THE LIFE-BOAT. The Journal of the Royal National Life-Boat Institution. VOL. XXV.—No. 280.] DECEMBER, 1923. Qd. Notes and News. By GEORGE F. SHEE, M.A., Secretary of the Institution. Tms present number of The Life-Boat, largely but not entirely. There still the 280th, is the last but one which will are many " imperfectly informed, and be published in the first century of the supinely indifferent." So long as there Institution's history. When the text are such, and so long as the Institution appears, in February, 1924, we shall be fails to raise each year sufficient to main- on the threshold of our second century. tain the Service for the year, that re- March 4th will be the hundredth anniver- proach will remain. Our hope is that, sary of the founding of the Institution. before we have gone far in our second Match 1st will be the seventy-first birth- century, it will have been entirely day of The Life-Boat. For the seventy- removed. one years its aim has been, in the words of its first editor, " to advance the great The Institution and Ship Owner*. cause we advocate, namely, the improve- In the last issue of The Life-Boat, in ment of life-boats, their management, the article entitled " The Institution and and all other means for the preservation Ship Owners," appeared a list of the of life from shipwreck." launches of Life-boats to ships during the * * * * first four months of this year, together I should like to quote also, the very with the names of the vessels, and the first words of its first number : owners, and the amount of the owner's " If there be one subject more than subscription, if any, to the Institution. another that might be expected to Among these ships was the s.s. Dunmail, command the attention and sympathy of Newcastle, some of whose crew in a, of a maritime country like Great Britain, small boat were helped on 21st April, \>j it surely must be the safety and welfare the Barry Life-boat, and it was stated of those of her sons ' whose business is that the owners, Messrs. Sharp & Co., in the great waters,' and yet how im- of Newcastle, were not subscribers to the perfectly informed, how supinely in- Institution. While this statement is different is the great bulk of our correct, I am very glad to be able to say, population, as to the causes, the pre- that since the appearance of that article, vention, or the mitigation of the heroes the Barry Honorary Secretary has of shipwreck.' " informed me that, after this service, * * * * Messrs. Sharp sent a special contribution Those words were written at a time of five guineas to the funds of the Barry when the Institution, re-organised by Branch, while the Captain of the Dunmail the vigorous efforts of the fifth Duke of sent " a most appreciative letter " to the Northumberland, was just beginning to Coxswain and Crew of the Life-boat, and recover after a period during which a sum of money to be distributed among them. public apathy had allowed its revenue * * . * * to fall to less than £400, and the great majority of its Life-boats to become un- The article was quoted in a number seaworthy. The bitter and deserved of newspapers, and the Journal of reproach in those words has, in the inter- Commerce, of Liverpool, one of the lead- vening years, been largely removed— ing shipping papers in the Kingdom, and 82 THE LIFE-BOAT. [DECEMBER, 1923. a paper which has always shown its boat took place in connexion with the readiness to put the claims of the Day, which had been organised by Mr. Institution before the public, complained G. 0. Cubitfc, who provides the horses for with some bitterness of " these attacks," launching. On this occasion not only did suggested that " a direct personal appeal he provide the horses without any charge, to the shipowners as a body for increased but the Crew and helpers gave their support would be the better way," and services. These two generous gifts of gave it as its opinion that " shipowners service were the equivalent of over £15. do, as a matter of fact, support the * * * * Life-boat Institution, as well as any In addition we have had several gifts other section of the community." of money from Crews. On 6th December * * * * of last year, the Spurn Life-Boat rescued The Journal of Commerce also pub- the crew of five of the schooner Hosanna, lished two letters expressing surprise at of Thurso, and then put out again, and the Institution's charges against ship- saved'the vessel also. For saving the owners, and asking what data there vessel, the Life-Boat Crew were awarded were to support them, and quoted " a salvage, and from his share of this a-ward, well-known shipowner " as saying that Coxswain Robert Cross has sent to the the Institution's Secretary " needed a Institution a donation of £2 5s. Qd. good shaking." * * * * * * * * On 12th April, of this year, tie A full reply was sent to these criticisms, Cresswell Life-boat helped to refloat but, as readers of The Life-Boot are the Norwegian steamer Kamfjord, of already familiar with the facts, it need Christiania, and on 16th April, the not be quoted in full here. It pointed Lowestoft Boat helped to refloat the out that " direct personal appeals " hadDutch steam trawler Burgemeester Rip- been, and were continually being, made ping, of Maassluis, which had also to shipowners. It gave figures to show stranded. Out of the salvage awarded that in fact, they did not " support the for these two services, the Crews have Institution as well as any other section made donations of £10 and £2 respec- of the community," and it called atten- tively, to the Institution's funds. tion to the fact that the statements made * * * * in The Life-Boot had been supported by On 19th July last the smack Hepatica, three pages of figures and dates. In con- of Lowestoft, went aground on the clusion, the " well-known shipowner," Hasborough Sands, and was got afloat or any one else concerned, was gently again with the help of the Cromer invited to " shake" the Institution's Motor Life-boat. Out of the salvage facts if he could. awarded them for this service the crew * * * * tiave presented £1 16s. 4d. to the That letter was published by the Institution. Journal of Commerce, on 1st August. * * * * So far no attempt has been made to I regret that in the last issue of The shake either the facts or the Secretary. Life-Boat the gift which the Claeton-oB-* * * * * Sea Crew made to the Institution, out of At the same time it is a pleasure to money received for the salvage of the be able to record that when, at the barge Decima, was given as £3. It beginning of November, the Donaghadee should have been £5. The date of the Life-boat performed a fine service to the service was 20th January last. 8.8. Castle Ireland, of Belfast, rescuing * * * * nine lives, the owners, Messrs. John On 4th August, 1922, the Porthoustock Kelly, Ltd., presented £50 to the Crew. Life-boat crew saved the s.s. Dolphin, of Manchester, and her crew of eight. Gifts from Crews. The vessel had struck the Manacles The Life-Boat Day at Palling (Norfolk) Rocks during thick weather and was was held early in August, and raised a piloted by one of the Life-boat crew into sum of over £25. A launch of the Life- Falmouth Harbour, accompanied by the DECEMBER, 1923.] THE LIFE-BOAT. 83 Life-boat. Out of the salvage awarded At 7 in the morning of 30th August the Life-boat Crew have sent a donation the St. Abbs Life-boat was called out to the Institution, of £8 16s. 6d. to the help of a vessel showing signals of distress two and a half miles to the Practical Gratitude. north-east. A gale was blowing, with a " From the calamity of shipwreck no heavy sea and driving rain. At first the one can say that he may at all times vessel could not be found, and the Life- remain free, and whilst he is now pro- boat returned to St. Abbs Head Signal viding only for the safety of others, a Station, and learnt that she was now day may come which will render the far to the southward, off Eyemouth. cause his own." Every now and then When the Life-boat reached her she was that truth is strikingly illustrated by in a sinking condition, with no sign of events. Here is one such illustration. life on board, and ten minutes later she On 27th August five friends put out foundered. A life-buoy was picked up from Porthdinllaen in a small boat to marked " East Neuk, Aberdeen," and it enjoy some fishing. They were caught was afterwards learnt that her crew had in a sudden squall. One of their oars been saved by the Eyemouth Life-boat. was put out of action, and they were left Among the men who answered the helpless at the mercy of heavy seas. The signal of distress, and went out in the news of their danger was brought ashore Boat, was a visitor on holiday at St. by another boat, and the Porthdinllaen Abbs, Captain Robert Gibson, who was Life-boat at once put out, and rescued in command of the s.s. Hopelyn, of all on board, but she arrived only just Newcastle, when she was wrecked on in time, for the boat was already almost the Scroby Sands on 19th October of filled with water and in imminent last' year, and who had himself been danger of being swamped.