PORTMADOC.—On the morning of the 9th of December, 1854, the wind blowing hard from N.N.W. at the time, two large threemasted vessels were observed from Portmadoc to be on shore on the St. Patrick's Causeway, a dangerous shoal of several miles in length, which stretches across the northern part of Cardigan Bay, and on which very many wrecks have occurred, to the destruction of human life and of a vast amount of valuable property.

The Portmadoc life-boat, stationed at Crickieth, was, with much promptitude, launched, and soon on her way to the nearest of the two vessels, which was aground, however, at a distance of ten miles from Crickieth. On reaching the ship, she was found to be the Pride of the Sea, of Baltimore, of 1,660 tons burden, laden with cotton, and bound to Liverpool from New Orleans. The crew consisted of 36 officers and men, besides the master. Five of this number had succeeded in landing at Barmouth, seven miles to leeward, in one of the ship's boats, at daylight in the morning.

The greater portion of the remainder embarked also in their own boats just as the life-boat arrived alongside, whilst the master and 4 men were taken on board the lifeboat, which then steered for Barmouth harbour, Portmadoc being so far to windward of the wreck. The ship's boats were immediately after taken in tow by a small steamer, which, together with the Barmouth life-boat, had proceeded to the assistance of the wrecked vessels. There was a heavy sea on Barmouth bar, which swamped two of the ship's boats, but the Portmadoc lifeboat went easily and securely over it, and conveyed those on board her in safety to the land.

The Portmadoc life-boat is one on Mr. Peake's design, and is one of those which has been recently transferred to this Institution by the Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners' Society. She is reported to have behaved very well on the above occasion, and to have secured the confidence of her crew.

The other ship stranded on the causeway proved to be the Cuttoden, of 1,160 tons, also cotton laden, and bound from St. John's, New Brunswick, to Liverpool. Her crew had succeeded in landing at Barmouth in their own boats during the previous night.

BARMOUTH.—On the morning of the 9th December, 1854, the Barmouth life-boat, after two fruitless attempts against a strong wind and tide, was taken in tow by a small steamer belonging to that port, and proceeded to the assistance of the two ships above quoted, in connection with the Portmadoc life-boat, the Pride of the Sea and the Culloden, which had ran aground on St. Patrick's Causeway, seven miles distant, during the previous night. On arriving near the former vessel, it was perceived that the crew had embarked on board their own boats, and in the Portmadoc life-boat, and it was known that the crew of the Culloden had previously deserted their vessel. As there was a considerable sea on Barmouth bar, it was deemed desirable that the lifeboat should accompany the ships' boats, and the whole were then taken in tow by the steamer. Two of the ships' boats were swamped on crossing the bar, but their crews were saved from drowning through the instrumentality of the Barmouth lifeboat, which placed some of them on board the steamer, and conveyed the remainder in safety to the land.

The life-boat is reported to have behaved extremely well on the occasion. She is the property of the National Life-boat Institution, and is on Mr. Peake's design.

SCRATBY AND CAISTER, NORFOLK.—On the morning of the 30th January, at daylight, a vessel was observed on shore on the Barber Sand, two miles S.E. of Scratby.

The wind was blowing strong from E.b.S., and there was a heavy sea on the coast.

The seamen's life-boat at Scratby was immediately launched, and proceeded under sail to the wreck, which she reached in time to save one man, another being taken off by the Caister life-boat, which had also come to their assistance. The remainder, 6 or 7 in number, were unfortunately drowned, notwithstanding the efforts of the two boats' crews to save them.

These boats and their crews are said to have behaved extremely well, under very difficult and hazardous circumstances.

RHOSCOLYN, ANGLESEA.—On the 15th of March, 1855, the ship Southern Cross ran upon a rock off Rhoscolyn Beacons, and became a total wreck. The whole of her crew, 18 in number, were taken off the rock by the Rhoscolyn life-boat. This service is said to have been conducted with much skill, and accompanied with considerable danger in consequence of a strong cross tide running at the time, and the wind blowing a fresh gale from S.W., which made it extremely difficult for the life-boat to approach the rocks. She made two trips to the rocks, not having sufficient stowage-room to take all on board at one time.

One of the shipwrecked crew, described as a huge man 6 ft. 4 in. high, was much exhausted, and unable to help himself; he was, however, carried on the shoulders of a sturdy fellow of the life-boat's crew, and placed safely in the life-boat, although at much risk to the latter, who was once washed quite off his legs by the tide and sea with his heavy load on his back.

BRIDLINGTON QUAY.—On the 22nd of March, at 3 o'clock in the morning, the schooner Albion, of Weymouth, after anchoring, drove on shore, three-quarters of a mile from Bridlington Quay, during an easterly gale, and a heavy sea running at the time. The life-boat stationed at Bridlington Quay was quickly launched, and succeeded in taking off the crew, consisting of 7 persons, and in landing them in safety.

RAMSGATE.—On the 2nd of May, 1855, at 4 A.M., alarm-guns were heard and signalrockets observed on board the light-vessels off the Goodwin Sands, in indication of a vessel being on shore or in distress in that dangerous locality.

The Ramsgate life-boat, as usual on such occasions, was most promptly manned and taken in tow by the Sampson steam-tug against an adverse wind and tide, with much sea on. At daylight the vessel was observed from the steamer with signals of distress flying, and apparently high and dry on the off part of the sand, the tide being low at the time, and a heavy sea on the face of the sand. After rounding the North Sand head, sail was made on the life-boat, and she slipped from the steamer. On nearing the ship, which proved to be the Queen of the Teign, from Antwerp, bound to Liverpool, with a valuable cargo of sugar, bark, and seeds, it was found that there was so little water round her as to make it impossible to take the life-boat alongside.

As soon, however, as the tide began to flow, the life-boat was run on shore amongst the breakers, when the master and 4 of her crew jumped into the surf, and succeeded in wading through it to the ship, although in an exhausted state. The crew of a lugger, which had anchored in smooth water in the swatchway, had also landed from it in their small boat on the lee side of the sand, and got on board her.

, As soon as the tide had risen sufficiently to allow the steamer to approach, a line was with some difficulty thrown on board her, and a communication being thus established, she was enabled to lay out an anchor to windward, and subsequently to get her own large tow-rope fast to the vessel, by which means she was hove off from her dangerous position, and taken, ia a leaky state, having 4 feet water in her hold, into Ramsgate Harbour.

This prompt and effectual service rendered by the Ramsgate life-boat, in conjunction with the steam-tug (both of which are the property of the Ramsgate Royal Harbour Commissioners), by which a valuable ship and cargo were saved from destruction, and, together with those on board her, taken into port, is another illustration of the advantage which may be obtained by the joint action of life boats and steamers in certain localities, a point which has been constantly advocated by the experienced and zealous harbour-master at Ramsgate, Capt. K. B. MARTIN.

It being generally known that this lifeboat is the original boat which obtained the Northumberland prize in 1851, and as a cloud hung suspended for a while over boats of that construction, in consequence of accidents -which happened to them through the imperfect manner in which they were ballasted, we think that, injustice to their builder, Mr. BEECHING, of North Yarmouth, and to the gentlemen of the Committee who awarded to him the Northumberland prize, we ought to publish the following communication which has been recently received from Captain MARTIN respecting the Ramsgate life-boat. It will be right that we should further observe, that an iron keel and other solid ballast has been substituted in this boat for the water ballast which was at first employed, and that some other improvements have been made in her internal fitting; as also that the other boats which have been built on the same design either have been, or are about to be, similarly altered and improved on.

" Royal Harbour Office, Ramsgate, 8th June 1855.

" SIR,—The summer having apparently set in, I have taken the earliest opportunity tcj get the life-boat on her carriage housed, and in process of a thorough overhaul and refit.

Everything is out of her, and I think it right that you should know that the airboxes prepared at FORRESTT'S under your Life-boat Inspector's direction, have borne the continual soaking through a long winter's trial admirably ; but you cannot impress too strongly upon all those who have the care of life-boats the great advantage of keeping them up, by cleansing their limbers every opportunity, and coating with paint of a proper consistency the air-boxes,, chambers, &c., which may become bare by friction or exposure to the saturation consequent upon the nature of the service in which they are engaged. The Northumberland life-boat well deserved the prize awarded her. She has been severely tried, and there is not a flaw in plank or timber from keel to gunwale.—I have, &c., " K. B. MARTIN, Harbour-Master.

" The Secretary, Royal National Life-Boat Institution, London.".