On the 20th October the Lytham life-boat again rendered a very important service. The American ship Annie E. Hooper, of Balti- more, U.S., 1,140 tons burden, with a crew of 18 men, and a cargo of wheat, flour, and tobacco, stranded on the Horse Bank, north of the River Mersey, the wind blowing a heavy gale from the west at the time. The disaster being seen from Lytham, 8 or 10 miles distant, the life-boat there was quickly launched and towed to the neighbourhood of the wreck by the steamer Loch Lomond.

After casting off tow, she was rowed through a very heavy broken sea, which nearly filled her three times, and then with much risk and difficulty succeeded in taking on board 13 of the wrecked crew, and the Liverpool pilot who had taken charge of the ill-fated ship. A heavy blow of the sea having then caused the breaking of the rope by which she was held to the wreck, she was carried a short distance from it; and the Southport life-boat, coining up at the time, took off the 4 remaining men of the wrecked crew. On landing the 14 rescued men at Lytham, the life-boat's crew were loudly cheered by a large number of assembled spectators, the service being considered one of a very arduous and dangerous character, and very skilfully performed. The vessel soon became a total wreck. The owner of the Loch Lomond, Mr. WILLIAM ALLSUP, not only declined to receive any remuneration for his services in towing the life-boat, but has since given instructions to the masters of each of his steamers that on all future occasions, in the event of their services being required to assist the life-boats in saving lives, they are to leave any other ser- vice they may be engaged on, in order to co- operate on that humane work.