At daylight on the morning of the 13th January, a brig was observed on the Holm Sand. A yawl put off and reached the vessel, but the crew refusing to leave, she returned to the shore.

The wind, which had been blowing heavily from the S.W., now increased to a furious hurricane, with a tremendous sea running.

A second and more powerful yawl now went off, but, owing to the heavy sea, she could not obtain a communication with the ill- fated vessel, and the crew were compelled to return to the shore for their own safety.

Although the brig was at a distance of two miles from the shore, terrific seas were distinctly observed to be breaking completely over her. The Lowestoft life-boat was then launched, and proceeded in tow of the steam tug Rainbow to the rescue of the shipwrecked crew. At times both life-boat and tug were tossed on high by the foaming waves, and the next moment they sank so deeply in the trough of the sea as to be scarcely visible from the shore. The life- boat having approached within a short dis- tance of the brig, let go her anchor, and veered away her cable, but, Towing to the fearful sea on, she was unable to get near the wreck. Several of the life-boat crew were nearly washed overboard, and in order to ensure their own safety, they were com- pelled to cut their cable and leave the doomed ship. The life-boat then returned to the harbour, and having obtained a fresh anchor and cable, she proceeded off a second time in tow of the Rainbow to the scene of the calamity. The wreck was by this time scarcely discernible, but the life-boat bore down as near as possible to it, and the noble daring of the gallant beachmen was partially crowned with success, 7 of the helpless crew of the brig being saved. The captain and 3 of the crew had unhappily perished. A Falmouth pilot who had been on board the vessel was also picked up, but in an insensible state; and the poor fellow died before the vessel reached the shore.

The vessel proved to be the Austrian brig Osep, of Fiume, bound from Falmouth to Hartlepool.