The mode of managing these boats will be best described in centime, Hon with the Nationel Life Boat Association—originally called, when eateblished In 1824, the Royal National Institution for the Proserre tion of Life from Shipwreck. The objects Fought to be attained by thin body were—to gm-ant funds for making lifeboats, boat-houses, and life-buoys; to waist in training boatmen And conseguardsmen 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, medal'', end voter, of thanks, those AVIV) might render aid to sbips in distress, or to persons escaping from such ships. During a course of 31 years, from 1824 to 1951 inclusive, this useful society was instrumental in saving the lives of 9222 persons from ship wreck—not that the work was all done by this Institetion ; but that it took its share in a series of well-planned efforts having this as the result. In 1854 came into operation an Act relating to mereletnt ship' and merchant gasmen (17 k 18 Viet. cap. 104: "An Act to amend and consolidate the Acts relating to Merchant Shipping"); by which the supervision and control of such ships was vested in the Board of Trade. Its provisions, among other important matters, related to life boats. Another benevolent society,the " Shipwrecked Fishermen's and Mariners' Royal Benevolent,,,Society " transferred some life-boats, eight boat-houses, and five life-boat carriages, to the Life-Boat Institution ; the two societies took up more clearly defined lines of action than before; and both gave up certain objects which the new Act enabled the Board of Trade to attain more effectually. Since that year, the Life-Boat Institution has greatly extended the series of life-boat stations. In November, 1S59, there were 88 life-boats belonging to the Insti tution, besides about 70 others belonging to various harbour aotn missioners, dock trustees, Trinity houses, ballast boards, fisheries' commissioners, local committees, and associated boatmen. The Insti tution furnishes every possible aid to the crews of the life-boats, to whomsoever belonging. In each Case thero is a boat-house in which to shelter the boat from the weather ; and in many instances a carriage on which to launch it. The crews are resolute and steady men, kept
to their work by a well-considered arrangement between them and the Institution.
A useful little manual has been published by the Institution ; giving instructions how to manage the life-boats. This manual has recently been translated into French by Admiral Paris, for the use of French boatmen.
Although applicable'to ordinary ships boats rather than to life-boats, we may briefly speak of the apparatus for quickly lowering boats. Many lives have been lost through the imperfect way in which boats are hung from the davits over the ship's sides ; insomuch that during wreck or burning, either the boat occupies too long a time in being liberated, or it is capsized during its descent. Mr. Lacon, Mr. Berthon, and many other inventors, have turned their attention in this direction, with a view to devise a remedy. Captain KynaSton's clisenuaying hooks are connected with a somewhat intricate but very ingenious apparatus by which boats can be lowered quickly and safely, by persons in the ship (not in the boat). Messrs. Wood and Rogers' apparatus more recently introduced, is in a similar way worked by the seamen on shipboard. But the most original and effective appa ratus is that invented by Mr. Clifford, in which the boat is lowered by one person seated in the bout itself, even although there be the weight of a dozen other persons in the boat. There are ropes, blocks, pulleys, rollers, hooks, and other apparatus so cleverly arranged, that the manager of the boat can first lower it to the water's level, and then disengage it altogether from the ship.
Besides life-boats constructed for the especial purpose, there have been several inventions for converting ordinary ships' boats into life boats upon a sudden emergency, which may be applied by the crew of a ship In distress. The Rev. Mr. Bremmer proposed that empty casks should be strongly fixed in ships' boats upon a plan described by him, which on trial was found to answer perfectly. The silver medal of the Society of Arts was voted to Mr. Bray for an invention by which air tight boxes should be fixed under the thwarts of ships boats to render them buoyant ; but these could not bo applied extemporaneously, like some of Mr. Bremmcr's plans.