BIDEFORD or Barnstaple Bay lies on the north coast of Devonshire, just within Luudy Island at the entrance of the Bristol Channel.

From the high projecting cliffs of Hartland Point, which rise 330 feet above the sea, a wide and deep bay extends to the east- ward for 19 miles, as far as Morte Point.

A strong and dangerous in draft sets into this bay, and its influence is felt six miles to sea- ward, so that in unsettled weather no vessel should approach the land within the limits of a line connecting the above two points unless bound over Barnstaple Bar, or into Clovellypier; for the frequent sudden changes to N.W., which succeed the S.W. gales, would expose a vessel to great risk of being driven ashore, it being impossible to claw off the land on the flood tide, or to obtain the slightest shelter while the wind blows from W.N.W. round northwards to N.E.

The danger attending these sudden shifts of wind may be forcibly exemplified by the lamentable loss of the Weasel sloop of war, commanded by the Hon. HEXRY GREY, on the night of the llth of January, 1799.

On that day she was riding at anchor about a mile west from the bar, being then stationed on this part of the coast, with the wind blowing a fresh gale from the south- ward. A Bideford vessel, commanded by a Captain GEOSSARD, in the course of the day beat in over the bar, and in passing, closed the Weasel, and hailed her * commander, telling him that his position was dangerous, and begging him to cross the bar and go into the harbour. The answer was that the Weasel was riding quite safely. In the night the gale suddenly veered round to the N.W., and in attempting to beat out of the bay, the Weasel struck near Baggy Point, went to pieces almost immediately, and every person on board perished, 120 officers and men, and one woman.

These sudden shifts of wind have also produced much lamentable loss of life among the fishermen at Clovelly, a large fishing station nine miles to the westward of the bar within the bay. In October, 1819, 8 lives were lost; in November, 1821, 30 lives; and in 1838, 21 lives.

The dangerous indraft into the bay, likewise, will be exemplified by a circumstance butlittle known, which might have been of serious consequence. The Great Western steam- ship, on her first return voyage from New York to Bristol, was pushing on, as her commander and pilot thought, outside Lundy, in very thick weather, when suddenly she was found to be anion breakers. The o vessel was brought round immediately, with her head to the north-west, when the weather shortly clearing, it was found that she had passed between Lundy and Hartland Point, and, gradually drawn in by the current, had almost run on shore a little to the north of Barnstaple Bar, the first land she had made since crossing the Atlantic.

The entrance to the rivers Taw and Torridge, leading to the three populous towns of Barnstaple, Bideford, and Appledorc, be- sides some large villages and watering places, as Instow and others, situated on the banks of these rivers, lies in the bight of the bay, and is obstructed by a bar having only a depth over it of 4i feet at low water springs, but with a 23-feet rise on ordinary, and 29 feet on extraordinary, spring-tides.

Owing to the indraft above mentioned, and the bar being only accessible for large vessels from half-flood to half-ebb, wrecks frequently occur; but in consequence of the erection of Braunton leading lights, which were judi- ciously placed by the Trinity Board in 1820, on the north side of the entrance, the num- ber of wrecks has been greatly diminished, and through the instrumentality of the life- boats that have been established the loss of life on these occasions has of late years been comparatively rare.

Life-Boat, No. 1, stationed at Appledore.

—At about the period the lighthouses were built, public attention and sympathy were strongly excited by the frequent wrecks and fearful loss of life that had taken place within the bay. The distance, of the bar from the shore and the exposed situation of the whole beach, being open to the Atlantic, pre- venting the possibility of assistance being rendered by ordinary boats, in very bad weather, suggested the necessity of a life- boat, and in August, 1824, an appeal wasmade to the National Shipwreck Institution, which, had then been recently established in London. The request was at once acceded to, and a small boat ordered to be built by PLENTY, of Newbury, Berks, and she reached her station at the latter end of February, 1825, and was placed in a bam, within the har- bour, close to the King's Watch House.

This boat, which is called No. 1, or the Volunteer, by the North Devon Association, is 17 feet long, 6J feet wide, 2% feet deep, weighs 20 cwt., and is pulled by 4 oars, or occasionally 5 oars, single banked. The boat, like others built by PLENTY, is sheathed with cork on the bottom, well secured, and thoroughly varnished, so that it has resisted the wear and tear of a quarter of a century. The boat has air-cases built into her sides, so as to be almost a double boat, with small internal capacity; has no scuppers to free herself of water, only two 1-J inch plug-holes, but owing to her triangular form inside, and the absence of the wash-strake, she rolls most of the water out that comes in; she would not self-right in the event of being upset, which, from her form, is a highly improbable accident to happen to her; she has the character of being " slow but sure," and truly enough this small boat has proved her value, having been the means of saving 80 lives during the last 27 years. There is no difficulty in manning the boat, as there are always plenty of sailors and pilots at Apple- dore ready to go off, and the Local Committee ensure the crew a reward for their services.

The Volunteer's first service was on the llth of September, 1829. After that service she was taken from the barn, and placed for greater convenience in the King's Watch House, A proposition was made at this time by some individuals to build a boat-house, and a small sum of money was' collected for this object; public attention was thus called to the matter, and a meeting of the gentlemen, merchants, and shipowners, of the towns of Bideford, Barnstable, and Appledore, waft held in the village of Nor- tharn, on the 20th of June, 1831, "to take into consideration the most effectual means of rendering the life-boat serviceable in cases of shipwreck; defraying the expenses attend- ing the same; and for raising a fund to reward those who are instrumental in saving lives on such occasions." At this meeting the North Devon Humane Society was established ; Lord EOLLE wasap- pointed Patron, A S. WILLETT, Esq., Presi- dent, and T. BURNAKD, Esq., Hon. Sec. The Society at once proceeded to erect a boat-house, and to provide a carriage for the life-boat, with which it was not originally furnished.

This life-boat house, a stone buildino- ' O erected in 1831, is 34 feet long, 16 feet broad, and the door 8J feet wide by 8J feet high; and the boat stands on a truck, or carriage having 4 wheels, of about 3 feet in diameter. The boat-house is situated at a place called Watertown, in the parish of Northam, within a few yards of high-water mark, and two cables' length from low water within the harbour; but from the open sea, across the Northam Burrows, the distance is one mile; and one and a half miles to low- water mark in that direction. The site of this boat-house was selected by a majority of 8 out of 11 pilots and masters of vessels; the distance from the usual place of wreck is however now felt to be a great drawback, and in consequence it has been proposed to build a new boat-house close to the sea-beach at Northam, towards the expense of which the National Shipwreck Institution granted 30Z. in. July, 1851, but the boat-house has not as yet been erected, owing to a legal difficulty in building it upon a public com- mon. It is very desirable that this difficulty should be got over, and a boat-house built on the proposed site.

The Volunteer, as already mentioned, has rendered good services. On the llth Sept., 1829, she rescued the crew and passengers of the packet-sloop Daniel, of Bristol, and in two trips brought on shore 12 men, for which service the silver medal of the National Shipwreck Institution was awarded to OWEN SUITE, WILLIAM BRINKSMEAD, and PHILIP GUY. On the 24th November, 1833, she rescued 4 men from No. 2 life-boat, which had been upset in going to the wreck of the Mary Ann, of Exeter, stranded on the Northam Burrows. On the 17th Dec., 1833, in company with life-boat No. 2, she rescued .

the master and crew of the ship Elizabeth, of Liverpool, when 18 persons were brought on shore, 8 of them by this boat. On this occasion silver medals were voted to THOMAS BUKNARD, THOMAS CHAPPELL, and THOMAS TUCKFIELD. On the 16th January, 1830, she saved 4 men, the crew of the sloop Lovely Peggy, of Cardigan. On the 30th January, 1836, she saved 8 men, the crew of the brig Erato, of Cork. On the 29th Nov., 1836, she brought on shore 6 men, the crew of the schooner Henrietta, of Plymouth, for which service a silver medal was voted to THOMAS DAY. On this occasion the boat had unguardedly gone alongside the wreck, when the vessel took a heavy lurch to leeward, -and forced the boat with her crew and passengers under water; but on the ship righting, the boat rose to the surface, rolled the water out, and brought her cargo safely to land. On the 15th January, 1843, she saved in two trips 15 men, the crew of the barque Albert Edward, of Galway. On the 1'4 Feb., 1845 she saved 3 men, the crew of the John and Mary, of Appledore. On the 23rd Dec., 1845, in company with boat No.

2, she brought on shore 8 out of the 16, the whole crew, rescued from the barque Ness, of Bristol, for which service a medal was granted to JOSHUA WILLIAMS. On the 23rd March, 1850, she saved 4 men from the wreck of the brig Dasher, of St. Ives.

Besides these services, she went out to the assistance of the Ella, of Cork, on the 3rd January, 1846, when not being able to board her, she saved the vessel, and, in all human probability, the lives of 8 men, her crew, by leading them safely over the bar.

Life-Boat, No. 2, stationed at Braunton.

—In August 1831, immediately after the formation of the North Devon Society, an application was received from Lord ROLLE, the Patron, for a life-boat of larger ' ' O dimensions than No. 1. To this request the Shipwreck Institution, deeming Bide- ford Bay to be an important station, im- mediately acceded, and a boat was ordered to be built by HARTOX, of Limehouse, after a design by Mr. GEORGE PALMER,; and on the 27th Dec. this boat reached Bideford, and was placed in the boat-house with No. 1.

This boat is clench built, 26 feet long, 6 feet wide, 3 feet deep, weighs 20 cwt., pulls 6 oars single banked, has detached air-cases along the sides, as high as the thwarts, and at each end, to the height of the gunwale; is light for transporting along shore, and has the character of pulling well.

In consequence of the loss of sis men out of seven composing the crew of the schooner Albion, of Brixham, which struck on the north side of the bar on the 23rd December, 1845, the Society determined, at a meeting held 1st Dec., 1846, to station this boat, named the Assistance, on the north side, as on the aboye melancholy occasion it was found impracticable to render help in time from Appledore. At the same meeting a boat- house was ordered to be provided to receive the Assistance on the Braunton Sands, and the boat was removed to her new resting- place in the summer of ]848.

The boat-house is of wood and stands above a mile to the north of the Braunton lighthouses, close to high-water, and about half a mile from low-water in the harbour; it is 36 feet long, 16 feet broad, and the door 13 feet wide by 9 feet high; the boat rests on a truck about 2 feet from the crround, and o J the carriage has 4 wheels of about 3 feet diameter each. A crew can be readily ob- tained among the pilots or seamen of Braun- ton or Appledore.

This boat, as well as No. 1 at Appledore, has proved herself serviceable on several oc- casions. On the 6th March, 1833, she rescued nine persons, the master and crew of the brig Delabole, of Barnstable, at considerable risk, at day-break, and during a heavy gale of wind at North. On this occasion a silver medal was voted to WILLIAM CHAPPELL.

On the 24th Nov., 1833, this boat went oft' to the assistance of the brig Mary Ann, of Exeter, wrecked on the Northam Burrows in a gale at W.S.W. This vessel struck and filled in the night, and the crew are supposed to have been drowned in attempt- ing to reach the shore in their boats. Her topmasts were seen in the morning, and the Assistance was sent out in the hope that some of the crew might be lashed in the rigging; on coming near the wreck, and not seeing any appearance of men on the masts, the boat returned on shore. A second crew, thinking, notwithstanding the report of the first crew, there might be still some persons to the rigging, went off in the boat to the wreck, three of whom lashed themselves to the thwarts; while lyiug-to just to windward and surveying the wreck, a heavy sea struck the boat and turned her, it is supposed, end over end. Two of the men lashed to the thwarts were drowned, whilst a third, who was also under the boat, kept himself in the space above water upon the reversed thwarts within the bottom of the boat, and was taken out alive when the boat drove on shore, bottom up, about half an hour after. Of the rest of the crew one was thrown out and unfortunately drowned when the boat turned over; the other four men got up outside on the keel of the boat, whence they were taken off" by the Volunteer life-boat, which was sent to their rescue. It will be observed in this lamentable accident that the air-cases in the extremes and along the sides of the boat, caused her to float so high oat of the water when keel Tip, that there was space between the water inside and the keelson of the boat for a man to breathe, through, the plug holes ia the bottom, and thus one of the crew was saved. Similiar cases of saving life have occurred elsewhere on the coast. Had the air-cases in the head and stern sheets been raised to a good height and slightly rounded, so as to have served as pivots on which the boat might have turned, the chances are the boat would have righted herself directly.

The extreme imprudence of the practice of men securing themselves to the thwarts by lashings cannot be too strongly reprobated.

Notwithstanding the above sad accident, it appears that on the wreck of the ship Elizabeth, of Liverpool, on the Northam Bur- rows, in a violent storm from N.W., on the 17th Dec., 1833, this boat went ofi and, in company with No. 1, saved 18 persons, 10 of whom were landed in this boat. And on the 23rd Dec., 1845, she saved, in company with the Volunteer, 8 of the crew of the barque Hess, of Bristol, The North Devon Humane Society have, thus the gratification of reflecting, that the two boats in the course of the last 27 years have been the means of saving 107 persons oat of 11 vessels wrecked on 'the shores of Bideford Bay.

Life-Boat, No. 3, stationed at Apple- dore.—The necessity of possessing a third life-boat, of larger dimensions than the other two, forced itself upon the attention of the North Devon Society as early as'183 4; this was more strongly felt after Oct. 17, 1843, when the Volunteer failed to reach the wreck of the brig Ganges, of Sunderland, and a crew of 10 men were nearly lost in consequence. Local subscriptions were freely given, and a saw of 1251. raised, and in May 1846, an application was made to the Ship- wreck Institution, with a request that a suitable life-boat might be ordered. In reply, the Local Committee were informed that THOMPSON, of Rotherhithe, well known as a builder of paddle-box boats on the diagonal principle, had recently built a life- boat for the Admiralty to be stationed at Harwich, which was said to be approved of.

In May 1847, the Local Committee authorized the building a boat by THOMPSON, which was ordered forthwith, and reached Appledore in October of the same year, and was placed in the Life-Boat House at Watertown.

This boat, named the Petrel, is 30-feet long, 7-J-feet wide, 3 -feet deep, and pulls 10 oars double banked. She is of mahogany, diagonal built, has rather a rising floor, air- cases along the sides built into the boat, arid in the head and stem sheets. On being sent to the assistance of the Bideford schooner, of Bideford, on the 29th Feb. 1848, she got waterlogged and failed; on being tried to go oft' to the wreck of die brig Dasher, March 23rd, 1850, this boat was found too heavy to be propelled by 10 oars against a head sea, and again filling with water, showed a want of proper buoyancy. la August 1850, she was sent back to the builder, when lie increased her buoyancy by adding a sheathing of cork to her bottom, made some other alterations, and returned her to her station in Jan. 1851. Hitherto this boat has not rendered any service.

These three boats, then, and a rocket station at Appledore, supplied with 113- pounder rockets, by Dennett, and a Manby's mortar at Cloveliy, form the whole of the means at present existing in this bay for affording aid to shipwrecked mariners. If the boats were efficient, the number would be ample; but looking at the importance of the position, and the large traffic to and from Barnstaple, Bideford, and Appledore, amounting to 200,000 tons yearly, passing in and out over the bar, we are of opinion that two of the boats at least should be replaced by more efficient life-boats, and that the boats should be more frequently exercised than has hitherto been the case, to ensure their efficiency iipon any sudden emergency. On this subject we annex a letter by the Eev, I. H. GOSSET, chairman of the North Devon Society, addressed to the zealous Honorary Secretary, THOMAS B. CHANTER, Esq., which places in a clear point of view the im- portance of the station and its requirements.

Northam, 20 April, 1832. ' SlK,—In answer to your letter, requesting me to communicate to you my opinion as to the effective or non-effective state of our Life- Boat Establishment, I have the following observations to make:— Since my appointment, in 1850, to the office of Chairman, I have naturally been led to turn my attention to this very question, how far our Life-Boat Station is adequately equipped to prevent the occurrence of a grievous and calamitous loss of life, in the event of any serious shipwreck on the shores of our bay.

We have hitherto had the good fortune to have only comparatively small numbers of persons needing rescue at the same time.

A crew of 18 men is, I believe, the largest number we have ever been called upon to take off a wreck in one day. To meet such an emergency as this, I think we may con- sider that we are tolerably well prepared.

But when I endeavour to realize to myself what might happen any day (and the Com- mittee have great reason for thankfulness that it has not already happened); when I imagine to myself an emigrant or troop-ship stranded on our shores, and think of the many lives that would probably fall a sacri- fice, owing to the want of better and more capacious boats, I must confess I cannot for a moment entertain the idea that our esta- blishment is in an effective state, or that it is sufficient to meet any probable emergency.

What is more probable than for an emi- grant ship from Bristol to get dismasted in a gale of wind at the entrance of the Bristol Channel, and to be driven ashore in our bay ? Nor is it impossible that a ship of this description from Liverpool might be found in the same unhappy position, for you know well that the largest ship ever stranded on our coast, of late years, was a dismasted vessel bound out from Liverpool, laden with salt. It might as well have been laden with emigrants. You must be fully aware that we could not successfully cope with the wreck of a vessel with several hundred per- sons on board. The few available hours of light, during a winter's day, would soon be gone, ere half, or even a quarter, of the lives were saved; and so rapid is the work of destruction on our shores in bad weather, that, in all probability, those left on board would perish before another day dawned upon them. We have to contend with a rapid tide and strong head-wind; we need there- fore, for pulling, buoyant, yet capacious boats. We have to contend with a heavy surf; there is consequently here, as elsewhere, the danger of a boat capsizing; we need, therefore, boats that will right themselves when upset. Now, when I remind you that our first and smallest boat, the favourite one with the volunteers, only rows four or five oars, and cannot always get to a wreck for want of power, when it has to stem both wind and tide; that our second boat has already capsized once, and, that owing to not righting itself, and thus drowniug some of her crew, the volunteers have little confidence in her; that our third and largest boat will not right herself on being turned over, as we have discovered by experi- ment ; and, though a good rowing boat, does not possess the confidence of the volunteers, owing to her having at first failed from want of buoyancy, which has I hope been since added to her; when I remind you of these facts, you must agree with me that we require three boats of the size of our third boat, but of lighter construction, if possible, possessing the highly necessary quality of righting themselves, and such as the boatmen could feel confidence in.

I look upon it as a very grievous thing to have to stand by, and see men volunteer to man oar boats, when we have ourselves no confidence in their safety.

The impulse of a generous heart urges on the hardy and courageous mariners to man the boats, in order to go to the rescue of their shipwrecked brethren. The good wishes, the whispered prayers, and the approving exclamations of the bystanders go with them. Meanwhile, what can wo do but tremble, in heart if not. openly, lest some catastrophe should befal these brave fellows. Must not the thought at such a time arise within us, why should such a heavy weight of responsibility rest upon private individuals ? Mast not we feel that the pro'sision of suitable and efficient life- boats, on the shores of onr country, ought to be a national responsibility, not one rest- ing upon private individuals ? I only wonder that we have the moral courage to undertake sueh_a responsibility. It is all very well as long as we meet with no disasters, but, depend upon it, it would be found a grievous and heavy charge upon us, if any calamity should happen, owing to the insufficiency of oar Life-Boat Establishment.

My own feeling is, that the Government of the country should be responsible for the provision and maintenance of all the proper appliances for sa% ing life: boats, boat-houses, &e., as well as rockets and mortars. The Institution in London and the Local Societies would then have their work amply sufficient for them, in remunerating the volunteers with money and medals. Under any circum- stances I do trust that we mav, from some quarter or another, obtain two effective and safe boats; without these I shall always live in (head of some melancholy catastrophe happening either to shipwrecked folk or to our volunteers.

I may as well,- perhaps, jnsfc refer to tlw necessity which seems to me to exist for some regular rocket practice, at least once a-year, that there may be no failures, should the rockets be, needed for use among our cliffs and rocks, where life-boats are use- less.

The volunteers need also more effective life-belts; some that we had, as you may remember, turned oat on trial, though I be- 1 lieve they came from head quarters, utterly worthless, as they would not float a man in smooth water, much less save his life in a heavy surf, I fear I have left many points untouched, but I have only a very brief space of time in which to answer your letter; I only trust that what I have stated may tend to the benefit of our Society, and of Local Associa- tions in general, for the preservation of 3iie from sliipwreck.

I am, &c», I. H. GOSSET, Chairman, of tits Worth Devon Humane Society.

There can be little doubt, after reading the above letter, and seeing the frequency of wrecks in this bar, that two or more efficient life boats of the best construction should be stationed here without loss of time. It appears from a list of wrecks transmitted by the Chairman, prepared by Mr. BOUT, the active and intelligent officer of Customs at Appledore, who has long ex- erted himself in the good cause, that during the last forty years not less than 75 vessels have been wrecked in Bideford Bay, the greater part of them in the immediate neighbourhood of the bar. We regret that the list has reached as too late to print it in the present number, as it is one of the most disastrous and telling records it, has ever fallen to oar lot to inspect.

In the years 1810-20, prior to the establish- ment of the first life-boat, against -4 wrecks it is written ALL LOST ; again in 18S«] against 3 of the 6 wrecks is recorded ALL LOST, Even as late as iu the year 1843, and again in 1846, 8 vessels were wrecked iu this bay. We repeat then that efficient life-boats must be placed bete and the crews regularly exercised; as the best boats that can be built, unless proper!)' handled, are of no avail.

Other moans also for communicating with a vessel stranded under the cliffs should be adopted; the mortar lines at ClovelJy are untrustworthy from age, they have broken repeatedly, and are spliced hi several places.

Besides which, the mortar apparatus is too heavy for transport; it should be replaced by rockets, which should also be stationed | at Hartland Quay, 10 miles to the westward, and at Morte Point, on the eastern part of the bay, or at the nearest available spot.

The North Devon Humane Society has " done what it could," but how is it sup- ported? Its whole income is SOL a-year, and this in a large and influential county.

Yet with? this small income, and occasional donations, the Society has erected 2 boat- houses, built carriages, maintained their boats, rewarded the men who have gone off to wrecks, and subscribed 120?. towards a new life-boat. And they have the high gratification of being able to reflect that the boats they have supported, have been the means—under Providence—of saving 107 fellow-creatures from a watery grave. They have set a good example, which we trust will be followed elsewhere by residents on the coast, and have established a fair claim for assistance from others, having done their best to help themselves..