The most distressing calamities in connection with this disastrous storm of the 10th. Febru- ary happened at this place. It was a storm which raged on some portions of the east coast with a severity unequalled within the memory of living man, and was felt here with the greatest violence.

Fortunately the Institution's Life-boat on this station, which had never previously had an opportunity of rendering active service, was enabled to do noble work, as the following account will show. It appears the wind began to blow fresh about two A.M., and increased till, at day- break, it was a perfect gale, from E.S.E., with snow and sleet. Vessels rapidly I came in sight; and in a very short | time the sad spectacle was presented j of seventeen ships all ashore at the same ! time, and one after another rapidly break- j ing up. The Society's Life-boat was at once got out, and also a small Life-boat called the Harbinger, presented by Count j GUSTAVE BATTHYANY to the boatmen of • Bridlington Quay. It should be noted that ; this boat was not built by the Institution, ! but by a builder in the town, and that • she was considered by the most competent 1 judges to be too small for work in a very ; heavy sea. In the early part of the day there I seems to have been an honourable rivalry , between the two boats as to which should \ do the best service. At half-past eight j A.M. the Harbinger went off to the assist- j ance of a vessel called the Friends' Increase, j but was unable to reach her. The In- j stitution's Life-boat, however, succeeded in getting alongside, took off the crew of ' 4 men, and brought them safely to shore. ' She then went out again, and made her j way to the most distant of the distressed ! ships, intending to relieve those nearer the shore as she returned. The smaller Life-boat, however, followed in her wake, and did the work of rescue astern of the larger one. The Harbinger thus rescued < three crews and the other Life-boat three, ' the latter boat this time saving the crews j of the brigantine JEcho (6 men) and of the j brig Windsor (6 men). The small Life- , boat then proceeded to two other vessels, I and saved their crews. Meanwhile the j other Life-boat put forth to the aid of a : large vessel, which had gone ashore in a situation most difficult to reach. For two hours the Life-boat crew gallantly fought against winds and waves in the endeavour ; to reach her,but thisit wasfoundiinpossible for human strength to accomplish, and at length the vessel turned completely over, and went down with all hands on board.

Some of the crew of the Life-boat were so exhausted with their continued exertions that they had to be carried up from the boat. After this the small Life-boat, with a crew consisting mainly of volunteers, amongst whom was the builder of the boat, went to the help of two other vessels, but on getting alongside one of them she was capsized, and 6 out of her crew of 9 were drowned. The unfortunate builder, who had unbounded confidence in his boat, was amongst the sufferers. One of the survivors describes the calamity in these words:—" The boat was hanging a little astern of the vessel, and on hauling her nearer to take off the only hand left, an awful sea struck the vessel, and ran up her side, going right over and striking the after part of the small Life-boat, putting her stern low in the water. Another fear- ful sea struck the boat, and turned her right over, lifting her high in the air, one man being under her, till she righted by being struck by another sea, and two men regained her in some way, I don't know how." The boat was carried ashore by heavy seas, without any effort on the part of the three survivors, the oars being all broken or lost. Deeply as all friends of humanity must regret such a melancholy occurrence, it must be remembered that this boat had been pronounced by compe- tent judges too small for service in such extreme weather, that she was deficient in the self-righting property possessed by the boats of the NATIONAL INSTITUTION'S build, and that the poor fellows who manned her were not provided with the cork jackets invariably worn by the crews of the Institution's boats. In all the long record of gallant deeds of saving life done by the Life-boats of the Institution, very few cases are found in which any member of the Life-boat crews has been sacrificed.

The boatmen of Bridlington had always shown a preference for the small Life- boat to 'which this calamity occurred, as she was much lighter in the water, and required much less labour to work. The event has proved that in her case those ! qualities were not consistent with her ; safety. Rewards were at once granted by the Institution to the crews of both Life-boats, and a liberal grant in aid of ; the fund for the widows and orphans of those who unhappily lost their lives in this service, the Institution's contribution for these purposes amounting altogether ; to 149?., in addition to the large local \ subscription specially raised to meet the requirements of the case..