LOWESTOFT.—On the night of the 2nd November, 1861, the schooner Fly, of Whitby, was in a leaky state, and in danger of foundering near Lowestoft, in a heavy gale from the north. On her making signals of distress, the life-boat of the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, at Lowestoft, was launched through a tremendous surf, and proceeded to her assistance. Some of the life-boat's crew were placed on board, and succeeded in taking her safely into Lowestoft Harbour. The vessel and her crew of 4 men would probably have been lost but for this aid.

On the 10th November, the Lowestoft life-boat was again instrumental in saving lives. The barque Undaunted, of Aberdeen, struck on the Newcombe Sand, in a southwesterly gale, and hoisted a signal of distress.

The Lowestoft and Pakefield life-boats, both put off to her aid, and together took off her crew of 11 persons, landing them safely.

The barque shortly after became a total wreck.

Again on the 14th November, two small vessels, the pilot cutter Whim, and the lugger Saucy Lass, were seen to be at anchor on the weather side of the Holm Sand, in an extremely dangerous position, and with signals of distress flying. A steam-tug was seen to be near them, but unable to approach near enough to render them any assistance, as the wind was blowing a heavy gale at the time, and a high surf was breaking on the Sand. The Lowestoft life-boat was quickly launched, proceeded under sail to the Sand, and succeeded in rescuing the crews of both vessels; the steamer towing her to windward after her rescue of the crew of the cutter, to enable her again to drop down into the broken water to the aid of those on board the other vessel. 7 men were taken from the cutter by the life-boat, and 11 from the lugger.

On the 26th February the services of this valuable life-boat were again called into requisition.

Early in the morning the boat of the brigantine Matilda, of Stockholm, with 4 of her crew, and a Lowestoft pilot on board, found their way into Lowestoft Harbour, and reported that their vessel, with 6 more men on board, was ashore on the Corton Sand, and fast breaking up. The Harbour steam-tug had, fortunately, her steam up at the time, and the Lowestoft life-boat having been manned, she took her in tow and conveyed her to windward of the Sand, where they found the unfortunate vessel a broken-up wreck. The life-boat quickly made sail to the spot, and dropping her anchor amidst the broken fragments of the wreck, succeeded in rescuing 4 of the unfortunate vessel's crew, the remaining 2 having been washed off the wreck and drowned before her arrival. Captain RIVERS, Harbour Master of Lowestoft, went out in charge of the tug, without the aid of which the lifeboat would not have reached the wreck in time to have been of service.

YARMOUTH, NORFOLK.—On the night of the 3rd November, the smack Adventure, of Harwich, ran ashore on the North Sand, near Yarmouth. The Institution's smaller lifeboat at that place was quickly launched through a high surf, and succeeded in taking off her crew of 10 men, landing them in safety at Yarmouth. Captain WARREN, the Inspecting Commander of Coastguard, and Mr. PETTS, Chief Officer, went off in the life-boat.

THORPENESS, SUFFOLK. — On the morning of the 12th December, the brig Content, of Sunderland, coal laden, struck on a sunken wreck near Sizewell Bank. Becoming very leaky, it was necessary to ran for the shore, ' when, hoisting a flag of distress, the Thorpe | life-boat proceeded to her aid, and took off the Master and 4 men, landing them in safety; 1 man had previously got on board a smack. The vessel shortly after filled, and became a total wreck.

FISHGUARD.'—On the 12th December, in a heavy gale from S.S.W., the smack Ellen Owens, of Cardigan, at anchor in Fishguard Bay, was observed to be driving, and to have a signal of distress hoisted. The Fishguard life-boat was soon launched, and proceeded to her through a high surf. As certain destruction was before the vessel's crew of 3 men if she continued to drag her anchors until getting into the breakers, they were taken off' by the life-boat, and safely landed.

The vessel's anchors fortunately brought her up again before getting into the surf, and on the weather moderating, the crew were able to get on board her again.

BERWICK-ON-TWEED.—On the 18th December, the Dutch galliot Epimachus, of Amsterdam, was seen to be running for the shore, with a flag of distress up, 4 miles north of Berwick-on-Tweed. The life-boat at that place was at once launched, and proceeding to her, succeeded in taking off the crew, 5 in number, through a high surf: the vessel became a total wreck.

EASTBOURNE.—On the 11th January, 1862, the barque Druid, of Sunderland, anchored in a leaky state off Eastbourne, in a gale of wind, and hoisted a signal of distress. The Eastbourne life-boat proceeded to her, but the Master required assistance only, and would not allow his crew to leave the vessel.

The crew of the life-boat accordingly remained on board the vessel with their boat alongside during the night, and kept continually pumping her out. At eight o'clock on the following morning a steam-tug arrived and took her in tow.

At eight, p.m., she however returned, water-logged, and with a signal of distress at her mast-head. The life-boat was again launched with some difficulty, and took off her crew of 9 men, landing them safely.

DUNDALK.—On the 16th January, the schooner Rook, of Liverpool, in making the Harbour of Dundalk, struck on the North Bull shoal, near the bar of the river. The Dnndalk life-boat was quickly launched, and proceeded to her aid, putting a portion of the life-boat's crew on board, who succeeded in piloting her into the harbour: without this assistance, she would probably have been lost during the night, with her crew of 5 men.

TYRELLA, DUNDRUM BAY.—On the 17th January, the schooner Bellona, of Red Bay, was driven ashore in a heavy gale off the bar of Dundrum, and almost immediately became a total wreck. Owing to the thickness of the weather and darkness of the morning, she was not seen until 3 of the crew had been swept away, with the rigging, by the sea. The Tyrella life-boat, two miles and a half distant, was then quickly got out on her carriage, and drawn by horses abreast of the wreck, when, launching through a very high surf, she succeeded in rescuing the master of the schooner, who had lashed himself to a rail on the forecastle, and still survived.

The Institution's life-boat at Newcastle was also launched, and proceeded to the wreck, but did not arrive until the master had been saved. A fishing-boat also attempted to get off, but she was upset and her crew nearly drowned immediately after leaving the shore.

SOUTHWOLD.—On the 28th January, at daylight, a boat, with 5 men in it, was seen from Southwold, drifting towards the shore.

There was a very high surf on the coast, which would have made it impossible for her to land, or for any ordinary boat to go to her aid. The Southwold life-boat was therefore launched through the surf, and reached her, taking on board the 5 men, and landing them safely. They proved to be the crew of tVie schooner Princess Alice, of Ipswich, coal laden, which had gone ashore on Sizewell Bank, and had become a total wreck, her crew having taken to their boat in time to save their own lives.

CARDIGAN.—On the 24th January, the brig Pioneer, of Carnarvon, laden with grain, becoming water-logged in a S.S. W. gale, the master and 6 of the crew took to their boat, the " painter " of which broke before the remaining man could get into her. As they were never again heard of, the boat was, no doubt, shortly after swamped, with the loss of all on board.

On a signal of distress being seen on board the brig from the shore, the Cardigan life-boat put off to her assistance, and succeeded in rescuing the 1 man left on board the vessel, and landed him safely at Aberforth, a small port seven miles from Cardigan, through a high surf.

DROGHEDA.—On the 7th February, the brig Minerva, of Workington, coal laden, ran ashore in a strong E.S.E. wind, on the South Bull Sand, at the mouth of the River Boyne.

The Drogheda life-boat proceeded to her assistance, and taking off her crew, 4 in number, landed them in safety.

BUDDONNESS, DUNDEE.—On the 21st February, the schooner Elizabeth and Hannah, of Newburgh, laden with guano, ran ashore, in thick weather, on the Gaa Bank, at the mouth of the Tay, when the sea immediately broke with violence over her. Being seen by some fishermen, then running up the Tay, they, as soon as possible, proceeded to the Buddonness life-boat, lying afloat in the river, and manning her, were taken in tow by the steamer Hamburgh, which conveyed her to within a short distance of the wrecked vessel. Five of the crew were got into the life-boat, but the 6th and last was washed overboard by the sea; being a good swimmer, hon*ever, he was able to reach the boat, and was got into her, and with the others taken safely to the shore'.

CAISTOR, NORFOLK.—On the night of the 26th February, the brig Sisters, of Whitby, laden with coals, was driven on shore on the South Barber Sand, off Caistor. Her signals of distress being seen from the shore, the Caistor boatmen proceeded to launch the life-boat there through a tremendous surf, the wind blowing a heavy gale from the E.

at the time, and the night being intensely dark. Under these difficult circumstances, although more than 100 persons were engaged in helping to launch the boat, an hour elapsed before she could be got off the beach and warped to the hauling-off anchor laid down outside the surf. Sail being then made on her, she worked to windward to the scene of the wreck, where the anchor being let go, she was veered down, but owing to the darkness and the fearful sea breaking over the vessel, it then took an hour to get the crew of 9 men into the boat, and that at very great risk, as she was often lifted by the sea high above the vessel's sides, and several times dashed violently against her and on the sand, thereby incurring considerable damage; also losing one hundred fathoms of her rope gear, which had to be cut away on hauling off from the wreck. The wrecked crew were ultimately got safely in, and landed through a heavy surf. This was a splendid service, and may serve as a suitable illustration of the dangers that have to be encountered by the skill, courage, and endurance that are often required of the brave fellows who man our life-boat fleet Forty-five pounds were paid by the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION for this service, viz., 401. to the 20 men forming the life-boat's crew, and 51. to the parties assisting to launch the boat.

TEIGNMOUTH.—On the evening of the 5th March, the sloop Elizabeth, of Teignmouth, was observed outside the bar of the river in an unmanageable state, having lost her rudder. The wind was blowing a gale from the S.S.W.; there was a heavy sea on the bar, and it was coming on very dark.

The Teignmouth life-boat was speedily launched, and proceeded to her, when by towing her head round, and otherwise assisting her, they succeeded after two hours' hard work, in getting her safely within the bar, and up the river. Had the life-boat not gone to her help, she must have gone on shore, when her crew of 4 persons would probably have perished.

PALLING, NORFOLK.—On the night of the 5th March, the brig Jane, of North Shields, stranded three miles and a quarter south of Palling, in a strong gale from S.S.W. The Palling life-boat was taken to the spot, on her transporting-carriage, and launched to her assistance. An attempt had been made to go to her in another boat, but it had to be given up on account of the heaviness of the sea. On boarding the vessel, the master and mate determined on remaining on board her, but the crew, 10 in number, with their clothing, and .that of the master and mate, with the ship's papers, were all taken ashore and safely landed. On the following day, the weather having moderated, the boatmen from the shore succeeded in getting the brig off, and in taking her to Yarmouth.

For the before-mentioned services of its life-boats, the Institution paid the sum of 289Z.

We reserve for a future Number later life-boat services and the additional life-boat stations.