The schooner Gaspard, of St. Malo, was wrecked on the Goodwin Sands on the 3rd Jan., 1869. The Rams- gate life-boat Bradford went off, in tow of the harbour steam-tug Aid, on signals being fired from one of the light-ships, and on arriving at the Goodwin they per- ceived the schooner lying on the sands.

The sea was very rough, a violent gale blowing at the time, and to get at the schooner the life-boat was run on to the sands. Six of the boat's crew then got on to the sand and walked to the vessel with great difficulty, in many places passing through deep water. They found only the master on board, whom they rescued. He stated that the crew, 5 in number, had taken to their own boat, which drifted away. The life-boat men laboured for two hours before they could get their own boat off the sands. It is believed the schooner's crew were fortunately picked up by a passing vessel..