On the 4th Jan- uary, 1869, the trawler Start, of Brixham, was observed trying to beat to windward to obtain the shelter of Babbicombe Bay, a gale blowing at the time from the S.W., with a considerable sea. Just then she lost her mast in a squall, and thereupon the life-boat China was launched with the greatest promptitude, and proceeded to her assistance, being about two miles dead to leeward at the time. Shortly after the boat was launched, the men were observed to leave their vessel, and the life-boat made all speed towards them, and after a long and heavy pull rescued the crew of 4 men, who were much exhausted. The life-boat now started for home, but after nearly one hour's hard pulling the crew found they could make no headway against the gale and tide, so bore up for Dawlish, where they landed amidst the cheers of hundreds of people. A steamer had during this time proceeded to the wreck, placed men on board, and got a tow-line made fast; but hardly had she begun to tow her ahead, when the smack went down stern foremost, in consequence of the great damage she had sustained from the fall of her mast. The poor shipwrecked men, on reaching home, wrote to the Local Life-boat Committee to express their heartfelt gratitude for the valuable assistance thus afforded to them by the life-boat..