Services of Life-Boats
YOUHGHAL, IRELAND.—On the 8th February, the Norwegian barque Galatea ran on shore on the bar at the entrance of Youghal harbour, the captain having mistaken the port for Queenstown: a gale of wind was blowing at the time from the south, and there was a very heavy and broken sea on the bar.
The Youghal life-boat, which had been only recently supplied by this Institution, immediately put off to the aid of her crew, 14 in number, whom she succeeded in rescuing from their perilous position, after a hard pull of two miles against wind, tide, and sea. The vessel became a total wreck within two hours after the crew were taken off.
This valuable service at once secured the confidence of the boatmen in the life-boat, and was also a striking illustration of the superiority of the class of life-boats adopted by the Institution; for it so happened that, through some difficulty in launching, she got seriously stove, and her deck air-compartments partially, if not altogether, filled with water; yet, after such an accident, which would have disabled many life-boats, she proceeded on her way, and performed the service above narrated.
Some pilot-boats had started from the harbour previous to the life-boat being launched, but were unable to approach the wreck from the heaviness of the sea.
LOWESTOFT.—On the 25th of February the brig Oswy, of Shoreham, being at anchor in a perilous position in the roads off Lowestoft, her crew hoisted signals of distress, when a yawl launched and proceeded to her aid, putting 6 hands on board to assist in getting her into the harbour. The gale, however, rapidly increased, and the lives of all on board the brig being placed in danger, the Lowestoft life-boat went to their rescue, and brought the whole, namely, 6 belonging to tile vessel and 6 boatmen, safely to the shore. The brig afterwards became a total wreck. The life-boat was in this instance towed out and ashore again by the Lowestoft tug-steamer.
On the 8th March, between three and four a.m., signals of distress being seen from a vessel near the Newcome Sand, the Lowestoft life-boat was launched and proceeded to her aid. On arriving at the spot, the schooner Oswdl, of Abroath, was found to be on the sand, with the sea breaking over her and a heavy gale blowing. Her crew had, however, previously deserted her, and had taken refuge on board a brig anchored near. The life-boat then boarded the brig, and took on shore the schooner's crew; but, as the weather began to moderate, left some of her own men on board the brig to aid in getting her into port. The Pakefield lifeboat also put off in reply to the same signal of distress, but her services were not needed.
MOELFRE, ANGLESEA.—On the 4th March the sloop Hannah, of Liverpool, being driven into Ratwharf bay, and a gale coming on, hoisted signals of distress, when the Moelfre life-boat proceeded to her aid, and found the crew helpless from fatigue and long exposure.
Finding it practicable to save the vessel as well as the crew, a portion of the life-boat's crew were put on board her, and succeeded in taking her safely into Beaumaris.
RHYL.—On the 7th March a small sloop ran on shore near Rhyl, on the north coast of Wales; the tubular life-boat immediately proceeded to her, but her crew had succeeded in landing previous to her arrival. Some fishermen afterwards got on board; but, finding themselves in jeopardy, they made signals of distress, and the life-boat proceeded a second time to the vessel, taking them off only a short time before she went to pieces.
Several other life-boats belonging to the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION have, during the past winter, proceeded to the assistance of vessels in distress, and have, in some instances, rendered valuable services by placing additional hands on board them, and in other ways; but those services not being directly the means of saving life, are not noticed here.