DEPARTMENT, or, rather, that branch of the marine department of the board of trade which has the management of life-rockets, mortars, lines, buoys, and. belts, divides with the national life-boat institution the labors connected with the pre vention of shipwreck, and the rescue of shipwrecked persons. This has been the arrangement since 1855. Until that year the life-mortars in use were partly under the control of the admiralty, partly under the board of ctistoms, partly under the institu tion just named, and partly belonging to private individuals. The merchant shipping act, passed in 1854, and put in force in the following year, placed the whole under a. different organization.
To work out properly the rocket and life-savino. system, a topographical organization is in the first instance adopted. The coasts of die United Kingdom are classified into. 59 coast-guard divisions or wreck-registrars' districts; and the coast-guard inspector of each division or district has control over all the rockets, mortars, buoys, belts, and lines. kept at the various seaside stations in his district. There were in 1874 about 300 such sta tions; some supplied with mortars, some with rockets as well as mortars, but the greater number with rockets only. Most of the mortars are Boxer's improvement on :Manby's;,
and most of the rockets are Boxer's improvement on Dennett's. Boxer's rockets, found more effective than mortars, are made tit the royal laboratory at 1Voolwich, and are sup7 plied by the war department to the stations, on requisition front the board of trade; as are likewise mortar-shot and shells, fuses, portfires, signal-lights, gunpowder, etc. At each sta,tion is kept a cart, expressly made to contain all the requisites for the rocket apparatus, ready packed. Eighteen rockets are supplied with each apparatus; and a new supply is obtained before these are exhausted. Between 1874 and 1880, the system has extended year by year in the number of stations and of men; but while details of organization have changed, no new principle has been introduced. Simpler apparatus, consisting of life-belts and life-lines, is kept at a much greater number of stations. The system is worked by the coast-guard, the men being paid for periodical drilling, and for regular service. Special services are rewarded with gifts of money, medals, etc.