ABOUT noon on Sunday the 23rd Oct., during one of the most severe and protracted gales that have occurred on the east coast of Scotland for years, a brig was observed about five miles out standing across St. Andrew's Bay for the northward.

As she was steering a dangerous course, although she was not showing any signal of distress, the life-boat was at once got ready for any emergency; but about half-past 12, when the vessel was still more than four miles from the shore, the brig stood on another tack, and attempted to work to windward so as to clear the coast altogether.

This, however, was hopeless, and although she nearly passed the east point of the bay, yet a tremendous sea fell on board her, when she became unmanageable, and stranded at low water, about 20 minutes past 1 o'clock p.m., on a ridge of rocks at Boarhills, about four miles from St. Andrew's, and distant between two and three hundred yards from high-water mark.

The ship's boats having been all lost, the crew were forced at once to take to the rigging. The spot was one of the most dangerous points of the coast east of St. Andrew's, being of a fearfully rugged and rock-bound nature, and literally a mass of bristling rocks, over which a terrible sea was breaking. When it appeared likely that the vessel would come ashore, a mounted messenger was at once sent from St.

Andrew's to the nearest rocket station, Crail, distant ten miles, with instructions for the rocketapparatus to be brought along with the greatest possible speed, as it was well known that no life-boat could possibly be used on that part of the coast where the vessel was driving. In the meantime, a large number of persons had assembled at the scene of the wreck, from St. Andrew's and elsewhere, and it was urged that the life-boat should be sent for to the assistance of the wrecked crew. The Local Committee, however, knew that it was utterly impracticable to make use of any life-boat in such a position, and in this opinion they were strongly supported by the coxswain and crew, who declined to go out, as they were convinced the life-boat must be dashed to pieces against the rocks, and their own lives inevitably lost. The life-boat was not therefore sent for.

At 3-45 p.m. the rocket apparatus arrived, but unfortunately the whole stock of projectiles only numbered five, and the attempts to throw a line on board the brig with these failed..

Thus the last hope of assistance was gone, and shortly after 5 o'clock the total destruction of the ship took place, and the poor fellows, who still clung to the wreck, perished before the eyes of the spectators. One of the crew had previously attempted to reach the shore, but he was at once swept away by the terrific surf running across the bay, and which had previously carried away from the land all the buoys and lines thrown from the ship by the crew.

Although no use could be made of the lifeboat, yet she was sent for late in the afternoon, that nothing might be left undone; but she was met on her way by the people returning from the scene of the wreck, which had then disappeared.

From portions of the wreck which came ashore, she was found to be the brig Napoleon, of Uddevalla, Sweden, laden with coals, and had left Sunderland with a crew of nine men.

The Committee of the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION decided, at their meeting on 3rd Nov., after carefully perusing the various documents in this lamentable case, that the Local Committee.

used a sound discretion in not ordering the life-boat to be launched, involving, as it would have done, the inevitable loss of her crew and the destruction of the boat herself. Also that Sir THOMAS ERSKINE; BAILIE BONTHRON, Chairman of the Local Committee ; and JOHN PURVIS, Esq., Hon. Secretary, be thanked for acting, to the best of their judgment, with zeal and energy on the occasion in question. The Committee at the same time expressed their deep regret at the unfortunate loss of life that took place on this distressing occasion.

We may add, that the Board of Trade instituted a searching inquiry at St. Andrew's into the whole circumstances of this sad case, and their opinion was that the Local Life-boat Committee acted with much sound judgment in not ordering the life-boat out, as it could not have failed to be attended with additional loss of life and the destruction of the life-boat herself.

The Fifeshire Journal thus speaks of this wreck : —" We think— and our opinion is formed upon those of every practical man we have met with, on inspecting the spot itself—that it would have been culpable homicide to have despatched a crew in the life-boat at such a place."