Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume X.djvu/429

 LIFE BOAT 423 of Capt. Ottinger, of the United States reve- nue marine. Its advantage over every oth- er plan consists in landing women and chil- dren in perfect safety, and often without even getting wet. Life-Saving Service. There are regular organizations, or societies, for the pre- servation of life from shipwrecked vessels in Great Britain, France, Germany, and Russia, supported by voluntary contributions, but un- der the patronage of their respective govern- ments, and receiving aid in the way of pub- lic ordnance stores, while naval and military officers are detailed to act in various capaci- ties in the proper management of the sta- tions and apparatus. Humane societies hav- ing similar objects in view have long been in operation in the maritime countries of Europe ; and a few years since a humane society was instituted, and is now admirably conducted, in China. The first step in the United States toward an organized effort for assisting the shipwrecked, was the establishment, early in the present century, of the humane society of Massachusetts ; and its huts of refuge and vol- unteer life-boatmen rendered incalculable ser- vice to the unfortunate mariners whose ves- sels were stranded upon that bleak and rugged coast during the stormy winter months. This society was at first supported by voluntary contributions, but at last received the aid of congress, which on March 3, 1847, initiated the establishment of the present life-saving service of the United States, by appropriating $5,000 for providing the lighthouses " on the Atlantic coast with means of rendering assis- tance to shipwrecked mariners." On May 11, 1848, the sum of $10,000 was appropriated for providing rockets, carronades, and surf boats. On Dec. 14 of the same year the au- thority of congress was given for the regular organization of the life-saving service, and 54 stations were established on the coasts of Long Island and New Jersey, from Montauk Point to Cape May. Annual appropriations were thereafter made for the maintenance of the stations, and in 1871 a liberal appropriation of $200,000 was granted for increasing the num- ber of stations and improving the apparatus on the above coasts. With this sum, and fur- ther annual appropriations, the service was re- organized, and extended to the coast of Massa- chusetts in 1872; and there are now 104 sta- tions on the Atlantic coast, as follows : Maine, 5 ; New Hampshire, 1 ; Massachusetts, 14 ; Rhode Island, 3 ; Long Island, 31 ; New Jer- sey, 40 ; Virginia, 3 ; North Carolina, 7. Con- gress passed an act, June 23, 1874, authorizing the additional establishment of 23 complete life-saving stations, 22 life-boat stations, raid 5 houses of refuge upon the Atlantic, Pacific, and lake coasts. Since the first establishment of the service, the records of the treasury de- partment, although the returns are incomplete up to 1872, show that 5,604 lives have been saved in 25 years, an average of 224 per an- num. During the same period the service has preserved from wrecks property to the amount of $1,116,000. According to the last annual report of the royal national life-boat institution of Great Britain, 22,153 lives have been saved during the 49 years (1824 to 1873) of its ex- istence, making an average of 452 per annum. When it is considered how greatly the com- merce of Great Britain exceeds our own, and that she has more than double the number of life-boat stations, the comparison of the number of lives saved results favorably to the United States life-saving service, which has annually rescued nearly half as many lives as the older and more perfectly organized British institu- tion. Life-Saving Stations. The houses for the stations on the coast of the United States are neat and substantial frame buildings, of one story and a half, and 40 ft. long by 20 ft. wide. They afford ample room for the boats, wagon, lines, and other apparatus, with com- fortable apartments for the surfmen and such persons as it may be necessary to shelter after being rescued from shipwreck. At each station FIG. 11. Life-Saving Station. six experienced surfmen are employed, who remain constantly on duty during the winter months, and are in charge of a competent per- son, regularly appointed by the secretary of the treasury, and known as the keeper. During the winter months (from December 1 to April 1) the beaches are patrolled night and day by the surfmen, and the discovery of a wreck is instantly made known by means of a system of signals (flags by day and colored lights at night). On the coasts of Long Island and New Jersey the stations 'are at an average distance of four miles from each other, and on the occurrence of a disaster near one station the neighboring stations soon render assistance. The coast is divided into districts, each being in charge of a superintendent appointed by the secretary of the treasury; and the whole coast is under the general supervision of an inspector, designated from the list of captains in the revenue ma- rine service by the secretary of the treasury, who has charge of the whole service and alone authorizes all expenditures. Connected with