On the 13th December, 1859, the brigantine Robert and Henry, of Dun- dalk, ran ashore on the Horse Bank, at the entrance of the River Mersey; intelligence being conveyed to Lytham of the disaster, the Institution's life-boat at that place pro- ceeded at once to her aid, and after remaining by her during a great part of the night, took off the crew and landed them at Lytham.

On the 21st of December, at daylight, a vessel was seen in a most critical position on the Horse Bank, the wind blowing a hard gale from the west at the time. The Lytham life-boat was at once launched, and proceeded to her, arriving just in time to save her crew of 7 persons, who had hoisted out and taken to their own boat, which was swamped by a sea alongside the vessel at the moment of the life-boat's arriving to their assistance. The vessel, which proved to be the brigantine Hannah Jane, of London, was subsequently saved by the in- strumentality of the life-boat.