CAISTER, NORFOLK.—Early on the morning of the 7th April, 1866, signals of distress were seen by the beachmen in the direction of the Cockle Sand. The weather was hazy, with a strong breeze blowing from E.N.E.

The Birmingham No. 2 life-boat, the James Pearce, was soon launched, and proceeding in the direction in which the lights were seen, found the steamer Carbon, of Newcastle, bound from that port to Havre with coals, in an unmanageable state, and drifting about with the tide. She was totally disabled, as she was waterlogged, and her engines were damaged. The life-boat men boarded the vessel, and with the assistance of the Scratby beachmen, who had also put off to her assistance, the steamer, and her crew of 12 men, after many hours' exertions, were brought safely into Yarmouth Roads.

On the 30th November, the schooner Coronation, of London, was observed' to strike on the Caister Shoal, or Inner Barber Sand, during a fresh breeze from. S.E. by E.

The beachmen went off in their yawl; but finding they could not reach the vessel in her, they returned, and launched the Birmingham No. 2 life-boat. The vessel was lying fast on the sand, in the midst of the breakers, and, from her position, the lifeboat was unable to get within sixty or seventy yards of her, the water being very shallow on the lee side of the schooner.

After great difficulty, however, they succeeded- in rescuing 3 of the crew; but the master refused to forsake his vessel.

The life-boat men, knowing that he must perish if they left him, would not leave the wreck without him, and, after waiting upwards of two hours, they persuaded him to fasten a rope round his body, and throw himself into the sea. He was then picked up by the life-boat, and afterwards safely landed with his crew. The schooner soon afterwards became a total wreck.

On the 28th December this life-boat again went off, in reply to signals of distress from a vessel which was observed to stop in her course near the shoal of the Barber Sand.

On the -life-boat arriving alongside, the vessel proved to be the brig Kelpie, of London, laden with coals, from Shields. She was aground on the sand, and very leaky. The life-boat remained by her all night, and ultimately succeeded in getting her off, and, with the assistance of a steam-tug, the vessel and her crew of 8 men were safely brought into Yarmouth.

On the 16th Jan.,1867, the services of this life-boat were again called into requisition.

The schooner Clyde, of Yarmouth, was observed making for the shore, and with signals of distress flying, the wind blowing at the time very strong from N.E. by E. The life-boat went out through a terrific sea, and succeeded in taking off the crew of 5 men, afterwards landing them in safety.

On the 8th February, this valuable life-boat went off again, and rendered the following very gallant service. The sloop Telegraph, of Sunderland, bound to London, with a cargo of bottles, was riding in Yarmouth Roads, when she parted from her cables by the violence of the wind, and drove upon*the Barber Sands. The crew of 3 men immediately burnt signal lights of distress, which were seen about two o'clock in the morning, and the life-boat was at once launched to the vessel's assistance.

The night was very dark, and the sea was very heavy. The life-boat, after some difficulty, succeeded in reaching the stranded vessel, and found that the sea was breaking over her, and that she was full of water. The men had lowered their small boat, but it was immediately caught by the sea, and carried away; and thus they were left utterly helpless. The life-boat men, after hailing the crew, got near enough to throw them a rope, and then, anchoring the boat, they veered down to the vessel, and the 3 men jumped into her, and were thus rescued from their imminent peril.

While in the vicinity of the sloop in the midst of the darkness, and the south-east swell rolling in, the life-boat shipped a sea, and was driven against the vessel's stern, and was somewhat damaged, as she several times struck on the sand. The rescue was effected in about half an hour from reaching the stranded vessel. The next morning little was to be seen of the wreck but the mast.

WHITBURN, DURHAM.—On the night of the 30th November, the Thomas Wilson lifeboat on this station went off through a heavy sea, and in a strong S.S.E. wind, and brought safely ashore the crew of 8 men from the barque Margaret and Jane, of Shields, which was totally wrecked on the White Steel rocks off Whitburn. The vessel began to break up a few minutes after the life-boat had taken off the crew.

On the following night the same life-boat again put off, in reply to signals of distress, and succeeded in saving the crew, consisting of 13 men, from the barque Caroline Elizabeth, of London, which had stranded on the South Steel rocks during hazy weather.

About midnight on the 24th January the Thomas Wilson life-boat put off in reply to signals of distress, and brought safely ashore the crew of 6 men belonging to the brig Benton, of South Shields, which was totally wrecked, during foggy weather, on the Black Steel Rocks off Whitburn.

The crew had abandoned the wreck in their own boat, and were drifting fast out to sea, when the life-boat happily overtook them in their dangerous position.

ORME'S HEAD, LLANDUDNO.—On the 7th December, during a gale of wind from N.N.W., the smack Cymro, of Amlwch, was observed at anchor in the bay, with a signal of distress flying. The Sister's Memorial life-boat was at once launched, and succeeded in bringing the. vessel and her crew of 2 men to a place of safety.

WITHERNSEA, YORKSHIRE.—At daybreak on the morning of the 12th December a brig was observed on her broadside off this station, with her crew of 6 men in their boat, a short distance from the vessel. There was a heavy surf breaking on the shore at the time, and, fears being entertained that the crew might attempt to land, signals were made to warn them off; and the Pelican life-boat was then promptly launched to their assistance, and brought the shipwrecked crew safely ashore. The vessel's boat was swamped while being towed by the life-boat through the surf. The vessel proved to be the brig George, of Lowestoft, laden with coals.

PAKEFIELD, SUFFOLK.—On the night of the 12th December, during a gale of wind from S.S.W., the lugger William and Mary, of Yarmouth, was driven upon the Barnard Sand, between Lowestoft and Kessingland.

At daylight, as soon as the perilous position of the crew was observed, the beachmen launched the Pakefield life-boat, and rescued 2 of the shipwrecked men, but one of them died immediately after being placed in the life-boat. A third was saved by the Kessingland life-boat; but the remainder of the crew, 8 in number, unfortunately perished.

WHITBY, YORKSHIRE.—On the 31st December the schooner Lion, of Goole, laden with wheat, was observed making for this harbour. There was a heavy gale of wind blowing from E.N.E. at the time, with snow showers. There being very little water on the bar, signals were made to the vessel to run for the beach. In the meantime the Lucy life-boat was promptly manned and launched, and, upon the schooner striking, she took off the crew of 4 men and a boy, and afterwards landed them in safety.

PALLING, NORFOLK.—On the 1st January, 1867, the brig .Chase, of Shields, was observed near this place with signals of distress flying. The life-boat Parses was conveyed along shore, and launched abreast of the vessel, which had grounded upon Horsey Beach. After some difficulty, the life-boat succeeded in taking off 5 of the crew, the remaining 3 men were rescued by means of the rocket-apparatus.

WICKLOW, IRELAND.—On the 5th January the sloop Shamrock, of Liverpool, was seen at anchor in a distressed state in Wicklow Bay. There was a heavy gale blowing at the time, and she had lost some of her spars. The life-boat Robert TlieopMlus Garden was quickly launched, and brought safely ashore the crew of 2 men and a boy.

RAMSGATE, KENT.—On the morning of the 5th January, the wind blowing fresh from E.S.E. with thick fog, guns were heard at intervals of five minutes, apparently from the North Sand Head and Gull light-ships; and the life-boat Bradford and the harbour steam-tug Aid were immediately manned, and left the harbour. Upon arriving in the Gull Stream, the life-boat fell in with a ship's boat with 8 men on board. They reported that their vessel, the schooner Mizpah of Dartmouth, had struck on the North Sand Head the previous evening.

They were taken on board the life-boat, and afterwards safely brought into Ramsgate.

The life-boat again put off in tow of the tug about eleven o'clock at night, in reply to signal guns and rockets from the Gull light-ship. It was then blowing a heavy gale of wind, and a high sea was running.

Upon arriving at the light-ship, they were told that a large flaring light of distress had been observed in a south-easterly direction.

It being very dark and thick with snow, it was agreed to keep about the sands till daylight; but about three o'clock A.M., it was so intensely cold that the life-boat and tug were forced to return to the harbour. As, however, it was probable that the services of the life-boat would be required to some distressed vessel, she was again taken out at eight o'clock in a strong gale and tremendous sea. It being now light, they discovered a vessel ashore close to the Trinity Beacon. After attempting no less than six times to veer the life-boat alongside the vessel through the very heavy sea and broken water, they at last succeeded in taking the crew, 10 in number, from off the wreck, the life-boat losing both anchors and cables in the service. The crew, when taken off, were very much exhausted. The vessel proved to be the Danish barque Aurora Sorealis of Rebe. The coxswain of the life-boat reported that he never encountered such terrific weather, intensetold, and heavy seas, in all his experience. The crew could not have been saved without the assistance of the tug.

TRAMORE, Co. WATERFORD.—On the 6th January the French schooner Anemone was embayed off this station. It was blowing a hurricane from the S.W., and very squally at the time. The vessel had lost her mizen mast, and all her canvas was in shreds. While endeavouring to weather the headland of Brounstown, she was struck by a tremendous sea, which completely disabled her, and she came to, near the headland, where she dropped anchor— every sea breaking over her, and forcing the crew to take to the rigging. The lifeboat Tom Egan was promptly launched, and fortunately succeeded in saving the crew of 5 men, and afterwards landing them in safety.

TYNEMOUTH, NORTHUMBERLAND.—On the morning of the 6th January, during a terrific gale of wind from the S.E., the Pontefract and Goole life-boat went off through a very heavy sea, in reply to signals of distress, and rescued the crew of 6 men from the brig Emanuel Boucher, of Whitby, which had struck on the Black Midden Rocks.

CARDIGAN, SOUTH WALES.—On the morning of the 6th January the Manchester lifeboat, the John Stuart, went off and succeeded in rescuing the crew of 3 men from the sloop Oliver Lloyd, of Cardigan, and 3 men from the smack Turtle Dove, of Aberystwith, which had dragged their anchors and drifted out into the bay. Owing to the violence of the gale the life-boat had great difficulty in finding a safe place for landing.

On the 8th this life-boat again put off to the assistance of the smack Coronation, of Bideford, which was observed in the bay with two anchors down and labouring heavily. On arriving alongside, the master gladly accepted the services of the life-boat, and he and his crew of 3 men were safely brought ashore through a heavy ground sea. He stated that his crew were so much exhausted that they were unable to hoist any signal of distress; but as he had heard much of the Cardigan life-boat, he felt sure she would come to his assistance.

PLYMOUTH, DEVON.—During a terrific gale of wind, on the night of the 8th of January, the look-out-man at Stonehouse Point observed signals of distress from Mount Batten. The Prince Consort lifeboat was at once launched, and proceeded to the bay. Owing to the extreme darkness and the heavy sea running, they had some difficulty in finding the vessel in distress.

They at last found the schooner Teazer, of Ipswich, with coals, and having dropped their anchor, they veered down, and saved one man, who jumped from the bowsprit into the boat. The life-boat then attempted to near the vessel again, but failed in doing so, and was twice filled with the heavy sea, the vessel being so near to the shore.

Under these circumstances the boat returned to land for the purpose of getting a steamtug to assist; but unfortunately, before she could return with this additional aid, the remaining two poor fellows had perished.

ABERDOVEY, NORTH WALES.—At midnight on the 20th January, during a heavy gale from E.S.E., the schooner Jane Ellen, of Aberystwith, was observed dragging her anchors, in a very dangerous position off this place. The Royal Berkshire life-boat was immediately manned and launched, and soon reached the vessel. Some of the lifeboat men boarded her, and assisted to bring her to a better anchorage. At the request of the master the life-boat remained by him all night, and at daylight succeeded in bringing the vessel safely into harbour.

On the 28th Feb. this life-boat again went out in reply to signals of distress from the schooner Gratitude, of Aberystwith, which, while attempting to cross the bar in a heavy ground sea, had struck on the edge of the North Bank." It was blowing strongly at the time from the S.E., and the vessel was right in the midst of the breakers, which could be seen sweeping over her. The lifeboat went out in tow of a steamer, and conveyed a hawser from her to the vessel in order to tow her off the bank if possible, but this was found quite impracticable. The sea continued very heavy, making a complete breach over the vessel, each wave threatening to wash the crew of 3 men and a boy overboard. The deck, too, was opening, so it was determined to take the crew off, and after some difficulty this was safely accomplished. Though under the lee of the vessel, the life-boat was several times half filled with water, as she shipped several seas in getting alongside and in leaving. The life-boat was brought back in tow of the steamer, and safely landed the shipwrecked crew.