LIFE-SAVING SERVICE. The first instance on record of a combined public effort in the direction of life-saving is that of the national life-boat association, in England, founded in 1824 under the name of the royal national association for the preservation of life from shipwreck. But as early as 1785, when the first patent was granted for a life boat, the subject was attracting general attention; and a second boat, invented four years later, is said to have saved nearly 300 lives from vessels wrecked near the mouth of the Tynemouth haven, during the following fifteen years. The life-boat association was established "to grant funds for making life-boats, boat-houses, and life-buoys; to assist in training boatmen and coast-guardsmen to aid ships in distress; to interchange the fullest information, with corporate bodies and local committees, concerning life, saving appliances; and to reward by money, medals, arid votes of thanks, those who might render aid to ships in distress, or to persons escaping from such ships." Between 1824 and 1877 this institution saved 25,435 lives: in 1876 it had 2,541 life-boats. But this association had been already- indirectly preceded in the United States in the same direction, through the application of the machinery of the Massachusetts humane society to live-saving, as early as 1786. This organization, forrned for general benevolent pur poses, and incorporated 1791, devoted attention to the dangers of the coast of Massachu: setts and to the succor of shipwrecked seamen and others, by erecting huts for their shelter on specially exposed portions, the first of these having been set up on Lovell's island, near Boston. The first life-boat station of the society was established at Cohasset in 1807, and was followed by the erection of a number,of others. This movement at tracted the attention of the government, which in 1847 appropriated $5,000 " for furnish ing the light-houses on the Atlantic coast with the means of rendering assistance to ship wrecked mariners." In 1855 a second appropriation, of $10,000, was made by con gress; in 1857, one of $10,000; and in-18-70, one of $15,000. This society is still in active service, having 78 stations. Other societies, designed to aid in the protection and safety of life, were organized from time to time in different localities, but accomplished little or nothing, excepting the live-saving benevolent-association of New York, founded in 1849, and still in operation, but whose work has generally been in other directions from that under consideration. In the meantime the U. S. government had frequently had the life-saving question under consideration. As early as 1807 au effort was made to organize a coast survey, but it was unsuccessful; and it was not until 1832 that this most important department of the government was finally established; being followed by the organization of the lake survey in the hands of the engineer corps of the U. S. army. In 1848 congress appropriated $10,000 to provide surf-boats a»d organize a life saving service for the coast of New Jersey. With this suni eight buildings, sullably appointed, were erected; and when, in 1849, congress appropriated $20.000 for the gen eral purpose, a similar number of buildings was erected ou the coast of Long island, and six additional ones on that of New Jersey. In 1850, $20,000 more, appropriated by con .gress, enabled the establishment of statious at other points along the coast of the Atlantic -and the gulf, provided with life-boats and other material. In 1852 the reformation of the light-house system gave a great impetus to the movement towards a suitable life saving service; a system which now operates 1336 lights on the sea-coast and inland shores, besides fog-siguals, buoys, and other machinery. In the two years following 1852 congress appropriated $42,500 to the purposes of life-saving, and the service, while being continued along the sca-coast, was also extended to the great lakes. ln 1854 a law was passed by congress which increased the efficiency of this service, and from that titne slight improvements continued to be made. But it was not until 1871 that the present system may be said to have been fairly organized. On April 20 in that year, congress appropriated $200,000, and the service was reorganized, under the general direction of Mr. Sumner I. Kimball, the present (1881) superintendent. New stations were appointed
and provided; the efficiency of the personnel of the service was hnproved; and a suitable commission decided upon the selection of appliances for life-saving, which were adopted and procured. In 1873 the limits of this service were broadened, the sum of $100,000 being appropriated by congress for this purpose. Finally, by the act of June 20, 1874, .congress perfected its work. This act authorized the arrangement of the life-saving .stations into complete stations, life-boat stations, and houses of refuge; created new dis tricts with salaried officials; established a system of honors in the bestowal of medals; and arran,vd for the tabular collection of statistics displaying the efficiency of the serv ice, and directing attention to places requiring protection at its hands. The storm signal department of the signal service was now connected with the life-saving stations, through the use of an appropriation by congress of $30,000 specifically for that purpose. The record of this season showed how admirably the service had been adapted to the purpose for which it had been organized: 1165 lives were saved on the three coasts cov .ered by its operations, while only two were lost. The years following were marked by .constant and marked improvement in the scope and the working of the service. A vain •able code of signals to enable vessels in danger to communicate with the stations was :adopted in 1878; a line of telegraph between capes Henry and Hatteras, and in the vicinity of the stations on the North Carolina coast, connecting with the head-quarters of the signal service in Washington, was applied to the uses of the life-saving service; .and preparations were made which resulted in the adaptation of a system of telephones to the same purpose at twelve of the stations on that coast. The act of congress of .June 18,1878, organized the life-saving service into a distinct department; it having been previously associated with the revenue marine. This act also extended the annual term of service of the crews, doubled the pay of station-keepers, and authorized compen sation for the voluntary life-boat service which had been established on the lakes.—The scene of the labors of the life-saving service covered, in 1871-72, the coast of Long island and New Jersey; the seasons of 1872-74, that of cape Cod in addition to these; the season of 1874-75, the coasts of New England, Long island, New Jersey, and the coast from cape IIenry to cape Hatteras; season of 1875-76, coasts of New, England, Long island, New Jersey, coast from cape Henlopen to cape Charles, and that from cape Henry to cape Hatteras; season of 1876-77, all the foregoing, with the addition of Florida and the lake coast; season of 1877-78, the coast of Maine, .New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode island and Long island, New Jersey, cape IIenlopen to cape Charles, cape Henry to cape Hatteras, eastern coast of Florida, lake coast, and Pacific coast; 1878-79, same as the last. Following is a general summary of disasters which have occurred within the scope of live-saving operations from .Nov. 1,1871 (date of introduction of present sys tem), to close of fiscal year ending June 30, 1879: Of the number of lives lost, 183 were at the disasters to the U. S. steamer Huron, Nov. 24,1877, and that of the steamer MeiPopolis Jan. 20,1878.—At the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1878, there were 12 life-saving districts, covering 173 stations; 981 surf men employed; net expenditures for the year $363,674.72; balance of appropriations unexpended, $30,017.28. The personnel of the service included one general superintend ent, Sumner I. Kimball; one assistant general' superintendent, William D. O'Connor; one inspector of life-saving stations, capt. James H. _Merryman; two superintendents of construction of life-saving stations, capt. John 316Gowan, capt. James H. Merryman; 12 assistant inspectors, 2 lieutenants U. S. revenue marine on special duty, L2 district superintendents, 1 assistant district superintendent.