitby.cobles.

ofAttended

The Hastings Life-boat saved the bargeAmy, of London, and her crew of threehands.

Also voted 270Z. Is. lid. to pay the expensesof the following Life-boat launches, assembliesof crews, etc., with the view of assistingpersons on vessels in distress:—Atherfield,Blyth, Broadstairs, Eastbourne No. 2, Gorle-ston No. 1, Hope Cove, Holyhead (Steam),Margate No. 1, Pakefield, Palling No. 2, Poole,Southend (Cantyre), Southwold No. 1., Tot-land Bay, Winterton No. 2, and Yealm River.

The Ramsgate Life-boat was also out onservice, but rendered no service.

Voted 31. 10s. to a Life-boatman for illnesscontracted on Life-boat service at Holyhead.

Voted 111. as an additional grant to thecrew and engine-room staff of the HarwichSteam Life-boat for saving the crew of theschooner Notre Dame de Toutes Aides on the7th April.

Also granted 4Z. and SI. 10s. to nine menand seven men at Hornsea and Withernsearespectively for putting off in cobles for thepurpose of assisting the crew of a vesselsupposed to be in distress off Aldeburgh, incalm but foggy weather on the 2nd May.Also 6s. to three men who assisted in launchingone of the boats.

Also 11. to four men for putting off in aboat from Ardrossan, and saving a man namedA. Muir from Horse Island, on the 2nd April.

In this case Muir had gone with two othermen to their lobster pots when a heavy seaswamped the boat and washed out one of themen. Muir at once dived after him andconveyed him to a rock. In the meantimethe boat foundered, Muir thereupon proceededto search for the other man but without avail.He then returned to the rock only to findthat the man whom he had originally rescuedhad been washed away and drowned. Hethen made for Horse Island and made signals,and in response the four men went off andsaved him. The Committee granted Muir31. in recognition of his gallant attempts tosave his companions.

Granted 4Z. to four men for saving five menwhose boat capsized and sunk, in a strongsoutherly breeze and rough heavy sea inPortland Firth on the 16th March.

The salvors were fishing in a similar sizedboat and incurred considerable risk.

NOTICE.The next number of the LIFE-BOAT JOURNAL will be published on the

2nd November, 190&

Page 24: THE LIFE-BOAT. - Microsoft · the Life-boat ansd from thos wheo have taken a deep interest in thei improver - ment. Unfortunately a very large number of inventors wh visio tht Life-boae

ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE=BOAT INSTITUTION.SUPPORTED SOLELY BY VOLUHTABY CONTRIBUTIONS.

patron—%i» ffiasi ffirarions fHsjeatg tfjt IStng.JjJtesiBfltt—His KOYAL HIGHNESS THE PRIHCE OF WALES, K.G.

(Chairman—SIR EDWARD BIRKBEOK, BAKT..K.C.V.O.,T.P. Brpntgsffifjatnnsn—COL. FrrzBOY CLAYTOH, V.P.

Secretes—CHARLES DIBDIN, ESQ., F.B..G.S.

Telegraphic Addrea : Telephone :

LONDON." EXOHANQE.")

A P P E A L .THE COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT have to state that during the past year (1907) the

BOYAII NATIONAII LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION expended £71,426 on its Life-boat Establishments.

GENERAL SUMMABY OF THE WOBK OF THE INSTITUTION DURING 1907.

Number of Lives rescued by Life-boats, in addition to 43 £ i. d.Vessels and Boats saved by them and 34 persons landedfrom vessels in distress and lightships 932

Number of Lives saved by Shore-boats, &o 224Amount of Rewards granted during the Year 10,560 4 4Honorary Rewards:—Gold Medal 1

Silver Medals and Clasps . . . 15Binocular Glasses 6 ...Aneroid Barometers 5Votes of Thanks on Vellum . . 38Certificates of Service . . . . 12

Total 77 U56 £10,560 4 4

The number of Lives saved either by the Life-boats of the Society, or by special exertionsfor which it has granted rewards since its formation in 1824 (to 31st Dec., 1907), is 47,345. Therewards and recognitions granted by i the Institution in the same period comprise 100 GoldMedals and Clasps, 1,247 Silver Medals and Clasps, 66 Decorations, 887 Binocular Glasses,15 Telescopes, 77 Aneroid Barometers, 1,858 Votes of Thanks, inscribed on vellum andframed, 196 Certificates of Service framed, and £276,465 in money.

The Committee of Management earnestly appeal to the British Public for Funds to enablethem to maintain their 280 Life-boats now on the Coast and their Crews in the most perfectstate of efficiency. This can only be effected by a large and permanent annual income. TheAnnual Subscriptions, Donations and Dividends are quite inadequate for the purpose. TheCommittee are confident that in their endeavour to provide the brave Life-boatmen, whonobly hazard their lives in order that they may save others, with the best possible means forcarrying on their great work, they will meet with the entire approval of the people of thisthe greatest maritime country in the world, and that their appeal will not be made in vain,so that the scope and efficiency of our great Life-saving Service, of which the Nation hasalways been so proud, may not have to be curtailed.

Annual Subscriptions and Donations are earnestly solicited, and will be thankfullyreceived by the Secretary, CHABLES DIBDIN, Esq., at the Institution, 22, CHARING CBOSSROAD, London, W.C.; by the Bankers of the Institution, Messrs. COUTTS AND Co., 440, Strand,London, W.C.; and by all the othlr Bankers in the United Kingdom.—August, 1908.