and Virginia, from Cape Henlopen to Cape Charles; the sixth, the coasts of Virginia and North Carolina, from Cape Henry to Cape Hatteras ; the seventh, the eastern coast of Florida; the eighth, the coasts of Lakes Ontario and Erie; the ninth, the coasts of Lakes Huron and Superior; the tenth, the coast of Lake Michigan; and the eleventh, the Pacific coast, from Cape Flattery, Washington Territory, to Point Conception, California.

Superintendents.-Each district is in charge of a superintendent. He is appointed only after careful examination by an Examining Board, consisting of two persons, one of them the inspector of life-saving stations. He is required to be not less than twenty-five, nor more than fifty-five years of age; to be familiar with the coast of his district; to be conversant with the proper management of surf-boats and life-saving apparatus; to be able to read and write the English language correctly, and to have a knowledge of notation, numeration, the four rules of arithmetic, and the elementary principles of book-keeping. He is charged with the superintendence of the stations in his district. His duty is to visit every station at least twice during the winter months, and three times during the remainder of the year. Upon each visit he carefully examines the condition of the building and its apparatus, books, furniture, &c.; and musters and inspects the crew of the station, whom he exercises in the use of the boats and apparatus, according to a prescribed form. After each examination he makes a written report of the result to the Department through the inspector. He also makes requisition through the same officer for repairs, supplies, or outfits which he finds needed by any station. He scrutinizes the reports of wrecks which keepers are required to make and forward to him upon the occurrence of each disaster, and sees that they contain all the particulars before forwarding them through the inspector to the Department. In cases of vacancy occurring through any cause, he selects and nominates to the Department suitable persons for keepers of the stations, temporarily employing meanwhile proper agents to discharge the duties. He also acts as a disbursing officer for the payment of crews, and for certain supplies which he is authorized to purchase upon requisition. These superintendents are vested with the powers and duties of inspectors of customs, and labor for the prevention and detection of smuggling upon the coasts of their respective districts. Their pay is $1,000 each per annum, except those of the third and fourth districts, who receive $1,500 each, in consideration of the more arduous duties which those important coasts involve. The third district is also allowed an assistant superintendent at a compensation of $500 per annum.

Keepers. The keepers of the stations are selected on account of their reputation as brave and expert seamen, and their skill in controlling boats beset by the dangers incident to wrecks stranded in angry water. They are the captains of their respective crews, and must have the qualities which inspire the confidence and obedience of their men. The 9 CEN, PT 2

immediate care and government of the stations are confided to them, and they are accountable for the condition of the buildings, boats, apparatus, &c., and for the proper use of all supplies under their charge. They are prohibited, during the winter season especially, from engag ing in any business or occupation which involves absence from the stations or interference with their duties. They are required to have received sufficient education to enable them to keep accounts of all expenditures at the stations, journalize all transactions and occurrences, and make monthly reports, and all other necessary communications to the superintendents. The duties of a keeper of the life-saving station are extremely important. During the season of storms, which ranges on our coast from four to six months (the Lakes excepted) he resides at the station with his crew, and gives his whole time and attention to keeping a lookout for vessels in distress. One of his most especial cares is to see that the beach between his station and the two to the right and left adjoin. ing is constantly patrolled by his men all night and during the stormy or thick weather in the day also, in order that any vessel driven ashore may be at once descried. When a wreck is discovered, the keeper's first duty is to communicate the fact when necessary by signal to the adjoining stations, and then to prepare the apparatus and boats for service. Upon boarding wrecks, the preservation of life is his first consideration; that of property is secondary. All cargoes, or portions thereof that come ashore, he guards in the interest of the owners and for the protection of the revenue. After a wreck he fully reports the particulars on a printed form to the superintendent. He sees that the boats and apparatus are carefully cleaned, dried, and repaired after each occasion of service. When two or more keepers and crews meet at a wreck, they are required by regulation to co-operate harmoniously, the most experienced keeper assuming the general direction. The drill and exercise of crews in the use of the boats and apparatus are frequent, and in addition to those required upon the visits of inspectors and superintendents, keepers must get out their respective boats at least once a month for the same purpose, but are not allowed to expend powder, shot, or rockets in the exercise unless by authority. The lakes are closed by ice to navigation during the winter months, and the active season for keepers in that locality is during the spring and fall, when heavy gales and storms are prevalent; but elsewhere upon the coast the keepers are required to remain at the stations during the inclement portion of the year (or longer if the Department should so direct); this being a period varying in duration according to the degree of latitude, but comprised between November and May. The keeper of a station has possession of its keys when closed, and visits it frequently during the summer to see that everything about it is in proper order. In case of his illness or incapacitation at any time, the keeper of the next adjoining station takes charge until his recovery, or the appointment of his successor. His remuneration is at present only $200 per annum,

payable quarterly-an insufficient sum-which it is hoped Congress will increase, in consideration of the dignity, value, and responsibility of his functions.

Crews. As stated hereafter, there are three classes of stations, respectively designated complete life-saving stations, life-boat stations, and houses of refuge. To a life-saving station there is allotted a crew of six persons, permanently resident at the station-house during the season, and paid at the rate of $40 per month while they serve, and $3 each for every occasion of shipwreck at other times where they render assistance. The life-boat stations are served by twelve volunteers, not resident at the station-house, but summoned whenever a wreck occurs, and paid at a rate not to exceed $10 each for every time they save life at such an occurrence. The houses of refuge are in charge of a keeper only. The surfmen who form the crews of the two first classes of stations are the élite of our coast, hardy and experienced seamen, adepts in managing boats in heavy seas and near wrecks at seasons of the sternest marine ordeal. Their skill with the oar in the crash and convulsion of shipwrecking seas is incredible, and such is their mastery that they deliberately prefer, in attempts at rescue, their comparative cockle-shell of a surf-boat to the superb self-righting and self-bailing mahogany life. boats devised by the English. They are engaged annually, nominally for the year, by signing articles. The efficiency of the stations being, of course, dependent upon discipline, they are required to render the strictest obedience to the keepers. The duty which alone of all others equals that of their service at wrecks is their maintenance of the patrol. For this purpose the winter night is divided into three watches of four hours each. At each of these periods two men set out from the station, one proceeding toward the nearest station on the right, the other toward that on the left (the stations being from 3 to 7 miles apart), and traverse the beach till they meet the patrol coming from the contiguous station, when they exchange signals and return. Each patrolman carries a beach-lantern and a red Coston hand-light. His severe and laborious march is sustained nightly in all weathers; and as he plods through the darkness over the hummocked beach he keeps perpetual watch for the token of some vessel stranded in the obscure offing. Should he discover such he instantly ignites his red Coston light, both to alarm his station and to notify the wreck that succor is at hand, and rushes back to the station-house to take his part in the thrilling work of rescue.

Stations. As already indicated there are three classes of stations. Those known as complete life-saving stations are established at localities exposed to the actual ocean, on long beaches or outlying bars, generally void or sparse of population, and therefore calling for resident crews. They are placed at points which statistics of disasters prove the frequent scene of shipwrecks, and usually at an average distance of 3 miles apart.

The station-houses are structures mainly of pine, a story

and a half in height, 44 feet long by 18 broad (inside dimensions); of pointed architecture, painted in three coats of oil, brown in color, with trimmings of darker brown, and dark-red roofs. The older station-houses have less ample interiors, but the new and improved structures are designed to contain five rooms. In the lower story, one of ob. long form, for the boat and heavy apparatus, and one adjoining for the mess-room of the crew; in the upper story, one furnished with cot-beds, for the accommodation of shipwrecked persons, one for the storage of lighter articles belonging to the station, one for the sleeping chamber of the crew, and one for the use of the observer of the Signal Service. The number of complete life-saving stations is one hundred and twentysix.

The life-boat stations are of similar materials and architecture, but not having to accommodate keepers or crews, contain only one large apartment with closets, and are 20 by 40 feet inside dimensions. This house contains the life-boat, mortar and shot, hand-cart lines, and other lighter articles. These stations are located near populous places in the vicinity of piers and harbors. When built upon piles or upon wharves or piers, as they sometimes are, they are furnished with what are termed inclined platforms, a species of trap in the lower floor furnished with rollers, upon which the life-boat rests, and which, lowered at an angle determined by the height of the water below, permits the boat to be easily launched by sliding down this sloping plain. There are twentyfour of this class of stations. Their keepers and the members of the volunteer crews, by which they are served, are supposed to reside in their neighborhood.

The houses of refuge, which constitute the third class of stations, are only five in number, and are all upon the eastern coast of Florida. For nearly 500 miles this coast is a desolate waste, with shores so bold that stranded vessels are usually thrown high upon the beach, and crews wrecked by its frequent gales and tornadoes are less in peril of death by drowning than by hunger and thirst when cast ashore. Hence these houses are designed to offer shelter and sustenance, these being the main necessity of the situation. They are a story and a half high, supported upon posts, are about 35 by 15 feet in dimensions, and are built of Florida pine and light wood, and roofed with cypress shingles. 'Their architecture is of the type frequent in the southern part of our country, characterized by a large chimney, sloping roof, and ample verandas on every side. Instead of glass the windows are furnished with brass wire-gauze mosquito netting and solid outside shutters. Each house is inhabited by a keeper and his family, is provisioned sufficiently to support twenty-five persons for ten days during the season of hurricanes, having also capacity for sheltering that number. A boat-house about 28 by 12 feet in dimensions is attached to each station, housing one 22-foot surf-boat and one 12-foot skiff for keepers' use, both of galvanized iron, furnished with oars, masts, and sails.

The estimated cost of these stations, with their equipments, which the actual cost closely approaches, is as follows: $5,302.15 for a complete life-saving station, $4,790 for a life-boat station, and $2,995 for a house of refuge.

Apparatus and equipments.-The apparatus, &c., used at the stations formed part of the national exhibit at the Cenntenial Exhibition.

First in order may be mentioned the surf-boat, which is either metallic or cedar, insubmergible; usually 25 feet long, 6 feet broad, 2 feet and 3 inches deep, made buoyant with air-chambers running along the sides under the thwarts, having cork fenders on the sides for protection in case of collision with hulls or wreckage, and the bottom considerably flattened for convenience in launching from our flat beaches. These boats are painted red, with a black streak on the gunwale. They are generally used at the complete life-saving stations, and are the favorite of the crews.

The life-boats used at the stations of the second class are a modification of the English pattern. They are 26 feet 8 inches by 7 feet 31 inches in dimension, and are so buoyed at stem and stern with airchambers, and weighted in the keel, as to be self-righting when capsized. Their decks being so placed as to be always above the waterline, with delivery pipes leading through to their bottoms; they are also, on the principle that water seeks its level, self-bailing. A boat of this species, when thrown over, as may sometimes happen by a monstrous wave, comes right side up, full of water, of which she empties herself in twenty seconds. These boats are strongly built, being of mahogany, double planked diagonally, and are very heavy. Their main disadvantages are their great cost, and their weight, which makes their transportation from the station to the water (except where they can be launched directly from their houses into deep water) impossible, unless at points where horses are available. Their splendid advantages are obvious. One of them was displayed at the Exhibition, afloat ́on the lake in front of the station, and its self-righting and self-bailing qualities were illustrated by a working model 4 feet in length, and made in exact proportion to the actual life-boat. Their draft is considerable, which also makes them unsuitable for use on the greater part of the Atlantic coast, which is bordered with shoal water. An admirable boat of this description, which is believed to be a marked improvement, for our purposes, on the English model, has been devised by Capt. John M. Richardson, superintendent of the first life saving district, and is in use at Station No. 4, White Head Island, Maine. It draws 4 inches less water than the smallest English boat; is over 1,400 pounds lighter; has flat decks to the air-cases at each end, an advantage over the convex surfaces of its prototype; is built of cedar and white oak, and framed and planked like ordinary boats, which makes it lighter and less expensive than the diagonal double-planked mahogany hull of the other, and delivers the water it ships through shuttered scuppers in the sides,