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INCORPORATED BY ROYAL CITARTER, SUPPORTED BOLELY BY VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS,

Patron-Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen.
President-His Grace the DUKE OF NORTHUMBERLAND, K.G.

Chairman-SIR EDWARD BIRKBECK, Bart., V.P.
Deputy Chairman-COLONEL FITZ-KOY CLAYTON, V.P.

Secretary-CHARLES DIBDIN, Esq., F.R.G.S.

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OLVING

NTHLY

HE Committee of the Royal National Life-Boat Institution

earnestly appeal to the British Public for Funds to enable hem to maintain their 295 Life - Boats now on the coast and heir Crews in the most perfect state of efficiency. This can only

effected by a large and permanent annual income. The Annual Subscriptions, Donations and Dividends are quite inadequate for the purpose. The Committee are confident that in their endeavour to provide the brave Lifeboatmen, who nobly hazard their lives in order that they may save others, with the best possible means for carrying on their great work, they will

meet with the entire approval of the people of this the greatest * naritime country in the world, and that their appeal will not

be made in vain, so that the scope and efficiency of our great ife-saving service, of which the Nation has always been so proud, nay not have to be curtailed.

BIV

BITAT

The Institution granted rewards for the saving of 537 lives by the LifeBoats in 1897, and of 125 lives by fishing and other boats during the same seriod, the total number of lives, for the saving of which the Institution granted *ewards, in 1897 being 662. Total of lives saved, for which Rewards have been granted, from the Establishment of the Institution in 1824 to 31st December 1897, 40,417.

It should be specially noted that the Life-Boat Crows, escepting when remunerated by ilie owners of vissels for property salvage service, oru paid by the Institution for their offorts, whether successful or not, in saving life.

Annual Subscriptions and Donations will be thankfully reseived by the Secretary, Sharles Dibdin, Esq., at the Institution, 14 John Street, Adelphi, London, W.J.; by the Bankers of the Institution, Messrs. Coutis and Co.. 59, Strand; by all he other Bankers in the United Kingdom; and by all the Life-Boat Branches.

(P.r.o.

Supported solely by Voluntary Contributions,

THE PARLIAMENTARY INQUIRY.

THE MANAGEMENT VINDICATED AND JUSTIFIED.
For several years past the Royal National Life-Boat INSTITUTION has bez
subjected, through the medium of the Press and other means, to the me
serious and unfounded charges by a few irresponsible but perhaps interest:
parties. Attacks of a very virulent description, supported by altogether fals:
or misleading statements, have been systematically levelled and widek
circulated, not only against the Administration of the Institution as au-
ducted by the Committee of Management and their Officers, but against th.
Branch and Life-Boat Saturday Committees and their Honorary Officiak the
Life-Boats, and the Life-Boat Crews, which latter have practically bees
described as pirates.

The Institution being entirely dependent for its existence and for the
means to work the Life-Boat service on the voluntary contributions of the
British public, it is manifest that the great life-saving work of the Institutiva
which has been carried on since 1824, and has resulted in the saving a
40,000 lives froni shipwreck on our shores, has, as a necessary result, suifered
very seriously financially, public confidence having been in a slight messert
shaken. The Committee of Management, being thus persistently impeached
felt they had no alternative but to apply to the House of Commons to appoin:
a Select Committee, to inquire fully into the administration of the Instita
tion and into the adequacy of its organisation for saving life on our coasts.

The Government having been communicated with, a motion for t appointment of a Select Committee was brought before the House on teha? of the Institution on the 8th March, 1897, and notwithstanding tho motic was on several occasions blocked by members of the Opposition, it was finally agreed to, and the Select Committee having been appointed on the 17th March, held its first sitting on the 6th April. It subsequently sat to take evidence twenty-four times, and on each occasion for many hours, beside holding five private sittings. It examined on oath witnesses from all parti of the country, and went most fully, carefully and exhaustively into etery detail connected with the management of the Institution and the working its life-saving service. Thus a series of questions dealing with the subject matter of the charges was sent to the honorary secretaries and coxsvais al the Royal NATIONAL LIFE-Boat INSTITUTION, to Lloyd's agents, to the westguard officers, and to receivers of wrecks at all stations round the cast : Great Britain and Ireland. The Committee received 846 replies to the questions from persons to whom the facts must have been known, and wt could have no ground for concealing or misrepresenting them, and it was o source of pleasure to the Committee that these answers contained so wicka testimony to the general efficiency of management and usefulness of * ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION. The Chairman of the Seler Committee (Mr. C. J. DARLING, Q.C.) presented his Committee's Reports the House of Commons on the 15th July. It fully vindicated and justifthe Institution, and entirely cleared the management of the serious charge made against it. The verdict was clear and unmistakable, and the Institu:i.. emerged from the serious ordeal of a Parliamentary Inquiry with-se Times said—“unsullied reputation."

The Report concluded with the opinion that "the thanks F of the whole community are due to the Committee of Management of the Institution for their energy and good management (often in very difficult circumstances is successfully carrying on the national work of life-saving."

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