THE LIFE-BOAT. JOUBNAL OF THK IRo^al Bational %ife*Boat Jnstitutfon. (ISSUED QUARTERLY.) VOL. XVI.—No. 183.] IST FEBRUARY, 1897. PRICE 3d. TEE WEATHEB IN 1896 FEOM A LIFE-BOAT POINT OF VIEW. THE past year up to within the last ten days brought safely to shore in the last quarter of September was a singularly uneventful of the year is somewhere about half what one as regards Life-boat work; in fact, on have been rescued in the whole year. the 22nd September the number of lives When it was seen in September this year rescued by the Life-boats only totalled that there were such small results to 65, and had the weather continued in its show for the large expenditure in keep- peaceful frame of mind up to the end of the ing up the enormous organisation for year, it is probable that the full amount saving life, even though the yearly record of lives credited to the ROYAL NATIONAL was pretty rare to prove such a dis- LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION would have fallen appointing one from a life-saving point short of 100, which would have been of view, there was no panic in John the smallest record since its establish- Street or violent desire to remove about ment in 1824. The following table shows two-thirds of the Life-boat stations, so as the number of lives rescued in a corre- to satisfy that peculiar style of critic who sponding time, viz., between 1st January takes such delight in calculating what it and 22nd September in the six preced- costs the Institution in £ s. d. to save ing years and the totals for each year— one life. It was generally felt that there were great possibilities in the last quarter, and that the equinoctial gales (which a Lives rescued tip i Total lives rescued Year. 'to 22nd September.' In the year. large section of the public appear to believe are as regular in their courses as the planets) would pull up the record; 1890 254 555 and to a great extent this was realised, 1891 216 568 for by the end of 1896 the list had 1892 increased from 67 to 312, showing that 643 836 considerably more than three times the 1893 138 428 number of lives were rescued in the last 1894 378 649 quarter than in the three previous 1895 244 533 quarters of the year. The weather up to the time of the autumnal equinox was certainly re- On glancing at this table it is at once sponsible for the smallness of the BOYAL very noticeable that, with the exception of NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION'S list 1892 when there were 379 persons taken of saved, and it is to be trusted that the off the s.s. Eider, which had stranded on weather, which gratefully provides us the 31st January, the proportion of lives with so much subject for conversation, VOL. XVI,—No. 183.—LIFE-BOAT JOURNAL. 2 s 662 THE LIFE-BOAT. [!ST FEBRUABY, 1897. may often be saddled with a similar being both affected. Crews of vessels responsibility. On the 13th and 21st were rescued by the Whitehaven, Ramsey February there were two sharp blows (Isle of Man), Cemaes, Kingstown and from the eastward which affected the Wicklow Life-boats; the Abersoch and north-east coasts and which brought out Tenby Life-boats each took the crews off many Life-boats to the assistance of five vessels (ten vessels altogether) which the fishing-cobles—an extremely im- were riding at anchor in great danger, portant function of the Life-boats, as it but having managed to survive the inspires much confidence in the fisher- storm their crews boarded their vessels men, and has indirectly been the means again, and consequently the ROYAL of saying many a boat and its crew from NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION does destruction. In the last week in July not lay claim in these and similar cases a south-westerly gale passed up the St. to having saved their lives, although very George's Channel and pursued its way frequently work of this class is extremely north, crossing Scotland about the lati- arduous and attended by much risk. tude of Aberdeen, which disturbed the The Montrose No. 1 boat landed three atmospheric conditions generally, but passengers from a barque, which also did not cause many casualties, warm was in considerable danger, and vessels weather and short nights being wonder- were assisted by the Montrose No. 1, ful antidotes to shipping disaster. The Newbiggin and Aberdovey Life-boats. latter part of August and all September Of the remainder of the boats called out, were very wet, and on the 17th the weather their services were either refused or the began to show unmistakable signs of vessels had succeeded in getting into storminess. From the 23rd to the 27th safety without the aid of a Life-boat. there was a continuation of strong gales Although no further great storm blowing from S.W. to N.W. and affecting occurred in October the whole month was the whole of the coasts. The 25th was what might be called a rough one, both as the first really busy day of the year for to rain and wind; many days the wind is the Life-boats, and eleven boats rendered recorded at forces varying from seven to good service on that day, six crews were nine at various points on the coast, and at rescued, the crews of three other vessels Malin Head, in the north of Ireland, force were landed but afterwards replaced on ten (Beaufort scale) was registered on the board their ships, which had managed to 19th and 26th, the wind being N. and ride out the gale, and two vessels were N.N.W. respectively. The barometrical assisted. The wreck most prominently readings throughout the month, except brought before the public, because it 14th, 15th and 16th, were very low. occurred in the sight of thousands of Life-boats were called out for service on people, was that of the barque Agdar, nearly every remaining day or night of which stranded off Folkestone beach. The the month: 4 were out on the 10th, 5 Folkestone Life-boat rescued four of her on the llth, 3 on the 12th, 6 on the 13th, crew under considerable difficulties, and 5 on the 14th, 3 on the 16th, 2 on the the remaining six refusing to leave their 17th, 3 on the 19th, 4 on the 20th, 4 on ship were with difficulty rescued by lines the 23rd, 1 on the 24th, 2 on the 25th, after the barque had washed over the 1 on the 26th-; after that the weather was rocks on which she first stranded and had somewhat quieter and no other Life-boat come to the beach. was called out until the 30tb, when the We now enter into the last quarter St. Andrew's boat was required to assist proper, although for purposes of com- some fishing-boats. This was certainly parison we have taken the 22nd September a change from the peaceful attitude of as the beginning of the last quarter of the elements in the foregoing part of the the year. Nothing serious occurs in the year, and the list of rescued had by meteorological aspect until the evening the 31st October risen to 184, besides of the 7th October, when a strong south- which a large number of persons in westerly gale sets in and thoroughly up- temporary danger had been lauded from sets the weather until the 12th October, different vessels, but are not included and between the 7th and 9th no less among those credited as rescued. than thirty Life-boats were called out November came in as if inclined to for service, the east and west coasts make up for the coarseness of October, IBT FEBRUARY, 1897.] THE LIFE-BOAT. 663 and until the 7th no Life-boat was be done whether the services of the boat stirring, but on the 7th, as if trying to are required or not, and the boat has emulate the -violence of the weather in also to be brought back through the October, a strong gale from the east- dangerous broken water to the beach. ward sprang up in the night on the Comparisons are often made by ignorant east coast of England and continued till people between the Life-boat service and the 9th, although the immediate neigh- Fire Brigades. It is hardly possible to bourhood of Yarmouth was where it was imagine two such dissimilar organisations. principally felt, still the weather was With the exception that each must be generally disturbed over the British Isles. ready for immediate call, there is not one During this gale seventeen Life-boats single point in common. The Fire Brigade were launched for wreck service, twelve of would be the first to confess that there is which were stationed between Happisburgh, no special difficulty or danger in going in Norfolk, and Margate. Most excellent from their station to the place they are work was done by the Caister No. 2 and called to, and if their services are not Gorleston No. 1 Life-boats to the full- required they simply drive back again. rigged ship Soudan which had stranded Their dangerous work is, of course, in on the outer side of the Scroby Sand off coping with a fire, whereas the Life- Yarmouth. An attempt wai at first made boat man's difficulties very often begin as to save the vessel, but when that easterly soon as the boat-house doors are open, gale sprang up it soon became evident for transporting a Life-boat along an open that the unfortunate vessel was doomed, beach in a snow-storm and heavy gale of and the Gorleston boat with difficulty wind is no sinecure; of course, this does rescued nineteen of the vessel's crew and not always happen, but it frequently does, eight Life-boat men who had been at work as life-boats are not required in fine on board the vessel; the Life-boat then weather.