ARDROSSAN, N.B.—The first Life-boat service rendered this year was that per- formed on the morning of the 1st January last, by the Life-boat Fair Maid of Perth, placed on this station a few months previously ; and it was also the first occasion the boat had of inaugurating its good work.

It appears that the brig Morning Star, of Dublin, went ashore on the rocks to the west side of Horse Island, during a strong gale from S.S.W., and soon became a total wreck. The Life-boat was promptly launched about ten o'clock in the morning, and towed by a steam-tug to the spot, when it was found that the ship- wrecked men had got on a rock, but that they could not reach the island. The Life-boat was then towed to windward of the wreck, but even then to drop down to it was attended with so much danger that it was decided, instead, to land some of the Life-boat men on the lee side of the island; and thus they were enabled with ropes to drag 5 of the vessel's crew through the surf; there was 1 other man, but he succeeded in swimming over to the island.

The 6 men were then taken to tho Life- boat and safely landed at Ardrossan.

BOULMER, NORTHUMBERLAND. On the same day the Life-boat Robin Hood of Nottingham, stationed at Boulmer, was called out on two occasions, but the first time, when the schooner Maid of Tire, of Inverness, struck and sunk on the North Steel Rocks the services of the boat were not ultimately needed, for by the time she reached the scene of the wreck, the shipwrecked crew, who were compelled to take to their own boat on their vessel sinking, had managed, with great difficulty, to land on the rocks in a very exhausted state from the cold wind and intense frost. The Life-boat men also suffered very much; but, nevertheless, they quickly. responded when their services were again called into requisition, a few hours later, on the occasion of the schooner Oxalis, of Macduff, striking on the South Steel Rocks and becoming a total wreck. The Life-boat was pulled off towards the vessel, and when about half a mile from it, the crew of four men were met coming in the direction of the shore in their own boat, thereby encountering great risk on account of the very heavy sea running at the timer,. -However, they were taken into the Lifeboat and brought safely ashore. The men again suffered greatly on account of the bitter cold they had to encounter.

WEXFORD, IRELAND.—Very early on the morning of the 4th January, a vessel was seen on the Dogger Bank, off this coast, on which a rough sea was then breaking.

As soon as possible the smaller of the two Life-boats on this station, the Civil Service, was got out, and after a long and arduous pull through a heavy surf, arrived alongside, when 2 of the Life-boat men boarded the vessel at much risk, and found the crew of 16 men were desirous to be taken off, who were accordingly got into the Life-boat and afterwards transferred to the steam-tug Ruby, which then came to anchor. At daylight the master and 1 of the crow of the vessel—which was the barque Paquita, of Santauder, bound thence from Liver- pool—were, at their request, put on board their ship again; but in tho afternoon tho weather looking bad, the Life-boat once more put out, and after two hours hard work brought the 2 men ashore. By tho nest morning the weather had moderated, and tho ship still holding together, a number of labourers were taken out to her in the steamer, the Life-boat re- maining alongside in case the weather should change, in which case, her services would have been required to save the men from the stranded vessel. Eventually, after prolonged exertions, the barque was got off the sands on the morning of the 6th January, and taken into Wexford Harbour.

Meantime tho Civil Service Life-boat had been instrumental in performing another service, for during the squally weather experienced on the afternoon of the 5th January, the smack Lark, of Wex- ford, was reported to have capsized be- tween the Dogger and Long Banks, in a rough sea. The boat was therefore taken to the spot as quickly as possible and found the crew of 2 men clinging to the wreck, and the Life-boat men had the satisfaction of saving them and landing them at Wexford about six o'clock that evening.

RAMSGATE.—Several services have been j performed this year by the valuable Life- boat on this station, the Bradford, in conjunction with her handy and ever- ready consort, tho harbour steam-tug Vulcan. Tho first was that rendered on the 7th January. During a fresh wind from tho W.S.W. on that morning, signal guns and rockets were fired from | the Gull Light Ship, and were answered by a rocket from the East Pier, signifying that, as visual, the Life-boat and steamer were at once coming out to the Sands in response to the signals of distress. On reaching tho Light Vessel it was found that a largo light, like a burning tar barrel, had been seen in a south-easterly direction, and on proceeding towards the spot the barque Sea, of Montrose, was found on the south end of the Goodwin Sands. There was not sufficient depth of water for the steamer to cross them, so the Life-boat was slipped to windward, and the steamer proceeded round the Head to the eastward of the Sands, and steering as closely as prudent to their edge, and keeping the lead going, they were ultimately enabled, on arriving opposite the vessel, to back in towards her, when the master at once requested their assistance to got his vessel off, as a heavy ground swell was running at the time. With some difficulty the tug's hawser was got on board the vessel just as the Life-boat reached the spot, and, after towing for some considerable time, as the tide flowed the vessel was successfully got off, she striking heavily as she floated, and was taken by the steamer to a safe anchorage in the Downs.

Meanwhile, the Life-boat, on being slipped from the steamer, had proceeded under sail towards another largo light, which was found to be shown from the American ship Joseph Fish, having a valuable cargo of wheat and flour, and on reaching her the pilot took the assistance of 5 of the Life-boat men, who wore put on board, and the boat, as already mentioned, proceeded to the scene of the stranding of tho other ship, but on find- ing that tho steamer was able to render her all necessary aid, she returned to the Joseph Fish, and at tho request of tho pilot 3 more men went on board her, as she was making a great deal of water.

Two steamers also came to tho assistance of the vessel and took a tow rope from either side of her bow, and ultimately she was got off and proceeded in tow of the steamers to the Thames, tho 8 Life-boat men remaining in the vessel to assist, and the Life-boat making for tho Downs., whence she was towed into harbour by the steam-tug Vulcan, after an absence of seven hours.

On tho morning of the 16th March, during a strong gale from the E.S.E., and in a very heavy sea, tho schooner Lucie Antoinette, of Nantes, went on the Good- win Sands. Tho Life-boat Bradford and steamer Vulcan proceeded out to her, and the boat was taken as near as possible to the wreck. She could not, however, get within fifty fathoms, on account of the shallowness of the water on the sands.

She then anchored there, and 4 of her brave crew jumped overboard and waded through the surf close to the vessel, when the crew of 6 men were hailed and asked to come to the Life-boat, but this they would not do. The Life-boat men would not, however, leave the poor fellows, and they, therefore, remained at the spot for about three or four hours, when 5 of the men were prevailed on to leave, and, life-lines having been fastened to them, they were hauled through tho surf to tho Life-boat. The only one left was the master, and as ho could not be induced to come into tho boat, the men were compelled, for their own safety, to go back to the Life-boat without him, and as soon as their boat floated they returned to their station. As tho tide flowed, and tho sea made, the schooner turned over on her broadside, and the sea broke completely over her— and it was concluded that the master must have been drowned. Happily, how- ever, he had lashed himself to the rigging, and a Broadstairs lugger cruising near the sands, on the weather moderating, found him, and brought him ashoro in a very exhausted condition. It appeared that, although the hull of the vessel was completely under water, yet, having a cargo of iron, she had righted herself on the sands. The reason tho master gave for refusing to leave the vessel with tho rest' of the crew, was that, being part owner, he thought there might be a possibility of saving her, and, therefore, would not desert her.

RAMSGATE AND BROADSTAIRS.—At day- break, on the 28th March, during a strong north-easterly wind and in a heavy sea, a large barque was seen ashore on the Goodwin Sands with a signal of distress flying. The Life-boat Bradford and the harbour steam-tug Vulcan were at once despatched to tho spot, and on arriving there found the Broadstairs Life-boat, the Samuel Morrison Collins, had also just arrived. Both boats then went alongside the barque, which proved to be the Jdun, of Bergen, bound from Newcastle to Venice with coals. Tho crew of 14 men, together with the son and daughter of the master, -were then taken into tho Life- boats; but on returning to shore tho boats unfortunately grounded on tho sands, where they had to remain three hours until tho flood tide made, when they were taken in tow by the steamer, and arrived safely in Ramsgate Harbour about three o'clock that afternoon.

The master of the vessel afterwards expressed, through the public press, his acknowledgments for the timely services thus rendered to himself and the others on board the wrecked vessel. His letter to The Times was as follows :— WRECK ON THE GOODWINS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.' SIR,—Will you kindly allow me, through your widely-circulated journal, on behalf of myself and crew (16 in all) of the bark Idun, 670 tons, of Bergen, Captain Meidell, from Newcastle, bound for Venice with a cargo of coal, wrecked on the Goodwin Sands on the night of the 27th of March, in a strong gale from the northward and eastward, to express my heartfelt thanks and deep sense of gratitude to the brave and gallant crews of the Ramsgate and Broadstairs Life-boats and the Ramsgate steam-tug Vulcan, for the invaluable services rendered to us under circumstances of very great distress and danger on the Goodwin Sands, which resulted in the preservation of all our lives ? The noble boats, under the able and skilful management of their persevering crews, came out from the land at daylight in the morning, and dashed fearlessly into the foaming breakers, crossed the boiling sand, and at very great risk to their own lives (the sea breaking heavily into the boats as they approached) succeeded in reaching the ship and lying along-side to our rescue.

We were all then hastily, but most kindly, assisted into the two Life-boats (my daughter being with me a passenger), together with a quantity of nautical instruments, clothes, and other effects.

At this time the steam-tug was waiting to wind- ward at the edge of the sand, near the breakers, to receive the boats, but the boats, on leaving the ship, could not get off the sand, the tide' not having flowed sufficiently to enable them to pass through the breakers; they were, therefore, compelled to wait and allow the boats to beat over the sand to leeward through the boiling sea, breaking heavily into them for three hours, when at length they succeeded in getting off the sand, where the steam-tug (having come round to lee- ward) was waiting in readiness to receive them.

The tug then took the two Life-boats in tow (one being disabled in her rudder), and steered for Ramsgate Harbour with flags flying from their mastheads, where we arrived about 3 p.m.

We were received with loud shouts of joy from hundreds of English spectators on the pier, who had assembled to welcome our safety to land. We were then conducted to the Sailor's Home, where refreshments were already prepared in readiness for us, which we found most welcome after an exposure of about 14 hours to wet and cold, and where we still remain for the present. We left the ship full of water, with her mainmast gone, and no prospect of her ever coming off the sand. : Permit me, Sir, in conclusion, to say that too much praise cannot be given to the English nation for the introduction and success which has attended their noble service, the Life-boat Institution, established for the preservation of ship- wrecked mariners of all nations.

Your insertion of these my grateful acknow- ledgments for the invaluable services rendered us will greatly oblige Your obedient Servant, H. C. MEIDELL (Captain of the said bark Idun).

RAMSGATE, NORTH DEAL, AND KINGS- DOWNE.—On one other occasion since then have the Bradford Life-boat and Vulcan 1 steamer done good service; this time in ( conjunction with the North Deal Life-boat ! Van Kook and the Kingsdowne Life-boat ! Sabrina. It was on the occasion of the brig St. Thomas' Packet, of Blyth, getting on the Goodwin Sands, during a fresh wind from the W.S.W. and in a heavy sea, on the 23rd April. Fortunately the three Life-boats were enabled, with other assistance, to extricate the vessel and crew from their very perilous position, and the brig, which had on board a valuable cargo of salt and olive oil, was then towed into Ramsgate Harbour by the Vulcan.

Earlier in the year, on the 7th January, the Kingsdowne and North Deal Life- boats had also been enabled to render somewhat similar service to the Italian brig Sori, except that in this instance the vessel, laden with linseed, was found on the Goodwin Sands abandoned by her crew. The brig had 1G feet of water in her, and all her sails and rigging were much damaged. "With the assistance of a steam-tug, however, the crews of the Life-boats succeeded, after great exertions, in getting her afloat, when she was towed towards Ramsgate. She grounded just outside the Pier, and it was not till one o'clock the following morning that she was got into the Harbour. It is a very rare occurrence for a vessel in such a wretched state to be saved from the fatal Goodwins.

One other service has also been per- formed by the Kingsdowne Life-boat this year, on the llth February. It appears that during the previous night it had been blowing a gale, and at daylight during a strong breeze from the E.N.E. the barque Eicliard and Harriet, of Hull, bound thence to Pensacola, in ballast, got under weigh, but on attempting to wear she took the beach a little to the south of Kingsdowne. Part of the crew left in their own boat and managed to get safely ashore, but the master and 6 men remained on board. As the flood tide made, however, the seas broke over the vessel, and the Life-boat Sabrina was launched to their assistance. Considerable difficulty was experienced in getting alongside, but the rescue was at last effected, and the 7 men landed, and soon afterwards the vessel became a total wreck. MARGATE. — About half-past three o'clock on the morning of the 25th January, while the wind was blowing strongly from the east, and during a heavy snow- storm, the brig Sarah, of Sunderland, bound from that port to Southampton with coal, and having a crew of 6 men on board, went on the Margate Sands. The wreck was not observed from the shore until about noon, the hull of the vessel being under water. As soon, however, as it was noticed, the Quiver Life-boat was immediately launched, and proceeded to the spot, when the crew were found to have taken refuge in the foretop. With some difficulty, on account of the heavy sea running alongside the wreck, the 6 men were happily rescued from a watery grave; 2 of the poor fellows were severely frost- bitten in the legs, and it was not without much difficulty and danger that they were got into the Life-boat. However, the efforts of the boatmen ultimately proved success- ful, and all were safely brought ashore, and the 2 injured men at once placed under medical treatment. The snow was lying some inches deep in Margate at the time. A lugger had attempted to get to the rescue of the Shipwrecked crew, but was unable to get sufficiently near to the wreck, through the heavy breaking seas, to render assistance; and, no doubt, the poor men would have perished in the absence of the noble Life-boat and her gallant crew.

About a fortnight later, the same Life- boat was able to effect the rescue of another Shipwrecked crew. A strong gale from the E.N.E. was experienced there on the 10th February, and, about ten o'clock at night, a vessel was observed burning a tar barrel as a signal of dis- tress, she apparently being on the Walpole Rock. The Quiver was at once taken along the shore on her transporting- carriage to the lee-side of the Longnose Rock, and launched through a very heavy surf to "the vessel, over which the sea was then breaking. With some difficulty the crew of 9 men were taken off by the Life-boat. The vessel was the brig Thessalia, of Whitby. The horses used to draw the Life-boat on its carriage, although used to the work, could hardly be got to take the boat to the water's edge on account of the strength of the wind and heavy rollers setting in, which at times completely covered them.

WICKLOW, IRELAND.—A large vessel with a flag of distress flying, was seen off this place during a gale of wind on the 9th January. On the Wicklow Life-boat : Robert Theophilus Garden proceeding to her, it was found she had lost her way, | and a pilot was thereupon put on board : from the boat, and the vessel was taken : safely to Dublin. She was the barque Mexican, of St. John's, N.B., laden with corn, and bound from New York for ! Dublin.

On the 21st February, the same Life- I boat went out to the brigantine Pomona, '• of Dundalk, which, during a gale from the N.E., was seen driving down Channel in a disabled state and with a flag of : distress flying. The Life-boat was immediately launched, and found that the vessel had been in collision with a steamer in Dublin Bay, and had lost all her head gear and had her foremast j sprung. The services of the Life-boat men having been accepted, they were enabled to bring her safely to Mizen Head roads, the wind and tide not allowing them to make for Wicklow. The Life- boat then returned to her station, leaving 2 men on board the vessel, which was ultimately taken to Dublin on the gale sub- siding.

CAHORE, Co. WEXFORD.—The schooner Handy, of Wexford, bound from Ayr for that port with coals, struck on the Black- water Bank on the evening of the 10th January, during a thick fog, and sprung a leak, when she made for the shore at Cahore, where she subsequently stranded.

The crew of 5 men were saved by the Sir George Bowles Life-boat, stationed at Cahore, the water by that time being over the cabin floor. A shore yawl had gone out to her, but the sea was so very heavy that she was not able to approach near enough to take the men off.

MONTROSE, N.B. —The ketch Friendship, of Goole, having sprung a leak off St. Abbs Head, would not steer and could not fetch a port, and she consequently drifted on the Annat sandbank, off Mon- trose, early on the morning of the 15th January. The Life-boat Mincing-lane, went off through a heavy surf and ! rescued the crew of 3 men, who would in all probability have been lost had they attempted to land in their own boat. As it was, on account of the darkness of the night, it took the Life-boat men some time before they could discover the wreck,—and such was the strength of the wind and tide, that the Life-boat could not be pulled back through the surf, but had to be beached about a mile from the Boat-house.

Again, on the 31st January, one of the most gallant of the many gallant Life- boat services that are from time to time recorded took place in the neighbourhood of Montrose. For two days previously a strong gale had blown from the south- east, and a tremendous sea was breaking everywhere on the coast. At daybreak a partially dismasted schooner, which turned out to be the Diana, of ,Broskjobing, in Denmark, was observed to be at anchor in Bervie Bay, about twelve miles north of Montrose, in a very dangerous position.

The rocket apparatus from the nearest coast-guard station was soon on the spot, but the vessel being too far from the shore to be reached by it, a telegram was at once sent to Montrose for the Life-boat and a steam-tug to come to the aid of the vessel and crew. As soon as practicable the Life-boat Mincing-lane was launched, manned by the well-known and skilled Ferryden fishermen, and was towed to the harbour's mouth, when it was found that the sea on the bar was too heavy to admit of the steamer being taken through it. After some consultation, and an only natural slight hesitation, the coxswain and crew of the Life-boat determined at all risks to cross the bar, if possible, and perform the service without any other aid than that of their own strong arms and wills, and off they went, followed by the anxious gaze and hopes of the spectators on shore.

The sea on the bar is said to have been terrific, yet as each broke heavily over the boat, one throwing her almost perpendicularly, she, nevertheless, steadily surmounted them, and when over the heavy lines of surf on the bar her oars were taken in and sail set, and in an hour more she had reached the distressed ship.

Owing to the heavy sea it was still a work of no slight difficulty to get her crew on board, who, standing on the stern, had to avail themselves of the brief moments when the boat was raised high on the summit of a wave, and thus, one by one, they jumped into her, and all got safely on board. It had been thought that the Life-boat would then have had to run to Stonehaven, ten miles further north, with the five rescued men ; but fortunately the wind had veered more to the east, and they were enabled to return to Montrose, to the no slight joy and relief of those who, with anxious and wistful eyes, had been watching for her return. The Life-boat's crew were loud in their praises of the behaviour of their boat, both under sail and oars; yet what would be the value of even such boats without the daring courage and skilful management of such men ? When the character of this service is considered, against the specially dangerous "seas •which in on-shore gales of wind break wildly on the bars of all rivers on so exposed a coast, and the long distance of twelve miles on a rocky lee shore, which had to be traversed, it will be readily conceived that it would be difficult to speak in too high terms of the noble courage and hardihood of the brave fellows by whom it was performed.

DUNGARVAN, CO. WATERFORD. On the night of the 15th January, three vessels which were at anchor in Dungarvan Pool were driven on the rocky shore at Ballinacourty, the wind blowing a whole gale from the S. at the time. Two of them got so close to the shore that they did not require any assistance; but the third, the brigantine Corrihill of this port, had the three men who were on board saved by the Christopher Ludlow Life-boat, which promptly put off on observing the perilous position of the vessels.

On the 31st January the brigantine Margaret, of Lancaster, was driven on Dungarvan Bar during a heavy south- easterly gale. The Life-boat went off to her, but could only get within two hundred yards of her, for the sea on the bar was so heavy, and the gale so strong, that the boat was driven back, and three of the rowing-crutches were forced out of the gunwale: they were, however, replaced by spare ones, and subsequently three attempts were made to reach the vessel, all of which, however, were unavailing, and the men, most reluctantly, were compelled to return to the shore. However, the shipwrecked men remained safely on board until the sea somewhat moderated, when the Life-boat was again launched, and was then enabled to bring the 5 men ashore. In regard to the failure of the boat on the first trial, it is only right to mention that, in the opinion of the Local Committee and the master and owner of the ship, the cause was the want of force in the boat, which was a small six-oared one; and they considered that the crew of the Life-boat did their utmost on the occasion. As a sufficient number of men could now be depended on to work a larger boat, and the fisher- men at Ballinacourty not hesitating to go out in the Life-boat in the roughest weather, which was not the case when the Life-boat Station was founded some years since, the Local Committee recommended that a larger boat should be supplied; which request has been acceded to by the Institution, and a fine ten-oared boat sent in the place of the other.

Meanwhile a few days afterwards the small Life-boat had been called on to proceed once more to the assistance of those on board the brigantine Margaret.

After the 5 men were landed by the boat in the first instance, and the weather had moderated, the vessel was boarded by the master and crew and 15 other men who were engaged to throw the cargo over- board to lighten the ship, in the hope that she might then be got off the bar.

The wind, however, increased, a heavy sea got up, and the position of those on board became very perilous, and there- upon signals were made for the aid of the Life-boat. The boat at once went out, and proceeded alongside, when the cox- swain proposed to take 10 men off the wreck at first; but all were so apprehensive of the vessel's breaking up, that the whole of the men, 20 in number, crowded into the boat, the master-being the last to leave his ship. The Life-boat then had 29 men on board, including her own crew, but all were safely landed.

On the way to the vessel a heavy sea broke into the Life-boat, but the water was speedily self-ejected through the pa- tent valves, with which most of the Life- boat Society's boats are fitted.

This was the last service the small Life-boat was called on to render, and thus nobly did she finish her career of mercy, having, during the time she was on her station, been instrumental altogether in saving 54 lives from different wrecks.

RAMSEY, ISLE OF MAN.—During a south- easterly gale the brigantine Lady Huntley, of Maryport, parted from both her anchors and went ashore in Ramsey Bay before daybreak on the morning of the 16th January. As the tide made the vessel was gradually covered, until at high tide only her topsailyard was above water. She had come ashore a consider- able distance from the harbour, and not being able to burn any light, and the night being very dark, nothing was known of the wreck until daybreak, when the crew of 4 men were observed clinging to the rigging, from which perilous position they were soon rescued by the Two Sisters Life-boat.

About three years since this Life-boat was placed at Ramsey through the aid of the Manchester Branch of the Institution, and she has since then been of inestimable benefit to the crews of distressed vessels.

On the 5th February a very gallant service, which challenged and secured the admiration of the town, was performed by the same valuable Life-boat. It was blowing a fresh gale from the S.S.E., when a vessel which entered the harbour reported a schooner in distress four miles to the west of the Point of Ayre.

The crew of the Life-boat with much alacrity assembled, and the boat proceeded in the direction indicated through a heavy sea, when the schooner William, of Liverpool, was discovered in a leaky state, riding at anchor in a most dangerous situation. Some of the crew of the Life-boat went on board and assisted the 2 men and a boy who formed the crew of the little vessel, and an effort was made to navigate her into Peel; but this failed. Eventually, however, the wind having shifted to the W., the Life-boat arrived in Ramsey Harbour with the schooner and those on board, after the boat had been absent for about twenty- three hours.

Again, on the 20th Aug., during a south- westerly gale, the Life-boat proceeded to the schooner Rapid, of Preston, which had a signal flying for assistance, her sails being torn, and her anchors not holding.

On arriving alongside, the master requested the Life-boat crew to remain and assist in repairing sails, &c ; and accordingly they did so, and afterwards got the vessel under weigh, and succeeded in taking her, and her crew of 2 men, safely into harbour.