The Ramsgate life-boat has been so frequently off to the Goodwin Sands, towed by the harbour tug, in reply to night signals of distress from the floating light-vessels moored off those fatal shoals, that we cannot attempt to describe them.

In the great majority of these cases, although much risk and exposure has been incurred by her gallant crew, her services have not been made available to save life. On the 26th of November her last service was per- formed, when at 9 P. M,, it blowing a hard N.E. gale at the time, in reply to signal- rockets from both light-vessels, the Rams- gate harbour steam-tug Aid, and her con- stant attendant the Northumberland life- boat, were quickly on the spot, and found a large brig on shore on the face of the sand.

The life-boat proceeded through the surf to the brig, and found the Broadstairs small life-boat under her lee, and her crew of 5 men on board the brig. As the officers and crew would not leave their vessel, although it was evident she could not be saved, the Northumberland life-boat remained by her until 2-30 A.M., when she filled and began to break up. The Broadstairs life-boat being also damaged and disabled, her crew, together with that of the brig, numbering 18 in all, were then taken into the North- umberland, which, with her load of 30 per- sons, including her own crew, and with the small damaged life-boat in tow, made sail through the broken water across the sands in the direction of. Ramsgate. Striking heavily on the sands, she came in contact with the smaller boat and completed her destruction ; but driving safely over the shoals herself, she arrived, together with her living freight, safe and sound in Ramsgate Harbour.. The^ master of the steam-tug, DANIEL READING, having lost all trace of the life-boat, lay to until daybreak, under some anxiety for her safety. When returning into port, he, as reported by the harbour- master, Captain Marten, " to his great joy found them all safe and right." The NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION has awarded the master of this life-boat, JAMES HOGBIN, its silver medal, in appre- ciation of this very gallant service, and of the many previous occasions on which he had distinguished himself in command of this very valuable boat. On this occasion he and his gallant crew have the satisfaction of knowing that they were the means of saving from perhaps certain death no less than 18 of their fellow-creatures.

This life-boat hi this instance, when she drove over the shoals through a heavy surf, striking violently and repeatedly on the ground, has again shown the great strength of the principle of her construction, which, together with other sources of strength, in- cludes an iron keel of 15 cwt. and 4 inches in thickness. She was built by Messrs.

BEECHING of N. Yarmouth on the Northum- berland " prize model," but her iron keel was subsequently added, and other altera- tions made in her under the superintendence of the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, to assimilate her to the further improved boats of that Society. The services which she has since rendered have been constant, and we believe she has been off to the Goodwin Sands in reply to signals of distress, chiefly in the night, no less than 60 or 70 times during the past five years.