Besides the provision for preventing wreck, the Act contains many clauses, applying to cases in which wreck may unhappily have occurred, As these arrangements are somewhat peculiar, it may be well to notice them a little closely. All matters relating to wreck are placed under the general superintendence of the Board of Trade, by whom "receivers of wreck" are appointed. These receivers have the chief command and authority over all persons present at any wreck, Or similar casualty, and power to issue such directions as may seem expedient for the preservation of life and property, or for the prevention of plunder and disorder. Whenever a ship is stranded, or otherwise in distress on British shores, bystanders are encouraged to render assistance, by having a pecuniary interest In the preservation of life or property. If services ao rendered shall be instrumental towards the object in view, the persons shall have a claim on the owner of the ship for a "reasonable amount of salvage." Numerous directions are given for ascertaining what would be a " reasonable amount " in each case ; for enforcing the claim of the salver against the dietrainor ; for dis posing of an unclaimed wreck ; and for adding to the salvor's reward out of the Mercantile Marine Fund, in eases where life has been pre served, and where the wrecked ship is Insufficient in value to pay the salvage awarded. The Mercantile Marine Fund here adverted to is made up in a curious way : it consists of certain fees received by the Board of Trade for examinations and registries connected with mer chant-ships; lighthouse dues accruing by virtue of certain sections of the Act ; rates accruing from lastage and ballastage in the Thames; and fees derived through the receivers of wreck. The fund, kept by her 31ajesty's Paymaster-General, is employed in payment of the salaries of examiners, surveyors, receivers, &c.; expenses in regard to lighthouses, buoys, beacons, lastage, ballastage, life-boats, Ste.; and rewards to persons who assist in saving wrecked ships, or crews, or passengers.
Wrecks, however, will still occur on our coasts, and the necessity arises for affording assistance. By the efforts of the National Life Boat Institution, which has received the support of the government, life-boats have been placed at most of the dangerous parts of our coast. [Lisr-noays.] But there are times when other aid is needed ; when a ship Is in distress so near the shore as to be within reach of a rope, if means were at hand to throw it—while, perhaps, no boats are near the spot fitted to render the required service. What are the crews to do I Sailors, unfortunately for themselves, are in too few cases swimmers ; 'end even a swimmer has a poor chance for his life in such weather and such a sea as usually accompany these strandings of ships. The men generally cling to their vessel as long as her timbers will hold together, rather than strike out and endeavour to swim to shore. In such case their safety mainly depends on the establish ment of some communication with the shore. Such communl cation was the ob of Captain ManLy's attention, and his name is Intimately associated with the history of this part of the sub ject, Ile had, in 17S3, thrown a line, by means of a small mortar, over Downham Church, in Norfolk; and It struck lilin at he might, by the same means, throw a line over a strandetM•essel. During many subsequent years lie made repeated experiments ; his main difficulty consisted in securing the shot to the rope ; iron chains were liable to break on the discharge ; but at length lie found that stout strips of closely-plaited raw hide would answer the purpose. The rocket apparatus is now thoroughly effective, and many thousand lives have been saved by means of the ropes thrown out to stranded ships, through the agency of mortar-rockets. There are upwards of 200 places on the shores of the United Kingdom, where such apparatus is kept, meetly under the charge of the coast guard, who, from the peculiar nature of their other duties, are well adapted for this kind of service.