On the 26th March, 1860, a schooner was reported to be on shore on the Goodwin Sands. The Harbour Commis- sioners' life-boat Northumberland was quickly towed out to her assistance by the Harbour- tug Aid, there being a fresh wind from N.E., and a heavy sea. On arriving near her the life-boat was slipped, and sailed across the sand through a high surf, anchoring to wind- ward of the schooner, and, veering down, a portion of the boat's crew jumped on board her. Finding there was a probability of saving the vessel as well as the crew, they remained by her until the tide had left her " high and dry;" then, laying out her anchor to windward and heaving taut on her cable, they awaited her again floating with the next tide. On her doing so she struck so heavily that the boatmen had great difficulty in standing on her decks, and risk was incurred by those in the life- boat ; but they stuck to her, and at 2 A.M.

on the 27th, their efforts were crowned with success; and, the tug taking her in tow, they got the vessel and crew safely into Ramsgate Harbour. She proved to be the schooner Omnibus, of Aberystwith, from Antwerp, bound to Marseilles, with a general cargo.