The annual account presented to parliament shows that the gross total receipts under the Seamen's Fund Winding-up Act during the year 1854 amounted to �118,306 (including the balance on hand on January, 1, 1854), and the gross total payment to �69,397, leaving a balance at the end of the year of �48,909.

The receipts include items of �8764, the amount received from voluntary contributions from masters and seamen, and �78,815, the amount of the vote of Parliament for the year ending Lady-day, 1855.

The payments include items of �65,182 for commutations of pensions. and �4161 for salaries and charges of management. The additional contributors in 1854 were 1447 masters and 975 seamen, and the total number of contributors since the Act came into operation has been 10,910, viz., 6634 masters, and 4276 seamen. From the 31st December last no new contributors would be admitted, except is special cases.

The pensions granted in 1854 to 2662 persons, amounted to �7025, against �7153 in 1853. Of these 2662 persons, 238 were masters, 356 seamen, 259 widows of masters, 652 widows of seamen, 344 children of masters. and 818 children of seamen.

The amount of the pensions which expired in 1854 was �5261, against �5241 in 1853, the total number of persons to whom they were paid having been 2442

The total number of pensioners on the fund at the end of 1854 amounted to 26,572, and the aggregate amount of pensions to �61.376. Of these pensioners 1427 were masters, 4123 seamen, 3754 widows of masters, 8764 widows of seamen, 2884 children of masters, and 5620 children of seamen.

At the end of 1853 the number of pensioners was 26,306, and the aggregate amount of pensions �59,530.

The total amount received in 1854 for the wages and effects of 2937 deceased seamen was �36,508, and the total amount paid to the relatives, &c., of 1598 deceased seamen �14,239, leaving a balance in hand of �22,269 on the 31st of December, 1854. Morning Chronicle, 15th May.

SG & SGTL Vol 12 ; Page 205 ; 3 Sep 1855

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