On Thursday night, the 24th Nov. last, the coast of Northumberland was visited by one of the most fearful storms that have been felt there for many years past, accompanied by one of the heaviest seas remembered —indeed, the heaviest sea that has ever been known on the rocks at the mouth of the Tyne; the removal of the bar there allowing the sea to come in much further, before breaking, than it formerly did. All this was rendered worse by the pitchy darkness of the night. The weather was equally rough and stormy out at sea, and ship after ship, as darkness came on, sought the shelter of the harbour of the Tyne.

Many of the vessels accomplished the passage safely, but at length, at twenty-five minutes past four o'clock in the afternoon, it being then nearly dark, the schooner Friendship, of Colchester, deeply laden with coals, struck on the rocks called .the Black Middens, on the northern shore of the estuary near the Spanish Battery, or Coastguard station, at Tynemouth. Shortly afterwards the screw-steamer Stanley, of Aberdeen, bound from that place to London, with passengers and merchandize, and with a deck-load of cattle, attempted to take the river. The steamer had been overtaken by the gale, and had shipped large quantities of water, and the captain, being anxious to save the live stock on deck, made for the Tyne. When off the entrance to the river he fired rockets for a pilot, but no one dared to venture out to him. The harbour lights were not lighted, but finding it unsafe to put out to sea again, he attempted the pas» sage, but three heavy seas having struck the ship, and prevented her answering the helm, she grounded at about six o'clock, on the rocks, near the stranded schooner. Indeed so close that the cries of the crew of the latter vessel were mingled with the wailing and shouting of those on board the steam-ship.

The steamer had a crew of 30 hands, and had also 30 passengers, principally women, on board. As soon as she struck, wave after wave broke over her with terrific force, sweeping the decks, and threatening her immediate destruction. The rolling of the vessel on -the rocks, the heartrending shrieks of the female passengers, and the hoarse and hurried shouts of the seamen, as they were tossed to and fro, made up a scene which it is impossible to find words adequately to depict. The irresistible force of the waves lifted the steamer further on to the rocks, and stove in the bottom, when the water rushed in and put out the engine-fires. Immediately that the vessel was seen on the rocks, Mr. LAWRENCE BYRNE, chief officer of the Coast-guard, caused the rocket-apparatus to be taken down to the shore opposite to them.

The line of the first rocket fired broke, but, with the second, a communication was effected with the steamer. Unfortunately, however, the hawser sent off to her, by which the crew and passengers were to be hauled ashore, was made fast by the crew to the forecastle instead of being attached to the mast-head. It was found impossible to get the women to venture into the cradle on the hawser, although the men were most anxious to save them first. One of the seamen then entered the cradle, and was drawn safely to shore, and presently he was followed by the second mate. A lady then started with a sailor, but they could not proceed far, and had to be hauled back, and while this was doing they both fell into the sea, and were drowned. A fireman then followed, but the line had become entangled in the rocks, owing to a difficulty found in keeping the hawser taut, and the man was, consequently, detained a considerable time in the water. Ultimately he left the cradle, and hauled himself for some distance along the rope, hand-over-hand; and when he neared the land, Mr. BYRNE and other bystanders rushed into the surf and dragged him ashore. In doing so, Mr. BYRNE nearly lost his life, for he was overtaken by a huge wave, and would have been washed away, had he not fortunately caught hold of the cloak of an elderly gentleman who had gone into the surf after him. It was then found that the rope had got hopelessly entangled amongst the rocks, and that nothing more could be done in the darkness with the rocket-apparatus from the shore. The three rescued seamen were much exhausted, but they were well taken care of. The sailors on board the steamer had endeavoured to lower their life-boat, with a view to saving the women and children. They had previously cleared the cattle from the deck by throwing them overboard, and some of them swam ashore.

While however the boat, with four ladies and four sailors in it, was being lowered, one of the davits gave way, and the boat, immediately swinging round by the other davit, swamped. Three of the seamen were pulled back into the steamer, but the other poor creatures found a watery grave. The men then would not launch the other boats, which were afterwards washed away and destroyed. When it was found impracticable to use successfully the rocket-apparatus from the shore, it was taken in a cart to Shields, with the hope of getting a steam-tug to take it out, but no steamer would put off, several of them being already disabled by the storm.

The apparatus was consequently brought back. Previous to this the Tynemouth (The Constance) life-boat of the NATIONAL LIFEBOAT INSTITUTION had been launched at 6 o'clock, and was proceeding out, when the crew most unfortunately, as the result proved, were hailed by some persons from the pier, and told that the whole of the lives were saved.

They therefore returned, and hauled the boat again on to her carriage, and thus much valuable time was lost. However, in about an hour's time, on receiving further information, the life-boat again went out. We will here allow the coxswain of the life-boat (Mr. JAMES GILBERT) to give his own account of the fearful scene:— " The night was pitchy dark, and from the moment that we started nothing more was to be seen than the white flash of sea which passed over the boat and crew, without intermission, twelve or thirteen times. I could not see a man but the second coxswain; yet as quickly as the boat was freed of water she was buried again and again, never displacing a man from his seat. Sometimes the boat was driven as far as from forty to forty-five degrees of an angle through the sea, in clearing the rocks. When I found my boat in a position for the ship, I gave orders to back all oars, and keep her end-on to the sea. No man spoke, but attended to that order: every one of them seemed to be inspired with fresh vigour as we neared the ship. When abreast of the portbow, two men told us that they had a rope ready on the starboard bow. We informed them we would be there in a moment. I then ordered the bowman to be ready to receive the rope. As soon as I found we were prepared, they made two dashing strokes, and we were under the bowsprit, expecting every second the rope, when we heard a dreadful noise, and the next instant the sea fell over the bows of the Stanley, and buried the lifeboat.

Every oar was broken at the gunwale of the boat, and the outer ends swept away : the men made a grasp for the spare oars; three were gone j two only remained. We were then left with the rudder and two oars. The next sea struck the boat almost over end on board the Friendship, the boat at the time being nearly perpendicular. We then had the misfortune to lose four of our crew, and as the boat made a most fearful crash, and fell alongside the vessel, I believe JAMES GRANT to have been killed on the spot, betwixt the ship and boat. EDMUND ROBSON and JAMES BLACKBURN state they were thrown out.

JOSEPH BELL jumped as the boat fell. My own impression is that the men all jumped from the boat on to the vessel. We saw them no more. There were four men in a group standing before the mainmast of the schooner, when we implored them to come in the boat, but no one answered. The next sea that struck the life-boat landed her within six feet of the foundation stone of Tynemimth Dock, with a quickness seldom witnessed. The crew plied the only remaining two oars to leeward against the rudder and boat-hook. We never saw anything till coming near the three Shields lifeboats.

We asked them and the salvage-boat, William Wake, for oars to proceed back to the Friendship, but they had none to spare. The William Wake took the life-boat in tow to the land.

" Although this misfortune has befallen us, it has given fresh vigour to the crew of the life-boat, and every man here is ready, should they be called on, to act again a similar part." Of the four life-boat men who jumped from the boat to the schooner, JAMES GRANT was crushed between the ship and the boat, and much injured, but was hauled on board the schooner still alive, and secured, as were the rest, to the rigging. When the vessel broke up GRANT and ROBSON were drowned ; but JOSEPH BELL and JAMES BLACKBURN, buoyed up by their cork life-belts, were washed ashore and saved. The bodies of the two deceased life-boat men were ultimately recovered. The schooner afterwards sank, and her crew of four men and one boy, as well as the two life-boat men, were lost. After coming into collision with the schooner, the life-boat was swept away by the succeeding waves. She was perfectly helpless, as the nine men of her crew left had only two oars remaining, for even 3 of the spare oars had been lost, and in addition, her broadside was badly stove in. In this disabled state she drove into the harbour. It was the opinion of ail, that through the whole of this trying scene the life-boat acted nobly, and that her crew behaved in the most exemplary and heroic manner. The Shields boatmen did not think it possible that a life-boat could have come out of the haven through such a sea, over the terrible rocks. The Shields life-boats went out, but were unable to approach the wrecks. The crew of the steamer were themselves astonished to see The Constance life-boat approaching them from the sea in such a storm. It was, indeed, a noble and almost an unparalleled effort on the part of her crew. While these endeavours were being made to save the crews, the screams of those on board the vessels were distressing in the extreme, and pierced the hearts of the stoutest spectators, large crowds having gathered on the cliffs in the darkness. The second cabin of the steamer was on deck, and formed the bridge or look-out, and on this several of the passengers and crew had taken refuge; but a heavy sea washed the bridge and all on board away. The sea afterwards increased in fur}', and about 11 o'clock the steamer parted amidships, the after-part remaining in its place, and the fore-part being turned round by the force of the sea. Those on board the after-part of the ship were all drowned; but the sea being broken by the bow of the vessel as it had swung into its new position, those on the fore part were less at the mercy of the waves. Messengers had been sent to Cullercoats for a further supply of rockets, those at Tynemouth being exhausted; and at five o'clock in the morning they arrived, accompanied by the active coxswain of the Percy life-boat stationed at that village, and several of the fishermen of the place. The tide having then receded considerably, allowing a nearer approach to the steamer, operations were again commenced, with the view of rescuing the survivors. After firing four rockets, a communication was effected, which was announced by a faint cheer from the vessel, answered by a lustier one from the shore, and the line being fastened to the foretopmast, all on board were speedily hauled on shore. Ten only out of the thirty passengers were saved, including two ladies, and five out of thirty of the crew were lost.

Those rescued were much exhausted, especially the two ladies, by the exposure and fatigue they had experienced during the fearful night; but they all ultimately recovered.

The two poor men who were lost by jumping or being thrown out of the lifeboat left two widows and seven children.

Immediately intelligence, by telegram, of this melancholy affair was received at the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, a new life-boat was temporarily forwarded to Tynemouth to replace the disabled one; but the local boatmen particular)}' requested that, after their life-boat had been repaired, she might be returned to them in lieu of their being provided with a new life-boat.

Instructions were given for the relief of the widows and orphans of the two gallant lifeboat men who perished, and 261. were sent to the crew of the life-boat. The Committee of the Institution, at their next Meeting, also expressed their deep regret to hear of this melancholy loss of life, and voted 100/. in aid of a fund raised locally for the widows and seven orphans of the two men: also that the Silver Medal of the Institution, and a copy of their Vote on Vellum, be presented to Mr. LAWRENCE BYRNE, in testimony of his gallant services on the occasion.

Contributions were likewise raised by a Local Committee for the relief of the sufferers by these distressing shipwrecks; and a Volunteer Corps has been formed to assist in working the rocket-apparatus on future occasions of shipwreck.

It may be added here that the life-boats of the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION have, during the past two years, been manned, on occasions of service and quarterly exercise, by about 12,000 persons, and that, with the exception of the two poor men who perished by jumping out of The Constance life-boat on the night in question, not a single person has been lost from them.

The life-boat cause is again deeply indebted to one of its best friends, E. W. COOKE, Esq., R.A., F.R.S., for the accompanying fine and striking sketch of The Constance life-boat approaching the wrecks on the 24th November, which, as usual, he has readily and gratuitously placed at the disposal of the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION.