lthough comparatively
insignificant, was, nevertheless, the means of preventing the fortunes
of the family from being utterly wrecked, and the man who steered the
boat on that occasion, as you all know, was the bridegroom? But--to
turn from the particular to the general question--I am sure, Ladies and
Gentlemen, that you will bear with me while I descant for a little on
the wrong that is done to society by the present state of our laws in
reference to the saving of life from shipwreck. Despite the activity of
our noble Lifeboat Institution; despite the efficiency of her splendid
boats, and the courage of those who man them; despite the vigour and
zeal of our coastguardmen, whose working of the rocket apparatus cannot
be too highly praised; despite all this, I say, hundreds of lives are
lost annually on our coasts which might be saved; and I feel assured
that if the British public will continue their earnest support to our
great National Institution, this death-roll must continue to be
diminished. My friends sometimes tell me that I am a visionary--that
many of my opinions are ridiculous. Is it ridiculous that I should
regard the annual loss of nearly 600 lives, and above two millions of
money, as being worthy of the serious attention of every friend of his
country?

"Excuse me if I refrain from inflicting on you my own opinions, and,
instead, quote those of a correspondent of the _Times_..."

Here the old gentleman hastily unfolded a newspaper, and read as
follows:--

"`Why should not such an amount of information be obtained as will not
only induce, but enable the Board of Trade immediately to frame some
plain, practical measure, the enforcement of which would tend to lighten
the appalling yearly death-list from shipwreck? The plan I would
suggest is that the Board of Trade should prepare a chart of the British
and Irish coasts, on which every lifeboat, rocket-apparatus, and mortar
station should be laid down and along with this a sort of guide-book,
with instructions giving every particular connected with them,--such as,
their distances from each other, whether they are stationary or
transportable, and the probable time that would elapse before one or the
other could be brought to work with a view to the rescue of the
shipwrecked crew. To illustrate my idea more plainly, I will take the
eastern shore of Mounts Bay in Cornwall. A vessel has been driven on
shore at Gunwalloe; the captain, having this chart, wo