" On the morning of the 17th December, we were summoned by the firing of minute guns and other signals of distress from some vessel on the Goodwin Sands, and at 3 A.M. we launched from Walmer and Kingsdowne simultaneously in the Cen- turion and Sabrina Life-boats, the wind blowing heavy from S.S.W., weather thick with rain. We proceeded in the direction of the signals, and, after encountering a fearful sea, we discovered a large steam- ship on shore on the inner part of the Goodwin, known as the Callipers. At 4 A.M. boarded the said vessel, which proved to be the Sorrento screw steamship from the Mediterranean, with a cargo of barley, and bound to Lynn. The master asked us to remain and float the vessel, if possible. We put on board the greater part of both Life-boat crews, who threw over cargo and carried out an anchor, with a view, if possible, of floating her off the Sands at flowing tide, but the wind and sea increasing, as the tide flowed, she soon became a total wreck, filling with water, and the heavy broken waves making a clean breach over her. At 11 A.M., think- ing the two Life-boats, the Centurion and Sabrina, were insufficient to rescue the whole of the steamer's crew, her ensign was hoisted, Union down, for more assist- ance, but none came, and at noon the Centurion Life-boat, which was then lying alongside, together with some of the steamer's boats were swept away, and the Life-boat was much damaged in her bows by a huge wave breaking bodily over the steamer, sweeping all before it, and caus- ing some of the ship's boats to come in collision with the Centurion, which was immediately swept, with the rest of the floating wreckage, into the surf, and to the back of the Sands altogether, leaving the greater part of their crew on board the steamer. The Sabrina Life-boat was anchored a short distance to windward, and the coxswain seeing the disaster happening to the Centurion; and feeling assured that a heavy loss of life must immediately follow, and that amongst the sufferers must have been his three sons, who had voluntarily accompanied him in the Life-boat, and were put on board the steamer, to try and float her from off the Sands, ordered the Sabrina to be im- mediately run alongside, though it should cost his own life and the rest of his boat's crew. This act was so successfully per- formed that the steamer's captain and his crew of 20 men, together with the pilot and the Life-boatmen, immediately leaped on board the Sabrina, which, with the whole party of no less than 46 persons, immediately sheered off, set a close-reefed foresail, and steered through the heavy boiling surf to the off edge of the Good- win, where our brethren in the Centurion were awaiting us at anchor, and to whom we transferred a necessary portion of the steamer's crew and Life-boatmen from the Sabrina, and then immediately proceeded, in company across the Sands in a very heavy sea, round the North Sand Head for Broadstairs, where we arrived in safety at quarter past 2 P.M." The Ramsgate Steamer and Life-boat had gone out to this wreck, but the other two Life-boats had arrived before them, and their services were not then required.

Afterwards the steamer was signalled for, but it was then impracticable for her to go near, on account of the very heavy sea which was breaking completely over the wrecked vessel.