Services of the Life-Boats of the National Life-Boat Institution
BUDEHAVEN, CORNWALL.—On the 31st of August, 1863, a large ship without masts, which afterwards proved to be the Conflict, an old sloop of war, of 2,000 tons, bound from Plymouth to Bristol, in ballast, to be broken up, was observed in tow of a steam-tug off Budehaven, on the north coast of Cornwall. The wind was blowing a heavy gale from the N.W. at the same time, and the tug having hoisted a signal for assistance, the Budehaven life-boat was launched through a very high surf, and proceeded to their aid. On arriving alongside, the gale having somewhat moderated, it was decided that the owner, who was on board, should alone proceed to the shore in the life-boat, in order to proceed to Bideford and telegraph for the assistance of another steamer. This was done, the owner landing safely at Budehaven, and the ship having been brought to an anchor, the tug was enabled to leave her at high water, and run into the harbour for a further supply of coal, and on the following morning she again took the Conflict in tow, and proceeded with her to Bristol.
This was the first occasion on which this life-boat had been called on to perform a service, she having only recently been presented to the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, and placed at Budehaven. She was reported to have behaved admirably on the occasion, SOUTHPORT.—On the 20th September intelligence was brought to Southport that a vessel was on shore on the Salthouse Bank, at the entrance to the River Ribble. The lifeboat was at once launched, and in 2i hours reached the wreck, which was found to be the barque St. Lawrence, of Liverpool, bound for Carding in baMast. The wind was blowing very strong from the west, with a high sea running. The life-boat took on board the captain's wife and child and 12 of the crew, and landed them at Lytham, the captain and chief officer and 2 of the crew deciding to remain on board.
On the 30th October the services of this life-boat were again called into requisition.
The Norwegian barque Tamworth having grounded on the Trunk Hill Bank, 3 miles from the shore, the wind blowing a perfect hurricane at the time, the Southport life-boat put off to the aid of her crew, and after a hard pull of 2£ hours, she took them all on board, 17 in number, and landed them at Southport. The barque afterwards became a total wreck. The boat behaved remarkably well on the occasion.
LYTHAM.—On the 20th September, on the Southport life-boat landing at Lytham with the greater portion of the crew of the barque St. Lawrence, it was considered that the four persons who had remained on board her were in danger, so the Lytham life-boat proceeded to the spot, but as they still refused to leave her, or to allow the lifeboat crew to attempt to get the vessel off the bank, the life-boat had to return again to the shore.
At daybreak on the following morning the barque was perceived to be still on the bank with a flag of distress flying, the coxswain and crew of the life-boat therefore again proceeded to her, when they found her to be a derelict, the master and the others-on board her having left her at daylight in their own boat, she had 7 feet of water in her hold; but they fortunately succeeded in getting her afloat, and in taking her to Lytham.
RYE.—On the 4th October the brig Sir Colin Campbell, of Whitby, in making Rye Harbour, grounded on the bar. The Rye life-boat landed the master and crew, and on the following tide, the weather having moderated, they again proceeded to the brig, and after lightening her of a portion of her cargo, succeeded in getting her into the harbour.
DUNDALK.—On the 7th October the brigantine Arion, of Workington, coal laden, ran aground on the bar ofi' Dundalk, the wind blowing a gale from the eastward at the time, with a high sea running. The Dundalk life-boat was at once launched and proceeded to her, taking off her crew and landing them in safety. The brig afterwards became a total wreck.
BUDDONNESS, DUNDEE.—On the 10th October a three-masted schooner was seen at the entrance to the River Tay with a signal of distress flying, the wind blowing a. gale from S.E., with a high sea running. The steam-tug Sampson being sent from Dundee to her aid, took the Buddonness life-boat in tow at the entrance to the river, and on arriving near the schooner, which proved to be the Guilia, of Palermo, with a cargo of flax for Dundee, the life-boat took a hawser from the tug to the distressed vessel, by which means she was enabled to take her in tow and get her, with her crew, safely into port.
TRAMORE, WATERFORD.—At 4 a.m., on the 19th October, the Greek brig Marietta, from Lisbon, for Cardiff, in ballast, ran ashore on some rocks in Tramore Bay.
One of the crew, at great peril to himself, plunged into the surf with a line, and landing on one of the rocks, succeeded in climbing to its top', although, it was a steep precipice.
By means of the line he then hauled a stout rope up, and making it fast to a rock, the whole of the crew, 10 in number, were enabled to climb along it in safety before their vessel broke up, where they were discovered in the morning by the country people. With much difficulty a line was at last conveyed to them, chiefly through the instrumentality of a brave young fellow named MICHAEL KERWAN, who descended the cliff by a line, which was then made fast to another thrown by the wrecked crew. By this line 9 of the 10 Greeks were safely drawn ta the shore; but it was found impossible to rescue the remaining one, he having injured his arm, and being thus disabled from hauling himself along the rope. There were boats in the neighbourhood, but they could not be taken near the rock on account of the surf. The Tramore life-boat was therefore ordered to be launched, and after rowing three miles, arrived at the spot and took the unfortunate man off the rock, landing him in safety, DROGHEDA. — On the 9th May the schooner Maria, " of Milford, ran on the bar at the mouth of the Boyne during a heavy gale from E.S.E. The Drogheda life-boat was quickly launched, and after one fruitless attempt succeeded in taking off her crew of 3 men in a very heavy sea, and landed them in safety. Almost immediately after their leaving the vessel, she fell over on her beam-ends, and became a total wreck.
On the 29th October the schooner Gipsy, of Drogheda, coal laden, in attempting to take the bar at the mouth of the Boyne, was driven ashore on the North Wall, the wind blowing a heavy gale from the south at the time. The Drogheda life-boat was at once launched, and in two hours arrived at the wreck, when she succeeded in rescuing the crew and landed them in safety.
FLEETWOOD.—On the 29th October, at 8 p.m., the wind blowing a hard gale from west by north, signal lights were observed from Ffeetwood, as if from a vessel in a dangerous position near the Bernard's Wharf Sand. The Fleetwood life-boat was at once launched, and taken in tow by the steam-tug Wyre. On arriving in the neighbourhood of the Sand, a schooner was seen driving over it, with the sea breaking over her with terrific force. The life-boat was cast off from the tug on approaching the shoal water, and running through the breakers, after several attempts to get alongside, she succeeded in taking off the crew, four in number. Being unable to fetch Fleetwood again, the coxswain bore up for Sunderland Harbour, where the wrecked men were safely landed at midnight, and the life-boat returned to her station on the following day. The schooner proved to be the Northern Light, of Preston, and was proceeding to Preston from Dundalk with a cargo of grain.
On .the night of the 30th this lifeboat again put off. The ship Lillies, with 1,600 tons of coals on board, belonging to St. John's, New Brunswick, and bound from Liverpool to Bombay, showed signals of distress off Fleetwood, when the life-boat was at once launched and proceeded to her, together with the tug steamer Wyre. The captain of the tug this time succeeded in placing her momentarily alongside the ship, when 26 of her crew and the captain's daughter were got on board.
The captain and his officers remained on board, and requested the coxswain of the life-boat to continue by them, which he did for three hours, when a heavy sea striking the ship and boat, the latter was placed in much danger and was cut adrift. They were unable then to regain the ship, and had to run for Glasson Dock, where they landed for the night, and on boarding the vessel again in the morning, found that she was deserted, the captain and his mates having been taken off by a Morecambe steamer.
CAMPBELTOWN.—On the 14th February the Norwegian barque Iris, of Stavager, had several of her sails blown away in a terrific gale off the Mull of Cantyre, and was compelled to run for Machrihannish Bay, where she let go both her bower anchors. Being considered to be in great danger, the Campbeltown life-boat was sent for, when she proceeded to her, and took off her master and crew, 13 in all, landing them in safety. The barque, however, held on to her anchors until the gale abated, when the life-boat again put the master and crew on board her.
On the 30th October the foreign barque Providence, of Dantzic, ran ashore at West Port, in Machrihannish Bay, Cantyre. The Campbeltown life-boat was brought to the spot from Campbeltown, a distance of 6 miles. Eight of the wrecked crew had been got to the shore by means of ropes; but the tide rising, the sea got tip so high that no more could be saved in that manner; the life-boat was accordingly launched, and succeeded in taking off the remainder of the crew, 7 in all. The wind was blowing a gale from the west at the time.
THURSO.—On the 12th December the Thurso life-boat rescued the crew of 15 men from the barque Graces, of Shields, which was dragging her anchors in Thurso Bay, and had hoisted a signal of distress.
IRVINE.—On the 7th December the smack Lewis, of Campbeltown, went ashore off the entrance of Irvine Harbour, the wind blowing a gale from the westward at the time. The life-boat of the Institution stationed there quickly put off to the aid of the crew, whom they succeeded in rescuing, and conveyed them safely to the shore, the mate, however, being unfortunately severely hart in getting into the boat.
BACTON, NORFOLK.—On the 22nd December the brigantine Ellen, of Jersey, drove ashore in a N.N.E. gale. The Bacton life-boat was launched, and, after three attempts, succeeded in reaching her, and in taking off her crew, 8 in number, landing them in safety.
NEWCASTLE, DUNDRUM BAY.—On the 2nd January, 1864, the barque Hamilton Gray, of Liverpool, ran ashore on Dundram Bar. The Newcastle life-boat proceeded to her, and took off 2 of her crew, when the boat was struck by a heavy sea, and got seriously damaged alongside the barque; some of her own crew being also washed overboard; she was accordingly obliged to return to the shore. The remainder of the barque's crew succeeded in landing safely in their own boat.
PALLING, NORFOLK.—On the night of the 5th January the sloop Annette Caihelina ran ashore off Palling Gap. The life-boat at once proceeded to her, and took off her crew of 3 men, landing them safely.
NEWBIGGIN, NORTHUMBERLAND.—On the night of the 10th January the Norwegian barque King Oscar ran ashore on the rocks off Newbiggin Point. The Newbiggin lifeboat put off, and succeeded, with some difficulty, in getting on board the crew, 14 in number, and one woman, and landed them in safety.
WHITBURN, DURHAM.—On the night of the 12th January the steam-tug Hob Boy, of Sunderland, ran ashore on Whitburn rocks. On the alarm being given, the Whitburn life-boat was promptly launched through a high surf, and succeeded in rescuing her crew of 4 men and 3 other merchant seamen who were on board her.
The vessel shortly after broke up.
BRIGHSTONE GRANGE, ISLE OF WIGHT.
—On the 19th January, at 10 P.M., the schooner Thetis, of London, foundered 5 miles off St. Catherine's Point, on the south coast of the Isle of Wight. Her crew, 4 in number, took to their boat, and on the following morning, between 8 and 9 o'clock, they were fortunately descried from the shore, when the Brighstone Grange life-boat was promptly launched through a heavy surf to their aid, and taking them out of their boat, brought them safely to the land. When rescued, they were in an exhausted state, and their boat soon afterwards capsized.
They would undoubtedly have perished had they not been rescued by the life-boat from their perilous position.
HOLYHEAD.—On the 13th February the Holyhead life-boat performed a valuable service by proceeding to the Portuguese brigantine Boa Nova, and the English schooner Britannia, during a strong gale from W.N.W., and putting pilots on board them, by which means they were rescued from perilous positions, and, together with their crews, were placed in safety. The Boa Nova especially, which had parted an anchor, and was fast driving towards the Clipera rocks, was in extreme peril, and would probably have been lost with all on board but for the aid thus afforded her.
REDCAR.—On the 17th February the brig Brothers, of Shields, was totally wrecked on the Redcar Rocks, near the mouth of the River Tees. On her perilous position being seen from the shore, the Redcar life-boat proceeded to her, and rescued her crew, 7 in number, landing them safely.
This is the oldest life-boat in the United Kingdom, she having been built in the year 1802. She has saved a large number of lives; and no accident until recently having ever happened to her, the boatmen of the locality had implicit confidence in her, and held her in high estimation. She is forthwith to be replaced by a new boat.' LITTLESTONE, DUNGENESS.—On the night of the 18th February the ship Golden Age, of Liverpool, 1,062 tons burthen, stranded on the " Roar Bank," off Littlestone, the wind blowing a fresh gale from the east.
At daylight on the 19th she was seen from Littlestone, with her ensign hoisted "Uniondown," as a signal of distress. The Littlestone life-boat was accordingly launched to her aid, and, after a hard row and sail, she succeeded in boarding her, and in taking off the master, mate, a pilot, and 10 of her crew, the remainder being rescued by the Dover Trinity pilot cutter No. 4. The whole service lasted several hours, and the life-boat's crew were much exhausted from cold, wet, and exposure. It was a very gallant and creditable performance.
CASTLETOWN, ISLE OF MAN.—On the 11th February the schooner Water Lily, of Pwllheli, dragged her anchors in Darby Haven, in a heavy gale from the N.W., and sprang a leak. A signal of distress being hoisted, the Castletown life-boat was sent for, and proceeded to her, taking off her crew, 4 in number, and landing them in safety. Soon after, the vessel foundered at her anchors.
LOSSIEMOUTH, SCOTLAND.—On the 11th March the sloop Barbara, of Hopeman, sprang a leak, and split her fore-staysail, in a heavy gale from the north. She accordingly ran for the sands to the eastward of Lossiemouth, when the life-boat of the Institution stationed at that place proceeded to her and took off her crew, 3 in number.
The vessel herself shortly after became a total wreck.