LIFEBOAT MAGAZINE ARCHIVE

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

TYRELLA, DUNDRUM BAT, IRELAND.— During a whole gale of wind from S.S.E., on the 6th December, 1865, a schooner was seen endeavouring to beat out of Dundrum Bay. Owing to the heavy gale and the tremendous sea running, she failed in doing so, and went ashore at Rathmullen. The Tyrella life-boat was at once conveyed to the spot, and launched, in the eye of the wind.

After encountering a very heavy sea through which the boat was gallantly rowed, she succeeded in reaching the wreck, and in taking off the crew of 5 men, afterwards landing them in safety. The vessel proved * The proprietors of the Quiver magazine have kindly placed the wood block of this Illustration at our disposal.

to be the schooner Daniel O'Connoll, of Arklow, laden with Indian corn.

WEXFORD.—On the 6th December intel- ' ligence 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 steamship 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.

On the 20th February last, the Wexford small life-boat put off in reply to signals of distress from the smack Lily, of Wexford, which had struck on the Dogger Bank. It was blowing strong from N.N.E. at the time, with a heavy sea on. On arriving alongside, the vessel was found to have sprung a leak, and with some difficulty the crew, consisting of 6 men, were taken on board the life-boat. This was hardly done before the smack heeled over and disappeared beneath the waves.

On the 9th April the same life-boat again put off to the smack Shamrock, of Wexford, which was totally wrecked during a very strong easterly wind on the north end of the Dogger Bank. The life-boat was placed as near as possible, and the crew, jumping from the wreck, were caught in the arms of the life-boat men. The smack soon afterwards disappeared.

CAISTER, NORFOLK.—On the 11th December, the brig Lucy, of Sunderland, was stranded on the shoal part of the Barber Sand. The beachmen put off in one of their yawls, and endeavoured to get the vessel off.

In this, however, they failed; and, the crew refusing to quit their vessel till she was full of water, the beachmen returned to the shore. Soon afterwards, however, signals of distress were seen flying from the vessel's rigging, and the Caister life-boat was immediately launched, and brought ashore the crew of 6 men. The wind was blowing strong at the time from N.E. by N., with a heavy swell on.

Early on the morning of the-16th February last, the same life-boat put off in reply to signals of distress from the S. S.

Lady Beatrix, of Sunderland, bound from that port to London with coals, which vessel had struck on the Middle Cross Sand. The wind at the time was S.W. by S., blowing strong. Some of the life-boat's crew boarded the vessel, and eventually succeeded in getting her off the Sand, and in bringing her safely into Yarmouth.

About four o'clock on the morning of the 7th April, the steamer Carbon, of Newcastle, was observed in an unmanageable state, and drifting about with the tide, in the direction of the Cockle Sand. The weather was hazy and the wind fresh from E.N.E. The Caister life-boat put off, and, with the assistance of the Scratby life-boat, the vessel was brought safely into Yarmouth Roads.

RAMSGATE.—During a heavy gale of wind from the N.N.E. on the 15th December last, the Dutch brig Zeeploeg, of Hoogez, was wrecked on the Goodwin Sands. The vessel's crew took to the rigging, and were taken off the jibboom by the Ramsgate lifeboat.

The vessel soon afterwards became a total wreck.

At midnight on the 30th December the same life-boat put off again, in tow of the steam-tug Aid, in reply to signals of distress from the light-vessel on the Goodwin Sands.

While proceeding to the southward at the back of the Sands, a large vessel was seen on shore. The life-boat was grounded on the Sand about 40 fathoms from the ship, which was boarded by the life-boat's crew; and a lugger and another steam-tug having come out to the rescue, all were employed, and great exertions were made to save the vessel from destruction. The wind and sea, however, increased as the tide rose, and both the steamers' towing-hawsers were obliged to be slipped and drawn on board. The Aid then returned to the life-boat and towed her to windward of the wreck, and after two attempts the life-boat succeeded in taking off the vessel's crew of 16 men. The sea at this time was very heavy, rendering it extremely perilous in getting the shipwrecked crew out, the life-boat occasionally striking heavily against the vessel's side, slightly damaging her. The shipwrecked men were afterwards placed on board the tug, and brought safely into harbour. The vessel proved to be the barque Norma, of Bremen.

Again, on the 11th January last, the Ramsgate life-boat went out in tow of the steam-tug Vulcan to the rescue of the crew of the schooner Zephyr, of Banff, which was totally wrecked on the north part of the Goodwin Sands. The wind was strong from S.S.W. at the time the boat started, and afterwards shifted to a heavy gale from N.E. The vessel was found on her beam ends, with her crew standing on her broadside.

A boat belonging to the lugger Champion, of Ramsgate, was alongside, taking the men off one by one. When all were on board, the boat was pulled to the southward, the tug and life-boat proceeding in the same direction to meet them. Finding there was too much sea for the lugger's boat, the crew made signals for the life-boat to come to them. The life-boat then made sail, and crossed the Sand through a very confused and heavy sea in the Bight of the North Sand Head. ,At this moment it blew a terrific gale, with hard squalls.

After much difficulty the life-boat was placed alongside the small boat, and the crew of 6 men were taken on board, and afterwards brought safely into Ramsgate Harbour.

PETERHEAD, N.B.—On the 24th December, the schooner WAhelmina, of Veesdam, went on shore, during stormy weather, at Scolston Head, off Peterhead. The People's Journal, No. 1, life-boat at the latter place, went off and rescued one of the crew.

On the 13th January, the same life-boat again went off, and rescued the crew of 3 men from the schooner Black Agnes, of South Shields, which, while making for the harbour during a heavy gale of wind from the S.S. W., went ashore on the rocks near the entrance. The life-boat was reported to have behaved admirably on the occasion.

During the service she was exposed to some very heavy seas, which severely tried her good qualities.

Again, on the 24th March, the same life-boat went off to the rescue of the crew of the brig Prtmdentia, of Svelvig, near Drammen. In running for the harbour, during a gale of wind from the S.E., the vessel had struck on the rocks near the entrance, and had become a total wreck.

The life-boat was pulled under her lee-side, and the crew of 8 men were taken off, and brought in safety to the shore.

The cost of this fine life-boat, which had only recently been placed on this station, had been generously defrayed by the subscribers to the Dundee People's Journal.

ARKLOW, IRELAND.—On the 26th December the ship Tenessarian, of Liverpool, was totally wrecked, during a gale of wind from the N., on Arklow Bank. As soon as possible the Arklow life-boat was launched, and found the vessel on the bank about three miles to the N.E. of the lightship.

The hull was totally under water, the mainmast carried away, and 34 of the crew were lashed to the fore-rigging. All were taken off by lines from the life-boat, and afterwards brought safely ashore. Two of the crew had unhappily perished before the arrival of the life-boat.

The Wicklow life-boat also put off with the view of rescuing the crew of the same vessel.

HAUXLEY, NORTHUMBERLAND.—On the 28th December the schooner Tom Cringle, of Thurso, N.B., went on shore on the Bondicar rocks, near Hauxley. The wind was blowing strong from the S., and a high sea running. Signals of distress having been seen from the shore, the Hauxley lifeboat was soon launched, and succeeded in taking off the vessel's crew of 4 men.

NEWBIGGIN-BY-THE SEA, MORPETH.— Early on the morning of the 28th December, information was received ajt this station, that a ship was on shore at Spittal Point, about a mile S.W. of Newbiggin. There was a strong wind blowing from the S. at the time, and it was very dark. The Newbiggin life-boat was promptly launched, and brought ashore the crew of 9 men. The vessel proved to be the brigantine Neptune, of Delaware, U.S., bound from New York to Grangemouth, N.B., with a cargo of petroleum.

PADSTOW, CORNWALL.—On the 29th December, intelligence was received here that a vessel was anchored at the entrance of the harbour, near Hell Bay, with an ensign flying half-mast high. The wind was W.S.W., blowing a very strong gale. The Padstow life-boat was quickly launched, and.

found the vessel rolling heavily. The lifeboat was anchored within half a cable's length of her, and, after much difficulty and danger, the vessel's crew of 17 men, were taken off. The wind was blowing so heavily out of the harbour that it was with great difficulty the crew of the life-boat, assisted by the vessel's crew, were enabled to regain the shore, and at one time it was doubtful whether the life-boat would not have to proceed out to sea, and make for Port Isaac.

Some hours afterwards the sea was seen to be making a clean breach over the ill-fated ship, which, having dragged her anchors, drifted into Hell Bay, and became a total wreck. She proved to be the barque Juliet, of Greenock, bound from Demerara to London with a cargo of rum and sugar.

The master of the vessel said, " Had the life-boat not come to our assistance, all hands must certainly have perished; and I cannot speak in terms too strong to express my sense of the conduct of the boat's crew in risking their lives in such a gale." [We are compelled by want of space to postpone giving an account of additional noble services performed this year by different life-boats.