On the 14th Nov. the Austrian brig, Tregiste, 333 tons, of Trieste, anchored for shelter, during a terrific gale from the east, under Lambay Island, near Dublin.

On the 15th she had dragged her anchors nearly half way across the sound between the island and the main ; and being then in imminent danger of driving on shore on the Portrane Rocks, by direction of the English pilot on board her masts were cut away.

The Skerries life-boat having been sent from that place by land on her transport- ing carriage, was, at about 2 p.m., launched from the strand south of the town of Rush, in charge of Chief Boatman of Coastguard, JOSEPH CLARKE as coxswain, HENRY ALEX.

HAMILTON, Esq., Honorary Secretary to the Institution, at Skerries, also going off in her.

As the boat got out into deep water, she shipped several very heavy seas ; " twice," says Mr. HAMILTON, "many of us were nearly washed out of the boat, the ' green water' falling at these times unbroken on the top of us." After two hours' fruitless exertion to reach the vessel, the boat's crew were so fa- tigued that it became necessary to return to the shore, lest the life-boat herself should be driven on the rocks. Mr. HAMILTON ac- cordingly directed the coxswain to bear up for the entrance of Rogerstown Stream, where, after running considerable risk of broaching to in crossing the bar, she safely arrived at 5'30 p.m.

As it was evident that the life-boat could not be rowed to the ship where she then lay, until the wind had somewhat abated, Mr.

HAMILTON decided to wait for the first lull, hoping to reach her, and in the interim to watch her night and day, keeping the crew together in readiness to man the life-boat again at a moment's notice, in the event of the ship's cables parting and her being driven on shore, or of her further dragging her anchors until much nearer to it. The boat was kept afloat within the river, and her crew located in the Coastguard watch-house, Mr. HAMILTON providing them with food, and sending for their dry clothes.

The hull rode out the gale through the night, the wind and sea remaining as violent as before. On the morning of the 16th a large steamer, which had been sent for to Holy- head, bore down towards the distressed vessel, in order, if possible, to take the men off the hull; but as the sea broke completely over her several times, she was unable to get suffi- ciently near to her, and was compelled to give up the attempt, and to bear up for Kingstown Harbour, slipping her cables and leaving her anchors behind.

As the second night set in, the crew of the ship were seen to be working hard at the pumps, but the gale continued and the sea broke still more heavily than before.

At 3 o'clock on the morning of the 17th the wind began to lessen, and preparations were made for another attempt to reach the ship.

At half-past 4 a.m., the life-boat again put off with Mr. HAMILTON and the same crew, none of whom had left the spot since their first attempt on the 15th. For the first hour the sea broke with the same vio- lence over the boat that it had done on the former occasion, but then being through the worst of the heavy seas, at the end of two hours and a-half the dismantled vessel was reached, and the crew and the pilot, 13 in all, were safely taken in by twos and threes, as opportunity offered, over the vessel's stern, and all safely landed at Rogerstown at 9-30 a.m. The hull, after all, rode out the gale, and was subsequently towed into Kingstown Harbour.

We think this a most striking and meritorious service on the part of Mr.

HAMILTON and the life-boat's crew. Their remaining two nights and the greater part of three days, at a distance from their homes, patiently waiting, after their first failure, a favourable opportunity to reach the endan- gered ship was itself an extraordinary act of perseverance, whilst the actual service, on both occasions, of the boat's going out was of no ordinary character, involving great labour, exposure, and risk, when, as de- scribed by Mr. HAMILTON himself, the " green water " fell unbroken on the crew, nearly washing them out of the boat. ^ On reading this narrative, the thought may occur to some that, as the hull after all was taken into port in safety, the life-boat had better not have taken the crew off.

Undoubtedly, however, they were rightly taken off. It was impossible to foresee that the weather would have continued to mend and the sea to go down—or, that the vessel's anchors and cables would continue to hold her. Her crew had also been ob- served to be working at the pumps; she could not, therefore, but be considered in a dangerous state. Her master and one of the crew had also been seriously hurt by the fall- ing of the masts, and the remainder of the crew were more or less in an exhausted state.

The question may also be asked, whether the Skerries life-boat (which belongs to the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION) is a good boat, seeing that she failed m the first instance, and that it was considered to be fruitless to renew the attempt until the wind had somewhat abated? To this we reply, that although we have reason to believe that some of the latest-built life- boats of the Institution are faster boats than this one, yet that it is the opinion of Mr.

HAMILTON and others, who were present, that no other boat could have been sooner propelled by oars to the ship against the wind and sea which were raging at the time. There have indeed been so many instances of failure by life-boats of every description at various times, that, although some are faster than others, we fear it must be acknowledged that the united force of wind and sea in some localities is, at times, greater than it is possible for any boat pro- pelled by oars to advance against, there being a limit to human strength and endurance..