ROYAL NATIONAL LIFEBOAT INSTITUTION.
March 15th, 1884.
The Prince of Wales presided, not for the first time, at the annual meeting of the Lifeboat Institution, which was held at Willis's Rooms on the 15th of March, 1884. The Secretary, Mr. C. Dibdin, having read the report, the Prince of Wales said:—
"Ladies and Gentlemen,—Before calling upon the noble duke (the Duke of Argyll) to move the first resolution, I wish to say a few words. You have all of you, I feel convinced, heard with the greatest interest the report which has just been read by the secretary, and I think we must all be unanimous in the opinion that that report is highly satisfactory as regards everything connected with this institution.
"The National Lifeboat Institution, having been founded in 1824, has now reached its sixtieth anniversary, and I think you will all agree with me that there is no institution throughout our country which is of greater importance or more demands our sympathy and assistance. From our geographical position as a sea-girt isle, and from the immense colonies which we have acquired, the mass of ships that travel to and fro and reach our islands is almost too vast to enable us even to realize what their number can actually be. Those vessels naturally encounter tempests, the results of which are shipwrecks and loss of life. The risks especially which that valuable and important community, the fishermen on our coasts, have to run from the beginning to the end of the year must be well known to you all. It is especially to save their lives, and not only theirs, but the lives of all who travel on the sea, that this great national institution has been founded. Strange to say that notwithstanding the great improvements which have been effected in navigation and in the different scientific inventions which have been made, there is no doubt that an increase of shipwrecks annually occurs.
"I may mention that it must have been of interest to those of you who visited the Fisheries Exhibition last year to notice all the models of boats, contrivances for fishing, and apparatus for saving life which were there shown to you. It must be patent to everybody that a society of this kind is an absolute necessity. Look at what it has done. Since its foundation nearly 31,000 lives have been saved by its instrumentality. Already this year up to now—the middle of March—300 lives have been saved, and last year the total number was nearly 1000. The institution has now 274 lifeboats, and no doubt you are fully aware, through the medium of the Press, of the gallantry which has been displayed by the coxswains and crews of those boats. This is so well known to you, I am sure, that I need not engross your attention by dwelling upon the topic. Of one thing, however, I must remind you. I must impress upon your minds the fact that, although we admit this to be a national and most important institution, it is at the same time entirely supported by voluntary contributions. Therefore I most urgently ask you to ponder well over this fact, and impress upon you the great necessity which exists for keeping it up and maintaining it in a state of efficiency with adequate funds. A large annual income is, of course, required for this purpose. To maintain a lifeboat station in a good state £70 per annum is needed.
"Allusion has been made in the report to the fact that the Princess of Wales has become a vice-patroness of this institution, and I need hardly tell you that she shares with me all the views that I hold in relation to it. It was a great gratification to her quite recently to present medals to two of the most deserving coxswains who had distinguished themselves in saving lives. Upon the utility and merits of this institution one might speak for hours, but our meeting to-day is for business, and not merely for the purpose of delivering addresses; so I will now call upon the Duke of Argyll to move the first resolution."
Speeches having been made by the Duke of Argyll, Admiral Sir H. Keppell, Lord Charles Beresford, and the Lord Mayor (Fowler), and resolutions passed, the Duke of Northumberland proposed a vote of thanks to the Prince of Wales for presiding, who in responding said:—
"I assure you it has been a source of sincere gratification to me to take the chair on this occasion. I assure you also that nobody more cordially wishes this institution continued success and prosperity than I do. It is a thoroughly national and useful institution, and if it is only as ably managed and conducted in the future as it has been in the past, I feel convinced it will continue to flourish. I know how much we ought to feel grateful to those who have undertaken the arduous duty of managing this institution, for giving their valuable time and assistance, and bow much our hearts ought always to go with those I brave and gallant men who seek to rescue the lives of their fellow-countrymen in all weathers, and in all times by day or night."