LIFEBOAT MAGAZINE ARCHIVE

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Services of the Life-Boats of the National Life-Boat Institution

NORTHUMBERLAND. — Oh the morning of the 17th November; while a large number of fishing-boats were out, the wind rose, on the turn of the tide, to a strong gale from S.E. The sea was also very rough. The cobles that were nearest the shore managed to get in safely, when their crews immediately manned the life-boat, and went oft' to the help of their fellow- fishermen. One boat was out at a distance of two miles; but with the assistance of the life-boat, she and all the other boats with their crews were safely got -into port. The Hon. Sec., the Rev. F. H. ASHHRST, thought that nearly 100 persons were released from imminent peril by the timely help and presence of the life-boat.

NEW QUAY, CORNWALL.—On the 18th November, the schooner Heroine, of Milford, was driven on the Bar near New Quay Harbour, from loss of sails and stress of weather, The Moses life-boat was at once launched, and brought safely ashore the vessel's crew of 5 men.

TENBY, SOUTH WALES.—On the morning of the 18th November the sloop Active, of Carmarthen, was observed with signals of distress flying, in Caldy Roads, off Tenby.

There was a heavy gale of wind blowing from W.N.W., and the sea was breaking heavily over the vessel. The Tenby lifeboat was quickly launched, and rescued the crew of 3 men from the sloop. Subsequently the gale moderated, and a fishingsmack succeeded in bringing the .vessel safely into port.

PENARTH, SOUTH WALES.—About ,7 o'clock on the evening of the 18th November, information was received at Penarth that a large ship was stranded on the S.W.. Patch. The life-boat at once proceeded to the spot in tow of a steam-tug. On arriving alongside, some of the life-boat's crew boarded the ship and assisted in getting her from her perilous position. They received ithe hearty thanks of both owner and master 'for so promptly coming to their help. The vessel proved to be the ship Far West, of Newport, Monmouth, -bound from Callao to (Queenstown with, a cargo of guano.

BLAKENEY, NORFOLK.—-On the morning of .the 23rd November the schooner Fernand,, of St. .Male, stranded on the West Sand, at the entrance of Blakeney Harbour.

;In the evening it came on to blow heavily from E.S.E., causing a very bad sea, which .placed the crew, who bad hithesto refused to leave their vessel, in very great danger.

The Blakeney lifeboat went out and brought safely ashore the crew of 5 men.

On the 20th February, 1865, the Blakeney life-boat again went out, and rescued the crew of 13 men from the'barque Arnfino,, of Sunderlaud, which was totally wrecked, during thick weather, about 3 miles east of Blakeney Harbour. The life-boat also brought ashore 5 men who had previously boarded the vessel in their own boat, and were unable to reach the land again in her.

WINTERTON, NORFOLK.—On the 24th November, at 5'30 A.M., signals of distress were observed to ,the northward. A strong gale from the E.S,E. was blowing at the time, accompanied with rain.

The Winterton life-boat was launched, and with great difficulty succeeded in taking the crew of 6 men from the rigging of the brig John, of Hartlepool, and afterwards in landing them safely.

BERWICK-ON-TWEED.—On the 24th November three fishing-boats were seen making for the harbour. The weather at the time was very stormy and a heavy sea was running on the Bar, through which it was feared they could not pass safely. The Albert Victor life-boat was accordingly launched, and proceeding over the Bar, piloted the boats safely into harbour.

GREAT YARMOUTH,—About 5 A.M., on the 24th November, the barque Sea Serpent, of South Shields, was observed ashore opposite the Wellington Pier, the wind blowing a gale from the E. at the time. The Yarmouth small surf life-boat was immediately launched, and with great difficulty, after lying alongside for half an hour, owing to the crew refusing to leave the ship, rescued 3 of their number from their perilous position, and landed them safely on "Yarmouth Beach. The remainder .of the vessel's crew, numbering 16 omen, were saved by ,the rocket-apparatus.

,Abowt -9'30 P.M., on the 7th December, the St, Nicholas lightship was observed throwing .up rockets, and a light was seen as if from a vessel in distress «n the JScroby Sands. The Yarmouth large life-boat was immediately launched, and proceeded in the direction of '.the signals of distress, which were found to .proceed from the Austrian brig Zorniza, of Lucine, which had stranded on the Scroby Sands. Every exertion was made by the life-boat's crew to save the vessel, and they ultimately succeeded in getting her off" the sand-; but having previously lost her rudder, she was quite unmanageable, and again gut on the sand. The crew, consisting of 12 men and a pilot, were then taken on board the life-boat with great difficulty, and afterwards brought safely ashore. The sea was very heavy, and one of the beachmen's yawls, the Bravo w,as damaged to such an extent in endeavouring to assist the vessel, that her crew of 7 men left her and gladly got into the life-boat, fearing their own boat would sink.

NEW ROMNEY, KENT.—On the night of the ,24th November the barque Louis Fourteenth, of Dunkirk, parted her cables in Dungeness Roads, and afterwards became a total wreck, on Rornney Hoy, during a strong gale of wind from the S.S.E., with heavy rain. The New Romney life-boat was quickly launched through a heavy sea, and brought safely ashore the whole of the ship's crew, consisting of 15 persons.

BROUGHTY FERRY, DUNDEE.—About 3 A.M. on the 25th November the Mary Hartley life-boat was launched, and proceeded, in tow of a steam-tug, down the river to Buddonness, to. the rescue of the crew of a vessel reported to be in distress.

At daylight the schooner David and John, of Montrose, was seen amongst the broken water, near No. 2, Gaa Buoy, in a dangerous position. The life-boat immediately pulled to her, and with considerable difficulty got alongside, and took off the crew of 4 men, and afterwards landed them in safety. The weather was very stormy. The schooner was left at anchor, but sunk soon after the crew had been taken off. The life-boat behaved remarkably well in the heavy sea that was running at the time.

Soon after the life-boat returned to her station, the S.S. Queen, of Dundee, reported a wreck on the Abertay Sands. A fresh crew was mustered, and the life-boat at once proceeded again, in tow of the Queen, some distance down the river, when the masts of a wreck were observed a long distance off to the south of the bank. As some doubts existed as to whether some of the vessel's crew might not be clinging to the rigging, the life-boat's crew resolved to pull over the Banks. After going through a tremendous sea, which repeatedly filled the life-boat, she arrived alongside the wreck, which proved to be that of the S.S. Dalhousie, of Dundee, trading between that port and Newcastle. No one was found in the rigging, and it was afterwards discovered that the whole of the crew and passengers, numbering between 30 and 35 persons, had unhappily perished.

On the 8th February, 1865, the Mary Hartley life-boat again went off, and rendered important services to the Norwegian schooner Anga, which was in a perilous position during a strong easterly wind, with signals of distress flying, between Nos. 1 and 2 buoys in the River Tay. The lifeboat men boarded the vessel, slipped her anchor, had her taken in tow by a steamtug, and brought her to a safe anchorage.

LLANDDWYN, ANGLESEY.—On the 27th November signals of distress were observed between 3 and 4 miles distant from this place. The crew of the Llanddwyn life-boat were at once assembled, and the boat went off and found the vessel riding with two anchors down. She proved to be the barque Devonshire, of Li verpool. The captain said his crew were nearly all disabled by sickness, and requested the services of some of the life-boat's crew to assist in getting his vessel to Liverpool. Five of them accordingly boarded the ship, and having got her under weigh, proceeded with her to Liverpool, where she safely arrived the following day. * PAKEFIELD , SOTEOIX. — On the 28th November the brig Davenport, of South Shields, was seen in a sinking state in Pakefield Gatway. The- Pakefield life-boat was at once launched; but before she could close with the vessel, the crew had taken to their long-boat, and were picked up by a steamtug.

About the same time the barque Jenny Lemelin, of Quebec, was seen in distress on the Newcome Sands* The lifeboat went to her assistance, and with the aid of the steam-tug Powerful, of Lowestoft, succeeded in getting her off the sands, and afterwards in bringing her and her crew of 9 men safely into harbour.

ORME'S HEAD, NORTH WALES.—On the 7th December signals of distress were observed on a vessel near the Little Orme's Head. The Sisters' Memorial life-boat was launched, and found the vessel at anchor, with her mast carried away. She proved to be the flat Morning Star, of Carnarvon.

With the assistance of the life-boat, the vessel and her crew of 3 men were brought safely into Llandudno. It blew very hard from S.S.W. at the time.

PENMON, ANGLESEY.— On the llth December, during a heavy gale from the S.W., the smack Pearl, of Carnarvon, at anchor near the Dutchman's Bank, hoisted signals of distress. On these being observed from the shore, the life-boat was launched, and reaching the vessel, took off her crew of 3 men. While returning to the shore, another smack, the Speedwell, also belonging to Carnarvon, was seen showing signals of distress. The life-boat immediately bore down to her, and also brought ashore her crew of 2 men.