Services of the Life-Boats of the National Life-Boat Institution During the First Six Months of 1875
ST. DAVID'S.—On the 1st January last the Life-boat Augusta, stationed at this headland, rendered good service to the schooner Amity, of Beaumauris, which, while on a voyage from Bangor to Swansea, became embayed in a dangerous position during thick weather, and a strong breeze at S.E. With the aid thus rendered by the Life-boat, the vessel got out of her difficulties, and gained her port in. safety, with her crew of 4 men.
ORME'S HEAD.—On. the 1st January the Life-boat Sisters' Memorial succeeded in saving the crew of the flat Hester, of Conway, bound from that place to Bun- corn. The Life-boat was afloat on this service from half-past two in the afternoon to nine o'clock at night, in a heavy gale at S S.E. HUGH Josras, the coxswain, and the rest of the crew deserve great credit for their persevering and determined | efforts to reach the distressed vessel, which, ; with distress signals flying, leaking badly, and plunging bows under, was riding to her anchors on the lee shore of Penmaen- mawr. It took them nearly five hours to '• pull against the gale to the wreck. The strain on nerre, pluck, and strength for such protracted periods tells heavily even , | on the hardiest boatmen. The crew of the Hester was composed of 2 men.
LYTHAM.—From the coast near this i port, on the 2nd January, by the first light 1 of breaking day, the masts of a vessel were | observed looming faintly through the haze of a S.W. storm. It was presently ascer- tained that the vessel herself had sunk, and that her crew were clinging to the rigging.
They had, in truth, been in that fearful position for the greater part of the night, , The wrecked vessel proved to be the Mary Tatham, of Beaumaris, a schooner, carry- ing a crew of 4 persons, and bound to ! Preston. She had struck on the Salthouse ; Bank in the middle of the night, and soon sank, the crew lashing themselves to the rigging of the masts which remained above the water. The intelligence being con- veyed to Lytham, the Life-boat Wakefeld was soon pressing towards the scene of the wreck, the crew urging the boat to her utmost speed, for they well knew that in such a case the crew, if not promptly rescued, must either die of cold, from being hung in. mid-air, exposed to wet and ice-cold storm, or lose their hold and fall into the sea, and so a few minutes' delay may be of vital consequence. However, the efforts of the Life-boat men were crowned with complete success. They reached the wreck at 8.30 A.M., and, with difficulty, hauling on board the benumbed and helpless crew of the sunken ship, landed them safely at Lytham by 10.30, though in a dreadfully exhausted state.
TRAMORE.—On January 3 the schooner Fanny, of Salcombe, bound from Cardiff to Barbadoes, became a total wreck in Tramore Bay, county Waterford. The vessel had been observed, soon after noon, trying to beat out of the Bay, into "which a heavy sea, accompanied by a fresh breeze at S.W., was setting. Signs of mismanage- ment on the part of the commander were also observed. She was watched from the Life-boat station at Tramore for several hours, by Mr. JACOB, the Honorary Secre- tary, and the crew of the Life-boat. Just before dark she was seen (having failed in her effort to weather Brownstown Head) to come to an anchor close in to the cliffs.
The destruction of the vessel was now a question of an hour or two, as no vessel could hold on long to her anchors in that position. The Life-boat Tom Egan was therefore at once launched, and even- tually boarded the distressed vessel, re- turning to the shore by 8 P.M., with the crew of 7 persons. As was anticipated, the schooner soon parted her cables and became a total wreck.
The prompt action of STEPHEN PILCHER, of the coastguard, the coxswain of the Life-boat, called forth the special com- mendation of the Local Committee; and the Committee of the Institution, taking into consideration his long and valuable services, awarded him the silver medal of the Institution, and a vote of thanks on vellum. The crew of the Fanny saved on this occasion made up the large number of 63 persons whom, by his courage and skill, he had assisted to save from drown- ing.
PORT LOGAN, WIGTONSHIRE.—On the night of the 12th January the barque Britannia, of North Shields, bound from Mauritius to Greenock, got on shore, in moderate weather, on the north side of Port Logan Bay; the crew saving them- selves by climbing over the rocks at low water. On the day following fourteen men were hired to "strip" the ship. While the men were aloft a heavy storm came on, the sea swept over the deck of the stranded vessel, and the men had to cling to the swaying masts and rigging as best they might. Luckily, the coastguard, observ- ing the danger, despatched an express to Port Logan. JAMES BROWN, the coxswain of the Life-boat Edinburgh and R. M.
Ballantyne, at once summoned his crew, and, after an. anxious struggle, succeeded in carrying his boat to the side of the barque. The process of clearing away the rigging having been commenced before the storm came on, everything was blow- ing about in the wildest confusion, and each moment it was expected the masts would fall. Getting the 14 men extricated from their perilous position was a work of great difficulty, but was at length accom- plished, and the Life-boat regained Port Logan in safety before dark, with the rescued men on board.
BROOKE, ISLE OF WIGHT.—Early in the morning of the 15th January, during thick weather, the barque Blanche Mar- guerite, of Dunkirk, and bound to that port, was wrecked on a reef off Brooke Chine. The Brooke Life-boat, George and Anne, was launched, and, under the direc- tion of JOHN HAYTEE, the coxswain, made her way successfully, through a heavy ground swell, to the wreck, from which she rescued the crew, 10 in number.
Though the wind was not high, the heavy swell and breakers around the reef made the task of embarking the men a most difficult one.
DUNCANNON, WATERFORD.—At 9 A.M. on the 19th January, the Life-boat Richard and Anne Warner was summoned to the assistance of the Vittorioso G, a brig belong- ing to Venice, which was wrecked in Ban- now Bay, on the Selskar rocks, during a moderate S.W. gale. The Life-boat had to be conveyed a distance of seven miles by land, through miry lanes and soft roads, at first only by men hauling on the drag- ropes, though by-and-by, as she pushed on her way, horses came galloping in by ones and twos, and were promptly at- tached to the boat carriage. It was not till after noon, however, that the panting horses were pulled up on the brink of the sea, at Fethard Strand, the launching- place nearest to the wreck. Amidst the cheers of a large concourse of people the Life-boat was then launched through the surf, and after two hours' hard work with the oars her crew had the satisfaction of landing with the whole of the crew of the wrecked vessel, consisting of 9 persons.
KINGSTOWN.—During the forenoon of the 19th January, the schooner Arrow Belle, of Aberystwith, bound from Glen- dower to Greenock, but then at anchor in the Bay of Dublin, parted from her cables and drove ashore near North Bull. A strong gale from the S.W. had blown all night previously, and it still blew hard, accompanied by a heavy sea. Although aground, she did not sink, but the danger in such cases is that the crew, exhausted and benumbed with cold, may be swept from the deck or rigging of their ship by the waves which sweep over her. There is also the contingency of the vessel being unspund and breaking up, as such vessels sometimes do even on the softest strands, a short time after striking. Speed is all- important, therefore; though sometimes, when the good people on shore see a vessel that has been stranded on a beach, standing " all-ataunto" after the storm, they wonder why the crew could not have been left quiet on board till the storm abated, without risking other lives to bring them on shore. Well, the Kingstown men did not waste time by speculations as to whether the stranded vessel would outlast the storm or not, but at once ran their boat down the slipway, jumped in, and were soon urging the Life-boat Princess Royal, under the able coxswainship of HENRY WILLIAMS, to the assistance of the schooner. By 4 P.M., after a five hours' pull, they regained the shore with the rescued crew, 4 in number.
SUNDERLAND.—On the night of the I 24th January the ketch Queen Victoria, of I Lynn, was wrecked near the entrance of Sunderland harbour, during a strong ! breeze at N.W. That vessel had come to an anchor while on a voyage from Lynn to Sunderland, but just before mid- night her cables parted and she drove ! on the rocks, her crew being immediately placed in great peril. As soon as the wreck was observed, the Life-boat Good- will, under the command of the coxswain, WILLIAM BOYS, was launched, and, after an exhibition of great skill and endurance on the part of both coxswain and crew, the wrecked vessel WAS reached. The numerous rocks, and a heavy, tumbling sea, rendered this a most difficult feat, and its safe accomplishment reflected much credit on them. The crew of the ketch, 3 in number, were safely landed at 2 A.M.
CAISTER.-—On the 27th January the brig Pike, of Shoreham, was wrecked on the North Scroby Sands, during a fresh breeze at S., with a heavy, tumbling sea. As soon as the signals of distress were observed, the Caister No. 2 Life-boat, the Boys, was launched, and her coxswain, PHILIP GEORGE, proceeded with her to the distressed vessel. The brig was found to be fairly in the midst of the breakers, and some difficulty was experienced in the darkness in hauling the crew, one by one, into the Life-boat. The work, however, was successfully accomplished, and at 6 A.M. the Life-boat returned to the shore with the 7 rescued men.
On the 29th January the services of the Caister No. 1 Life-boat, the Birmingham, were called into requisition. She had been summoned to the aid of an Italian barque, then on the " Cross " Sand, where lights and flares were seen to the N.E., and she at once proceeded to the spot whence they came, and found a large ship, the Oriental, of North Shields, seriously damaged by collision with a steamer, and with her bowsprit carried away. With the aid of a steam-tug and some of the Life-boat's crew she was taken safely to Harwich.
In the month of March the following excellent services were also rendered by the Caister small Life-boat, the Boys:— "While on a voyage from Newcastle to Dublin, the schooner Punch, of Carnarvon, was wrecked on the Barber Sands, off Caister, about midnight of the 11th March.
It was then blowing hard at E." These sands, partially uncovered at low water, are quicksands as the tide flows, and a ship once fairly entangled on them has little more to hope for, except that the crew may be saved by a Life-boat, though it were but by the "skin of their teeth." The crew of the schooner soon lit up a great flare light on the deck of their doomed vessel, and by plentiful supplies of tar and oil contrived to keep it going, notwithstanding the avalanches of water that from time to time broke on board.
The glare of the light on the troubled sea served to show the crew of the Life- boat, who had eagerly launched from Caister on seeing the signal, that while the vessel was quickly disappearing in the sand, there was not water enough to float the Life-boat within reach of her; and three several attempts from different directions to get close to the wreck having failed, it seemed that the Life-boatmen would have to look on while ship and crew were gradually engulfed. Brave men in earnest are not easily put off their quest. The Life-boat was secured by her anchor to a part of the sandbank that still remained above water, a part of the crew were ordered to remain by the boat, and then PHILIP GEORGE, the coxswain, leaped overboard, " heaving -line " in hand, and, followed by the rest of his men, went staggering and stumbling across the treacherous sands, at one mo- ment with the water only ankle-deep, at the next up to the shoulders, with the life-belts alone to trust to; and in this way these men waded for a hundred yards, in that cold night and storm! They had arrived as close to the vessel as was pos- sible without being certainly washed away by the deepening water, when a line thrown from the wreck by one of the crew was fortunately clutched by one of the rescuers, and, a communication thus esta- blished, the schooner's crew were one by one hauled through the broken water and quicksand, and eventually got into the Life-boat. The most difficult task was the saving of the master of the wreck, who had been struck by the tiller and had three of his ribs fractured. The whole number, 6 in all, were saved, how- ever, and landed by 8 A.M., by which time the wreck itself had wholly disappeared.
A more gallant and devoted service than this has seldom been performed.
While the crew of the Life-boat were thus employed, they had observed the lights of another vessel in dangerous proximity to the sands, and every effort was made to warn her off, as was sup- posed with success, her lights having dis- appeared ; but the light of morning showed the floating fragments of a wreck, that of the Elizabeth, of Yarmouth, which having, alas! no Life-boat at hand, had been sucked under by the quicksands, together with all her crew. The crew of the Life- boat had barely got to their houses when the discovery of this second wreck was made; but they promptly leaped from their beds, again launched through the storm of the winter's morning, and eagerly scanned each floating fragment of wreck to see if perchance some poor fellow might still be floating on it. But no more than the name and port painted on the headboards, drifting about among the breakers, with planking and broken spars, was ever found even to show what the name of the vessel had been.
Just before daybreak on the 28th March, the wreck of the brig Thirteen, of Sunderland, was observed on the Middle Cross Sands, off Caister. It was blowing fresh from the north, with severe squalls and a considerable sea running. The Life-boat went off and embarked the crew, 8 in number, but received some damage in consequence of being delayed alongside by the tin willingness of the captain to desert his vessel. The poor fellow had little to hope from her, how- ever, as before the Life-boat was halfway on shore her wreck had wholly dis- appeared.
Again, on the morning of the 10th May the cutter Harkaway, of Yarmouth, was lost on the Barber Sands. As it was only blowing a fresh breeze, two ordinary beachmen's boats essayed the task of re- moving the crew, but finding, on nearing the wreck, that the sea was breaking too heavily on the bank to justify the attempt, they signalled for a Life-boat, whereupon the Life-boat Soys was once more launched, and succeeded in rescuing the crew of the cutter, 6 in number.
EASTBOURNE.—Before daybreak on the morning of the 28th January the Life-boat Mary Stirling was launched in reply to signals of distress exhibited by the barque Dunmore, of London, bound from London to New Zealand, which ran on shore near Pevensey coastguard station. The night was dark and thick, but the wind was not violent. The Life-boat, -with other assist- ance, succeeded in getting the distressed vessel afloat again, and she was towed back to London.
NEWHAVEN.—On the 29th January, at 7 P.M., the Life-boat, Elizabeth Soys, brought on shore the crew of 21 men from the ! barque Margaret Evans, of Glasgow, bound ; from Philadelphia to Antwerp, which vessel had run ashore under Seaford Head during a strong breeze at W.S.W., accom- panied by thick weather. The Life-boat had gone out early in the morning, when the dangerous position of the barque was first observed, and remained by her all day, but darkness bringing with it increase of storm, the master. found it necessary to abandon his vessel, and, with his crew, was safely landed at Newhaven by the Life-boat.
BROADSTAIRS.—Soon after midnight of the 29th January the night signals of dis- tress of a vessel on the North Sand End, Goodwin Sands, were observed. It was blowing hard from the N.E. at the time.
The Life-boat Samuel Morrison Collins having been launched, stood off under sail and got alongside about 8 in the morning of the 30th. In hopes of saving the vessel, both crews remained by her till 4 in the afternoon, when the falling spars prevented the Life-boat remaining alongside any more, while the increase of the stormy weather and the approach of night ren- dered it advisable to abandon the vessel.
The Life-boat therefore embarked the crew, 16 in number, and made for Broadstairs, where their arrival was hailed with great enthusiasm by a large concourse of the inhabitants. The stranded vessel was the barque Anna, of Bremen, from Rotterdam to New York.
ABDROSSAN, N.B.—On the evening of the 30th January the barque Toronto, of Glas-gow, while on a voyage from Liverpool to | Ardrossan, was wrecked off the latter port | during a strong breeze at S.W. The Life-boat Fair Maid of Perth was launched as j speedily as possible under the command of ! THOMAS PHILLIPS, the coxswain, who suc- ceeded in landing in safety, by 10 P.M., all the persons on board at the time of wreck, : including, besides the master, 8 men, 1 woman and 1 child.
.—On the : evening of the 30th January, at about 8 P.M., a large vessel was observed to have 1 struck on the Parthingwy Rocks, near Moelfre. The Lady Vivian Life-boat, which had been sent to that station only a few weeks previously, was promptly launched, and, on reaching the stranded vessel, she was ascertained to be the barque Ndlie Moody, of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, bound from Liverpool to Charlestown. She had run on the rocks during a thick fog. There was now a ground swell with a light breeze from the eastward, and it was hoped if the weather continued fine the ship would be got off. As the slightest breeze, however, would have destroyed her, the Life-boat remained by her the j greater part of the night, and while so I doing the Life-boat's crew became aware | of a small boat in the offing making j towards it; they were so fortunate as to | fall in with the crew of the wrecked ! schooner Hannah of Liverpool, who, in a small boat, had escaped from their vessel, i which had struck and foundered. The ' assistance thus rendered to those two men : (the whole crew of the schooner) by the | Life-boat was of vital consequence to j them, and they were conveyed safely on shore. The weather continuing fine, a steam-tug, which had been sent for, got the barque off the rocks.
PALLING.—During the night of the 7th February the schooner Zouave was lost on the Hasbro' Sand. She belonged to Ports- mouth, was bound from that place to Seaham, and carried a crew of 6 hands.
The night was hazy and the wind fresh at S.W. when she got on shore. Her signals of distress were observed shortly after midnight, and the Palling No. 2 Life-boat, the British Workman, was promptly launched, and succeeded in reaching the wreck by 3 A.M., and safely embarking the crew, returned to the shore about day- light. A heavy sea was running when this service was accomplished, and the conduct of the coxswain, WALTER PESTEL, together with that of his crew, elicited the warm commendation of the Local Com- mittee.
On returning from the wreck of the schooner, this Life-boat was again called off to another vessel, the brig Lisbon, which, after daylight, was seen to be aground on the same sand. On boarding her, the master and mate were found in an ex- hausted condition, having been in the maintop the whole night. The Life-boat succeeded in getting them safely on board, through a very heavy sea, and conveyed them to the shore. The remainder of the brig's crew had left, some hours before, in the ship's boat, but whether or not they had succeeded in getting aboard any other vessel or into a port of safety is not known.
On the 25th March this Life-boat again assisted, together with other boats and steam-tugs, in saving the ship Ernestine, of Amsterdam.
On the 21st January, at 10 P.M., in a fresh northerly wind and heavy sea, a vessel, which proved to be the barque Lizzie Bovill, of Newcastle, was seen at anchor near the shore in the neighbour- hood of Palling, and burning signals of distress. This Life-boat was once more speedily launched, and took off the crew of 8 men. The master, however, having determined to remain by his ship, the Life- boat returned to her, and remained along- side until the following forenoon, when, with the further aid of a steam-tug, the vessel was got under weigh, and taken into Yarmouth Harbour.
NEWBIGGIN.—At 2 A.M. on the 8th February, the steamer Shotton, of West Hartlepool, got on the rocks off Newbiggin Point. A strong breeze at S.E. was blowing, and considerable sea was on.
The Life-boat W. Hopkinson of Brighouse went off to the assistance of the stranded vessel, and by laying out an anchor astern enabled her to swing off the rocks as the tide flowed. The steamer would have gone to pieces after a very little ham- mering on such rocks. The Life-boat, by her prompt action, thus saved both the ship and her crew of 18 men.
On the morning of the 9th March, the fishing vessel Hosanna, of South Shields, was observed from Newbiggin driving before a S.W. gale, with sails blown away. As the S.W. wind sets off shore on this coast, there was imminent dan- ger of her being blown out of sight of land and the crew perishing. The Life- boat, therefore, lost no time in launching to the rescue, and, running off shore, soon overtook the helpless craft, and after an hour's hard struggle, succeeded in getting the Rosanna and her crew of 3 men into port.
COURTMACSHERRY.—On the 10th Feb-ruary the Courtmacsherry Life-boat, the City of Dublin, rendered assistance to the brigantine Hattie B, of Liverpool, which had got disabled in a gale of wind, and been driven on the "Black Tom" rock in Courtmacsherry Bay, in a S.E. gale and considerable sea.
APPLEDORE.—On the 13th February the Appledore Life-boat, Hope, saved the crew of 3 men from the wreck of the schooner Lydney Trader, of Barnstaple. That vessel had sailed last from Caldy Island, and had tried to get into Barnstaple Har- bour, but failed from the state of the tide and the light -wind, and in endeavour- ing to get out to sea again had been swept on to the shoals outside the har- bour. Over the shallows of Barnstaple Bay there frequently rolls, in the calmest summer's day, a tremendous ground sea, which breaks in the shoaler places, and as it nears the shore, in an appalling manner.
That was the state of affairs on the 13th February, and no sooner had the unfortu- nate schooner taken the ground than an avalanche of water swept over her decks, whilst great rollers and crested breakers surrounding her, set the efforts of all ordinary boats at defiance. A pilot gig, commanded by the coxswain of the Braunton Bay Life-boat, who chanced to be afloat, made a dash at the wreck, but was compelled to retire after losing some oars and narrowly escaping a capsize.
In the meantime, Mr. NICOLL, the Assistant Hon. Sec., had summoned the Life-boat's crew, and very soon eight horses were galloping over the flats, with the Hope Life-boat behind them, and Jos.
Cox, the coxswain, was not long in launch- ing through the breakers, and getting on board the crew of the wrecked schooner, 3 in number. Not long after they had returned to the shore with the rescued crew, even the masts of the wreck had wholly disappeared.
PORTMADOC.—On the 13th February, the Life-boat John Ashlury put off to the assistance of the American ship Edward VBrien, of St. Thomas, U.S.A., which, while on a voyage from Mobile to Liver- pool, got on the Morpha Bychan Sand, Cardigan Bay, in a thick fog. The Life- boat brought on shore 3 of the crew, and afterwards, at the request of her officers, remained by her till she was out of danger.
VALENTIA.—On the 16th February, a boat containing part of the crew of the ship Sydney Dacres, from San Francisco to Liverpool, which had been abandoned at sea, arrived at Knightstown, in the island of Valentia, Co. Kerry. Fourteen of the crew were still missing, and the Life-boat Mary was at once launched and proceeded to sea in search of them, when after a row of seven hours, they were found on the South-West Skellig Rock, and safely landed at Valentia at midnight, after a very hard day's work.
HOLY ISLAND.—On the 23rd February the Holy Island No. 1 Life-boat, the Grace Darling, assisted by a steam-tug, saved the French schooner Augustine Louise, which had grounded on the rocks near that place.
DOUGLAS, ISLE OF MAN.—On the even- ing of 24th February, the smack Bri- tannia, of Belfast, being observed riding heavily to her anchors, in an exposed position, during a strong gale from N.E., with the night coming on, the Life-boat John Turner-Turner was despatched to her assistance, and succeeded in removing from her and landing in safety the crew of 3 men.
GORLESTON.—It was blowing fresh at S.E., on the 24th February, -when the schooner Jessie Brown, of Yarmouth, from Yarmouth to Belfast, got ashore on Scroby Sand. The Life-boat 'Leicester launched just before dark, and succeeded in bring- ing on shore from the Jessie Brown her crew of 5 men. At a later date, the ship having beaten over the sand, the crew were again put on board by the Life-boat, and though nearly full of water, the Life- boat succeeded, with the aid of a steam- tug, in carrying her safely into harbour.
BROUGHTY. FERRY.—On the 25th Feb- ruary the schooner Ward Jackson, of Car- narvon, from Wales to Montrose, was wrecked on the Abertay Sands, Dundee.
A heavy gale from N.E., with, snow and a tremendous sea, made the task of rescuing her crew one of extraordinary hardship.
However, the services of a steam-tug being available at 8 A.M., the Life-boat Mary Hartley was launched, and being towed sufficiently to windward, was slipped and proceeded under oars to the wreck, which had by that time sunk, and the masts for- tunately standing, the crew had taken refuge in the tops. From this position they were with difficulty rescued, under the skilful direction of GEORGE ANDER- SON, the coxswain of the Life-boat, which carried the rescued crew of 5 men into Broughty Ferry about 10 o'clock.
BROUGHTY FERRY and BUDDON NESS.— At about 7 o'clock in the evening of the
383 26th February, the screw steamer Tuskar, of Glasgow, bound from Dundee to Liver- j pool, got on shore, in heavy weather, on the Abertay Sand Bank, at the mouth of ,the River Tay, A heavy sea soon swept over the steamer as she rolled to and ! fro on the bank. The roar of her signal- j guns and the sight of her rockets apprised j the crews of the Life-boats stationed at Buddon Ness and Broughty Ferry, and at 8 P.M. the latter was speedily on her I way down the river under oars. At the i mouth of the Tay the Mary Hartley was j taken in tow by the steam-tug, Thane of Fife, and towed out against the gale to j such a position as enabled that Life-boat j to board the stranded vessel; an enforced delay followed, from the tide not having sufficient water on the bank for the boat to cross it. At last, about an hour after midnight, the feat -was accomplished, and having embarked 16 persons, she made her way to the steam-tug, and was towed into the river. The return of the Life- boat with the rescued persons was hailed with hearty acclamations and congratu- lations by a considerable crowd of persons, who had been roused from their beds by the signal-guns, and who awaited the result in anxious suspense. This was at 2 A.M. on the 27th.
While the Broughty Ferry boat was thus doing her part, the other Dundee Life-boat, the JS leanora, stationed at Buddon Ness, had also made her way off to the wreck, and she returned into the river at 4 A.M. with the captain and remainder of the crew, 5 in number, making in all 21 persons saved during the night by the two Life-boats of the Dundee Branch. sinking. Four men were thus saved by the Life-boat on this occasion.
. — At daybreak on the 27th of February, a vessel of Dundalk, which proved to be the brigantine Ida, was observed ashore near Black Rock — near the entrance of the harbour of Dun- dalk. A gale was blowing from the E., and a considerable sea was running.
The Life-boat Stockport Sunday-School was promptly launched. The work of doing so at this station, with an ebb- tide, which existed at the time, is one of considerable difficulty, on account of the flat nature of the ground, and frequently the men and horses who drag the boat- carriage into the sea far enough to enable the boat to float from it, incur considerable risk, and always have to exert themselves to the utmost. However, on this occasion the launch was successfully and quickly accomplished, and by 10 A.M. the Life-boat had reached the wreck, and by 11 had Winded the whole of the crew, 7 in num- ber, safely at Black Rock.
NORTH SUNDERLAND. — In the forenoon of the 9th March, the schooner Cairnduna, of Thurso, bound from Dundee to Sunder- land, was driven ashore on the strand below Bamborough Castle, about five miles from the Life-boat Station at North Sun-derland. The Life-boat — the Joseph An- stice — having been conveyed along the sands by horses, was launched abreast of the wreck, and succeeded in landing from her the crew of 4 men. A heavy northerly gale was blowing when this service was performed.
HOWTH.—At 11 A.M. on the 26th Feb- ruary, during a strong gale at E., the schooner Tantivy, of Wicklow, bound from Liverpool to Wicklow, was forced ashore on the strand north of Howth Harbour.
Immediately on striking, heavy seas rolled on board and filled the vessel. Before she had actually struck the ground, and when in the midst of the broken water, the Howth Life-boat Clara Baker, which had been despatched by Mr. JOHN LYONS, the Honorary Secretary, on his first perceiving the distressed condition of the schooner, arrived alongside, and the crew of the vessel, leaping into her from the quarter of the vessel, were being conveyed safely into Howth Harbour while their ship was ESTRELLA.—During the afternoon of the 26th February, the Life-boat Tyretta, in answer to signals of distress, was launched to the assistance of the schooner Friends, of Killyleigh, which vessel having had all her sails blown away while on a voyage from Girvan to Killyleigh, came to an j anchor in Dundrum Bay, in an easterly gale. The sea in the bay was much broken, and the master of the schooner, expecting his vessel to founder at her anchors, hoisted signals calling for succour. The cox- swain being absent, the Life-boat went out in charge of JOHN GOBDON, the second coxswain, who succeeded in bringing the whole of the vessel's crew, 4 in number, safely on shore. The Tyrella strand is much exposed in an easterly gale, and the task of getting the Life-boat off it in face of an on-shore gale is always one of difficulty, especially on account of the sparsity of population in that neighbour- hood rendering it a work of time to collect a sufficient number of launchers.
BERWICK-ON-TWEED.—At 10 A.M. on the 9th March, the sloop Osprey, of Shields, whilst on a voyage from Shields to Dunbar, encountered a strong northerly gale, and, when off Berwick, sprang a leak. Finding himself in a sinking state, the master of the sloop bore up before the gale for the mouth of the Tweed, but the tide being too low, she struck the ground off Spittal Beach, outside the entrance of the river.
The Life-boat Albert Victor, ably com- manded by P. PATTERSON, the coxswain, was promptly launched, and reached the •wreck in time to save the lives of the 2 men who formed the crew. Not long after the return of the Life-boat not a vestige of the vessel was to be seen.
WEXFORD.—On the 8th April, during very stormy weather, with the wind at N.E. and a very heavy sea running, signals of distress were shown from the yacht Oruiskeen Lawn, of Wexford, which vessel was stranded on the north end of the Dogger Bank. The Life-boat Civil Service was launched, and proceeding out of the harbour, succeeded in rescuing the 2 men who formed the crew of the yacht.
Again, on the 13th April a brigantine, which proved to be the Florence, of Annapolis, Nova Scotia, with a cargo of salt, was observed with a flag of dis- tress flying, grounded on the Long Bank, about six miles from the entrance to Wex- ford Harbour. The Wexford No. 1 Life- boat, the Ethel Eveleen, went at once to her aid. With the aid of the Life-boat's crew the ship was lightened, in the course of a few hours got off the bank, and anchored in the South Bay.
CARNSORE, WEXFORD.—The Carnsore Life-boat, the Iris, also proceeded to the last named vessel, and assisted to lighten her and get her afloat.
On the 18th June the Iris Life-boat also went out to the assistance of the brig Shields, of Cork, which had gone on the Mahon Rocks, off the coast of Wexford, while the wind was blowing from the W.S.W. The Life-boat remained by the vessel some time, and ultimately, at the request of the master, brought him and 2 other men ashore, the brig by that time rolling very heavily as the tide went down.
CEOMES.—On the 9th April the small steam-tug the Vixen, of Shields, was ob- served at anchor in a heavy sea from .E.N.E., with a flag of distress flying. The Cromer Lifeboat, the Benjamin Band Cabbett, was launched through a heavy surf to her assistance. Attempts were then made to run her to leeward, but she would not steer. Being again anchored, the Lifeboat remained by her and assisted in pumping, &c., until the arrival of a powerful tug from Yarmouth, when she proceeded to that place in tow, and accom- panied by the Life-boat. Tie crew of the latter, who had been wet through for thirteen hours, were kindly taken in at the Yarmouth Sailors' Home for the night, and returned to their station on the fol- lowing day.
RAMSGATE.—On the 12th April, shortly after midnight, signal-guns were reported to have been heard in the direction of the north end of the Goodwin Sands. The Ramsgate Life-boat, the Bradford, in. tow of the Vulcan steam-tug, at once pro- ceeded to sea, and on arrival at the N.W.
Spit, observed a vessel ashore. The Life- boat was then slipped, and made sail for her, the anchor was let go, and the boat hauled alongside. She was then bumping heavily on the sand, and it was thought she would become a total wreck.
By dint of great exertion, however, and with the aid of the Life-boat and a Ramsgate lugger, a stout hawser was passed from the tug to the vessel, and the crews of the Life-boat and lugger set to work at the pumps, when after a while they succeeded in floating her, and taking her and her crew in safety to Ramsgate. She was found to be the brig Belfort, of Rochelle, HASBOROUGH.—On the 12th April the sloop Richard and Elizabeth, of Portsmouth, coal laden, went ashore off Hasborough, on the Norfolk coast. The Life-boat stationed there, the Huddersfield, -was speedily launched through the breakers to her aid.
With the assistance of the Life-boatmen the vessel was pumped out, and hauled to a secure position on the beach. On the 13th April a barque, which proved to be the Lucy, of Antwerp, was seen to be in distress on the Burnham Flats, five miles and a half from the shore. The Brancaster Lifeboat, the Joseph and Mary, was launched as soon as horses could be procured, and on reaching the vessel it was found that she had been abandoned, and had 2 men aboard from a neighbouring smack, who were in posses- sion of her. On the tide rising sufficiently to float her, with the joint aid of a steamer and the crews of the Lifeboat and lugger, she was taken across the sands, and ulti- mately conveyed in safety to Lynn.
MARYPORT.—On the 23rd May the smack Native, of Piel, went aground on the North Bank, off Maryport, in a westerly gale. The Life-boat at that place, the Henry Nixson, "went to her aid, and, with the assistance of a steam-tog, succeeded in getting her afloat, and safely into the harbour.