On the afternoon of the 20th March this coast was suddenly visited by a tremendous storm from the N.N.W., and shortly afterwards information arrived that a large vessel was in a most precarious position off Morte Stone, a dan- gerous reef some distance from this life-boat station. The Coast-guard immediately pro- ceeded to the spot, and about seven o'clock their officer sent word to Ilfracombe that the barque Drago, of Genoa, with her masts cut away, was at anchor, and requested that a steam-tug and the life-boat Broad- water should be at ouce despatched to her assistance. It happened that at the time a steamer was in the harbour, tat she had only recently entered it, and had encountered so much, danger in doing so, that the captain declared that a thousand pounds would not induce Mm to pat to sea whilst the storm lasted. It was quite impossible for the boat to get out unassisted, and nothing remained but to wait At two o'clock on the fol- lowing morning an attempt was made to get the boat out, bat at that early hour it was found impossible to get sufficient assist- ance to launch her, and the attempt had again to be deferred. However, at half- past ten o'clock the boat pat to sea, and after s a hard straggle, lasting four hours, succeeded in reaching the wreck, and in taking oat of her the crew of 13 men and 2 boys, and the pilot, all of whom were safely landed at Ilfraecmbe. Great risk was ran in taking the men out of the barque, occasioned by her proximity to that most dangerous reef, Morte Stone, the swinging of the ship, and the mass of spars floating around her. At one time the boat was nearly gone. She encountered great peril, too, on her way back, in tow of a steam- tag, laden as she was with 16 men, in addition to her own crew. The exer- tions of Mr. MAULE, a barrister on the Western Circuit, and a member of the Local Life-boat Committee, in getting the crew together, &c., were beyond praise; he him- self made up a deficiency in the number of the crew by taking an oar in the life-boat.

Lieut. WILLIAMS, R.N., the officer of Coast- guard, was also very active in endeavouring to get the boat to sea at half-past six, A.M. ; but at that time she could not be got round the point. The boat lost her anchor under the keel of the barque, and had two oars broken in this service.