On the 6th December intelligence was received at Wexford that a large vessel was stranded on the Blackwater Bank.

The weather was very thick at the time, with a strong wind and heavy sea. The Wexford large life-boat at once went off in tow of the steam-tug Ruby, and proceeded along the inside of the Bank in search of the vessel. The wind had then freshened to a gale, and the sea was so high that it broke over the tug, and nearly put the fires out.

After a search of fully four hours under very trying circumstances, no trace of the vessel could be found, and the life-boat returned to the shore.

On the following morning, the weather being clearer, the life-boat again put off in tow of the steam-tug, and on approaching the north end of the Blackwater Bank, a vessel's mast was seen above water, with 4 men clinging to it. The sea was now literally breaking mountains high, and the greatest danger existed in nearing the wreck, portions of which were every few minutes exposed in the vicinity of the mast. Five times did the life-boat near the poor fellows —sometimes so close as to enable the crew to cheer them up—but not near enough to effect their rescue. The life-boat's crew were becoming quite exhausted with their hard labour, but a final effort was determined upon, as the mast was to all appearance about to fall. The boat's anchor was let go outside of the wreck, and the boat pulled up close to the mast, which was grappled, and the 4 men were then got on board. They had been exposed in their perilous position for nearly twenty-eight hours, with nothing to eat but a small portion of uncooked meat. The vessel proved to be the steam- ship Barbadian, of Liverpool, bound from that port to Barbadoes with a general cargo.

Out of the crew and passengers of the steamer (37 in number), 12, including the captain and chief mate, unhappily perished, 21 having succeeded in reaching the shore in one of the ship's boats.