LIFEBOAT MAGAZINE ARCHIVE

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Services of the Life-Boats of the National Life-Boat Institution from the 1st Oct. To the 31st Dec. 1877

DUNDEE.—On the 5th October, it having been reported that a barque was ashore on the Abertay Sands, the Buddon- ness Life-boat Eleanora, and the English Mechanic Life-boat stationed at Broughty Ferry, proceeded to the sands and found the barque Alma, of Drammen, ashore there. Some of the crew of the Buddon- ness Life-boat boarded the vessel, and with their assistance she was extricated from her perilous position, the other Life-boat remaining near until the vessel floated.

LOWESTOFT.—On the 8th October, at about noon, signals of distress were shown by a vessel outside the Holm Sand. A moderate gale from the N. was blowing at the time. The No. 1 Life-boat, Samuel Plimsoll, was launched, and on getting alongside the vessel it was found that she was the brig Hope, of Hartlepool, bound from Gothenburg to Poole, with a cargo of deals and boards. She was nearly water-logged, and had 8 persons on board, there being 3 of a smack's crew in her in addition to her own crew. It was eventually decided to run the vessel to Harwich, where she arrived about 1 A.M.

On the 7th November, at 5 A.M., the Samuel Plimsoll Life-boat was launched, signals of distress having been shown by a vessel on the Newcomb Sand. A moderate S.S. W. gale was blowing at the time, accom- panied by a rough sea. On arriving at the Sand, the fishing-boat Pet, of Lowestoft, was found to have struck there while run- ning for the harbour. She was full of water, and her crew, consisting of 11 men, who were much exhausted, were res- cued by the Life-boat from an apparently inevitable death. Prior to the arrival of the boat, some of the fishermen had fastened the corks of their nets around them, while others had lashed themselves to the rigging of the wreck. The vessel's dog was brought safely ashore in the Life- boat with the crew.

TEIGNMOUTH.—On the 14th October, at about 4.45 P.M., three fishing-boats were seen to be making "_for the harbour.

A strong S.W. wind was blowing at the time, and a heavy sea was breaking on the bar, and as the water was low there was but a very narrow entrance through the surf. This the boats unfortunately missed, and they were then carried by the wind to leeward, where they got among the breakers on the Bar. The China Life- boat was thereupon launched, and suc- ceeded in rescuing the crews of the three boats, numbering 10 men, their boats being totally wrecked.

CEMAES.—On the 14th October, informa- tion was conveyed to the coxswain of the Life-boat that a large vessel was ashore on the Middle Mouse Bocks. It was blow- ing a hurricane from S.W. at the time, ac- companied by a very high sea. The Life- boat Ashtonian was launched at 7 A.M., and proceeded to the aid of the distressed vessel, which proved to be the ship Sarah, of Yarmouth, N.8., bound from Quebec to Liverpool, with a cargo of timber. Her crew, numbering 18 men, had taken refuge on the rocks. The chief mate was first taken ashore by the Life-boat, which imme- diately returned to the wreck, and, the wind and tide being against her, she re- mained there until 3 P.M., when she re- turned to Oemaes in tow of the steam-tug Great Western, with the remainder of the vessel's crew on board, the rescue of whom from the rocks was a work of great diffi- culty and danger to the Life-boat and her crew.

BALLYWALTER.—On the 20th October, the brigantine Wancoma, of Belfast, struck on Wallace's Bocks, about a mile south of the Bally waiter Life-boat station, at about 11.45 P.M., during a fresh gale. She was boarded by a Coastguard galley at 12.30, but the master and crew refused to leave the vessel until daylight. At low water 7 of the crew left the ship, but the master and 1 of the crew still remained on board. At high water the next morning the vessel floated, and, her rudder being broken, she drifted helplessly on to the Twin Rocks, the 2 men on board being rescued by the Admiral Henry Meynell Life-boat stationed at Ballywalter. The vessel subsequently became a total wreck.

CAISTER.—On the 9th. November, at about 9.45 A.M., the barque Augia, of Guernsey, with her main top-gallant yard hoisted and her starboard bow stove in, was seen in the Cockle Gat, she having been in collision with a sloop off Orford- ness. The No. 2 Life-boat, the God-send, put off to her assistance, and with the aid of a steamer the barque was taken into harbour. She carried a crew of 10 men.

On the 12th November this Life-boat was taken out to the help of two vessels which had stranded on the Barber Sands. A heavy sea was breaking on the sands at the time. The first vessel reached by the Life-boat was the brig Craigs, of Whitby; she had only a little Dutch boy on board, the rest of the crew having gone on board the other brig, with which their vessel had been in collision. Having put 3 or 4 of the crew of the Life-boat on board with the boy, the boat then went to the other vessel, the Lily, of Guernsey.

Ultimately, with the aid of steam-tugs, they succeeded in taking both vessels into Yarmouth harbour.

On the 12th December, the Godsend Life-boat went to the assistance of the fishing-smack Martin Bailly, of Yarmouth, which had stranded on the Barber Sand.

On arriving at the Sands, the vessel was found to be in the midst of the breakers, with her boat alongside full of water.

The Life-boatmen immediately boarded the smack, and used every effort to save her; they eventually succeeded in doing so, and in about eight hours' time she was afloat, and was taken into Yarmouth har- bour, having sustained very little damage, although the sea had been breaking over her nearly all the time. She carried a crew of 6 men.

BEMBRIDGE, ISLE OF WIGHT.—On the night.of the llth November, 1877, it was reported that a vessel was ashore off San- down. It was then blowing a hurricane from the S., with thick rain. The Wor- cester Life-boat was taken overland, and on arriving about midnight saw that the brigantine John Douse, of Falmouth, was ashore in the bay. The boat was launched, and reached the wreck at about 1.30 A.M., having experienced much difficulty in finding her in the intense darkness; she then succeeded in saving the master and mate; the former dropped off the jib- boom into the boat, and the latter into the water, whence he was hauled into the boat. A tremendous sea then swept the boat off before any others could get into her, and as the steer-oar touched the ground when the boat was in the hollow of the surf, the coxswain deemed it un- advisable to approach the wreck again until daylight—the crew of the vessel being in the rigging, and the masts not appearing to be in any immediate danger of falling. The Life-boat, however, re- mained near the vessel in case of absolute necessity; and at dawn she was backed towards her, when it was discovered that a coastguard galley had by that time been enabled to go off, and was rescuing the other 4 men. The coxswain of the Life- boat, who was only just recovering from the effects of an accident, was washed overboard from the boat in the night, and it was only with great difficulty he was rescued, on account of the darkness and the heavy sea.

On the 21st November, at 9 P.M., it was reported that a vessel was ashore on Bern- bridge Ledge. The wind was blowing a moderate gale from S.W. at the time, accom- panied by thick rain. The Life-boat went off, as did also two fishing-boats; the latter conveyed on board 2 pilots and 6 other men, and then returned to shore.

The vessel proved to be the barque Alpheta, of Shoreham, bound from Bremen to Cardiff in ballast. The ship bumped heavily, and was soon bilged and water- logged ; but there was no imminent danger to life. At 11.30 the Life-boat landed 2 women and 2 children and the 8 men taken on board by the fishing-boats; and, after lying off until 1.30 A.M., returned to the shore, the crew preferring to remain by their vessel.

NORTH DEAL.—On the llth November, while a heavy S.S. W. gale was blowing, sig- nals of distress were observed, whereupon the Life-boat's crew assembled, and after some delay, on account of the water being low at the time, the boat was launched; she, however, soon lost sight of the signal lights, and she was therefore anchored.

About 5 A.M., signals were again seen, and the Life-boat proceeded towards them, and rescued the crew of 5 men from the French brig D'Artagnom, and 12 persons, including the master's wife and child, from the Swedish barque Hedvig Sophia, both of which vessels had sunk in Pegwell Bay.

The Silver Medal of the Institution was presented to Mr. ROBERT WILDS, the cox- swain, in recognition of his gallant services in the Life-boat on this and on former oc- casions. An extra reward was also granted to the crew of the Life-boat.

On the 1st December, at about 7A.M., it was reported that a large ship was on shore on the Goodwin Sands. The crew of the Van Kook Life-boat immediately assembled, and the boat put off, and being taken in tow by the s.s. Royal Welsh, of Cardiff, she was enabled to reach the ship, which proved to be the Crusader, of Liverpool, 991 tons, bound from Quebec to the Tyne with timber. Some boatmen and some of the crew of a tu were on board her, in addition to her own crew. The vessel had 8 feet of water in her, and as the tide ebbed she settled down by the stern, her mainmast fell over the side, and it was soon observed that her back was broken.

Her crew, consisting of 18 men and the 4 others who had gone on board, were therefore taken into the Life-boat and safely landed at about 2.30 P.M.

On the 12th December, at 12.45 P.M., the coxswain of the Life-boat was informed by some boatmen that they had seen a vessel on the Goodwin Sands, apparently a wreck, with only one mast standing.

The crew were assembled, and the Van Kook Life-boat went off and proceeded towards the vessel, which was found to be the barque Hannah Rathkens, of Ros- tock. She was a complete wreck, and nearly under water; 5 of her crew had been taken off by a Ramsgate lugger, and with great difficulty, owing to the heavy sea, the Life-boat succeeded in rescuing the remaining 5 men. The boat then had to make for Ramsgate, the wind and tide preventing her returning direct to her station.

GORLESTON.—On the llth November, at 7 P.M., the Life-boat Leicester went off to a vessel which was showing signals of dis- tress in the roads, during a heavy gale from S.W. The vessel proved to be the brig Anna Maria, of Blyth, bound from Cronstadt to London, with a cargo of oats.

She had been run into and had lost her bowsprit, and was in danger of coming into collision with another vessel which had driven close to her. The crew of the brig, consisting of 7 men, were taken into the Life-boat, which then rode astern of the vessel for five hours. On the wind then moderating, the crew returned to their vessel, which, with the assistance of a tug, was brought safely into harbour at 10 o'clock on the next morning. In riding by the vessel during the stormy night, great danger was incurred by the Life- boat of being run into by vessels driving from their anchors, as well as by the heavy sea.

THURSO.—On the 11th November,during a strong gale from the S.E., at about 6 P.M., the Charley Lloyd Life-boat proceeded, at the request of the master, to the Vine, a vessel which was at anchor off Thurso, and brought ashore her crew of 2 men. She also went alongside the schooner Barrogill Castle, and took off her crew of 5 men.

Having landed them safely at Scrabster, the Life-boat went off again and brought ashore the crews, numbering 12 men, from the schooners Guiding Star, of Wick, Kate, of Ramsey, and Alfred and Emma, of Barrow On the 16th November, this Life-boat was also launched during a very heavy gale of wind, and again brought ashore the crew of 5 men from .the schooner Bar- rogill Castle, and 4 men from the schooner Guiding Star, of Wick, these men having returned to their vessels which rode out the gale on the llth inst. The boat afterwards assisted to save the distressed schooner Kate, GREAT YARMOUTH.—On the llth No- vember, during a strong 8.8.W. gale and heavy sea, the Abraham Thomas Life-boat was launched at 11.15 P.M., and succeeded in rescuing the crew, 4 in number, from the schooner Agnes and Helen, of Bangor, which vessel had stranded near the Bri- tannia pier. One of the Life-boat men was washed overboard by the heavy sea, but was happily rescued. The Life-boat returned ashore at about 1 o'clock on the following morning; and at 1.15 she again went out and, with some difficulty, saved 6 of the crew of the brig Beatrix, of Whitby, which had also stranded near the Britannia pier; one man had pre- viously been rescued by the rocket appa- ratus.

At 3 o'clock, immediately after the Life- boat landed from the brig, the schooner Allerton Packet, of Whitstable, parted from her anchors and went ashore near the North Battery. The Life-boat was at once launched again and taken alongside the when she succeeded in rescuing her crew of 5 men.

These services were performed during extremely stormy weather, the sea being very heavy and the wind at times blowing a hurricane.

ABERSOCH.—On the llth November, at i about 3 P.M., the schooner Jane and Ellen, of Nefyn, which had parted from her i anchors, was observed to show a signal of distress, having struck on a bank at the mouth of the river Soch, during a heavy gale from W.S.W. The crew of the Mabel Louisa Life-boat were summoned and the boat was launched, and succeeded in bringing the vessel's crew, consisting of 3 men, safely ashore.

ST. DAVID'S.—On the llth November, at 5 P.M., it was reported that there was a vessel stranded on Ramsay Island. The crew of the Life-boat Augusta immediately proceeded to the station, rockets and blue lights were fired, but no answer was made from the wreck. It was then blowing a perfect gale from W.S.W. with heavy rain.

It was found impossible to launch the Life-boat; but at 5 o'clock on the follow- ing morning she proceeded, and had a hard pull for four hours to gain the wreck. The vessel was found to be the brigantine Mystic Tie, of Ardrossan. The mate and 6 of the crew had managed to get on a small rock called Cantour, from which they were rescued with much dif- ficulty by the crew of the Life-boat by hauling them through the surf in a life- buoy. The last man rescued had a very narrow escape of being drowned, a huge breaker washing him from the rock before he could get into the buoy or cut the line which had fouled on the rock with a turn around his wrist and foot. The crew of the Life-boat, however, bent to their oars, and the boat was pushed in amongst the breakers; the bowman then cut the line, and with others seized the man, and the boat shot back in safety. The man was in a dangerous condition when rescued, and the boat therefore immediately made for the mainland to obtain medical assistance.

The master and one of the crew of the vessel had with difficulty succeeded in swimming ashore, while one man of the crew had been drowned. In recognition of the gallantry displayed by the crew of the Life-boat on this occasion, the thanks of the Institution, inscribed on vellum, were voted to Capt. JOHN BEES, the Hon.

Secretary of its St. David's branch, who acted as bowman, and to Capt. DAVID HICKS, the coxswain, and an extra pecu- niary reward was granted to the crew of the boat. The master of the vessel wrote to the Institution expressing his high ap- preciation of the manner in which the service was performed.

RAMSGATE.—On the 12th November, signals were shown by vessels ashore in Pegwell Bay. The Life-boat which had been temporarily placed on this station in lien of the Bradford, which had been ren- dered unfit for further service by collision on the 6th inst., was manned and went off in tow of the harbour steam-tug Aid, first to a stranded barque, but their assistance was declined; they then went to two other stranded vessels, but found that other boats were assisting them. They then made for a schooner ashore sunk on the Main. On arriving abreast of her the Life-boat was slipped from the tug, sailed alongside and took off the crew of 5 men, and then returned to the tug and put the rescued men on board her. The vessel was the schooner George and Valentine, of and from Dunkirk, to Cherbourg, with a cargo of coal. The tug then returned to the harbour and landed the men, and the Life-boat proceeded to the barque first spoken, and with the assistance of the tug which came alongside the vessel on the tide flowing, the barque, which proved to be the Noach I., of and from Rotterdam, to Batavia, with a general cargo, was taken into Ramsgate harbour. She. carried a crew of 20 men.

On the 24th November, the/Life-boat and steam-tug again went out, during a strong E.N.E. gale and a tremendous sea, at about 10.45 P.M., and brought into Ramsgate harbour the fishing - vessel Success, which had just been brought to anchor, having had all her sails blown away.

On the following day, the Life-boat and tug proceeded and rescued the schooner Starling, of Goole, and brigs Sappy Return and Reward, of Guernsey, and their crews, numbering 21 men in all.

On the 7th December, the tug and Life- boat went out at about 6 A.M., in reply to signals of distress, and succeeded in saving the brig Eidswold, of Arendal, Norway, bound from Sundsvall, Sweden, to Poole.

She had gone ashore on the S.E. Goodwin Sands. She was laden with deals, and had become waterlogged. The vessel had a crew of 8 men.

COURTOWN.—On the 19th November, the Life-boat Alfred and Ernest went off to the assistance of the s.s. Itainton, of Glasgow, which had grounded on the North end of the Glassgorman Bank dur- ing squally weather, the wind blowing from the W.N.W. The Life-boat took out a hawser, and towed the steamer's boat with a kedge anchor astern of the vessel, by which means she was got afloat and proceeded on her voyage.

PORTHOUSTOCK, CORNWALL. On the 22nd November, at about 8 P.M., signals of distress were seen off Porthoustock. The Life-boat Mary Ann Story was immediately launched and proceeded to the wreck, reaching the Manacles Rocks at about 8.30. The vessel, which proved to be the ship Geres, of Greenock, 861 tons, from Moulmein, East Indies, with a cargo of teak wood, was on a most dangerous ledge of rocks called the Dollay Lay. A strong W. gale was blowing at the time, and the sea was running fearfully high, with a heavy ground swell. The Life- boat successfully veered down on the wreck and rescued 13 of the crew; 10 persons, including the captain's wife, nurse, and 2 children, had previously left in the pinnace. The Life-boat then pro- ceeded in search of the boat, which was found about a mile distant, drifting help- lessly with the wind, two of her four oars having been broken by the heavy seas.

These 10 people were also taken on board the Life-boat, and all were safely landed at Porthoustock; 23 persons altogether being thus saved by the Life-boat.

HOWTH.—On the 22nd November, the Clara Baker Life-boat put off to the smack Arrow, of Guernsey, which was in a sink- ing state in the middle of the harbour, and remained by her until she grounded and the water had left her.

NEW BRIGHTON.—On the 23rd November, at 2.15 A.M., signals of distress were shown by a vessel ashore on the Brazil Bank.

The Tubular Life-boat Willie and Arthur proceeded in tow of the steam-tug Knight of the Gross to the stranded vessel, which was found to be the s.s. Bohemian, of Liverpool. The master stated that he did not require the aid of the Life-boat, which therefore returned to shore; but after she had arrived back at her station the steamer came with a message, request- ing that the boat would return and stay by the vessel, in case she should not get off on the flood tide. The Life-boat there- fore again went off to her. Fortunately about two hours before high water the steamer floated, and was taken by tugs up the Mersey.

HOLYHEAD.—On the 23rd November, at about 3.30 A.M., during a very heavy gale, signals of distress were seen in the bay.

The Life-boat Thomas Fielden was imme- diately launched, and proceeded in tow of a steamer to the assistance of a French brig ashore at Nimrod Eocks; and having made a line fast to the vessel, she was towed into harbour. The boat afterwards proceeded to the three-masted schooner James Carthy, the water being too low to admit of the steamer going near her, and rescued her crew of 10 men. Very great difficulty was experienced in effecting this service, the heavy seas breaking com- pletely over the vessel and Life-boat.

LLANDDWYN.—On the 23rd November, the Life-boat John Gray Sell went out through a very heavy surf and rescued 9 of the crew of the three-masted schooner Fred. Eugene, of Portland, Maine, which was in distress off Llanddwyn Point, having lost her sails during a heavy W.N.W. gale. The rescued men were in an exhausted condition when rescued.

Two others of the crew had unfortunately been drowned before the arrival of the Life-boat. A letter has been received by the Hon. Secretary of the Llanddwyn branch of the Institution from the master of the wrecked vessel, returning heartfelt thanks for the services rendered to him- self and his crew on this occasion.

On the 29th December, the brigantine Test, of Portmadoc, was on a voyage from Bristol to that port, when her ballast shifted and she had to hoist signals for assistance. In response thereto, the John Gray Bell Life-boat was launched, and with her help the vessel was brought safely into harbour.

MARGATE.—On the 24th November, during a strong gale increasing to a hurri- cane from E.N.E., with heavy squalls of rain and sleet, and a high sea, at about 9.30 p.n.,the Quiver Life-boat was launched in reply to signals of distress, and pro- ceeded amongst the vessels, from fifty to sixty, in the roads. They spoke several of them, and one schooner, after they had passed, showed a flare, but it was quite impossible for the Life-boat to get back to her. The vessel in response to whose signal the boat was launched continuing to signal by burning several flares at the same time, and throwing up rockets, the Life-boat proceeded towards her, and eventually reached her and found she was the barque Hero, of North Shields. She had parted from one anchor, and was dragging the other and striking the ground in 3J fathoms of water. After her crew of 15 men had been taken into the Life- boat, the rescue being accomplished with great difficulty and danger, the vessel parted from her second anchor and con- tinued to beat in on the beach. The boat then proceeded to the aid of another vessel which was exhibiting signals of distress.

She was found to be the brigantine Louisa, of Weymouth, with a crew of 7 men. Two of the Life-boatmen were put on board the vessel to run her into a place of safety, which they eventually did by the aid of the Life-boat, which kept ahead and showed a course; this they were able to do, it being moonlight, and in this way they reached Whitstable at about 4 o'clock on the following morning. The Life-boat arrived back at her station at about 3.30 in the afternoon. The crew of the boat suffered severely from the exposure in- curred in rendering these services. The second Service Clasp of the Institution was presented to Mr. WILLIAM GRANT, cox- swain of the Life-boat, and an extra reward to the crew of the boat in recognition of their services on these occasions.

PADSTOW.—On the 24th November, the Life-boat Albert Edward was launched to the aid of a vessel showing signals of dis- tress, during a strong N.E. gale and heavy sea. She had brought up in a dangerous position on the inner edge of the Doom Bar Sand. On speaking the vessel, the master stated that he required a pilot; but as the sea was then too heavy for the pilots to go out, the Life-boat, at the captain's request, remained by the vessel until she was able to enter the harbour in safety.

She was the s.s. Ogmore, of Hayle, bound from Porthcawl to Portreath, with a cargo of coal.

BROADSTAIRS.—On the 25th November, the Samuel Morrison Collins Life-boat was taken to Margate Roads in tow of the Ramsgate Harbour steam-tug Aid, during a strong N.N.E. gale and heavy sea, when she succeeded in saving the crew of 5 men from the schooner Jane Cameron, which had sunk on the Nailer Bock near Mar- gate. In conjunction with the Aid and a London steam-tug she also saved the dis- tressed schooner Gleaner, of Southampton, and her crew of 4 men, and the derelict brigantine Mermaid. The two latter vessels were towed safely into Ramsgate harbour.

The Gleaner was bound from London to Plymouth with a cargo of wheat; and the Mermaid, with a cargo of coal, was on a voyage from Newcastle to Guernsey.

The crew of the Jane Cameron had a narrow escape, and they were only saved with great difficulty and danger; they were in the rigging of the wreck which was rapidly breaking up, a very heavy sea breaking over it at the time the rescue was accomplished by the Life-boat.

KESSINGLAND.—On the 30th November, at 11 o'clock in the morning, a brig named the Lady Havelock, bound from Sunderland to Jersey, with a cargo of coal, was ob- served to be making for the inner passage, inside the Barnard Sand, but. the tide being low she struck on Benacre Point and filled with water. The Life-boat Grace and Lolly, of Broad Oak, was promptly launched and succeeded in reaching the vessel, and rescuing her crew, consisting of 8 men, who were con- veyed to Lowestoft.

On the 12th December, this Life-boat proceeded to the aid of the schooner Barldey, of Ipswich, and with great diffi- culty succeeded in rescuing her crew con- sisting of 5 men. The vessel had also struck on Benacre Point and became a total wreck; the crew had taken to the rigging, and the sea was breaking over the vessel when the Life-boat reached her.

The Barkley was on a voyage from Sun- derland to Ipswich with a cargo of coal.

HARWICH.—On the 2nd December, the Life-boat Spring-well proceeded out at about 10.30 P.M., in response to signals fired from the Sunk light-ship. On arriving at that light-ship, it was stated that sig- nals had been made from the Kentish Knock. The boat then proceeded to the Long Sand, and there found the Swedish barque Jacob Langstrum a total wreck on the sands. She had a crew of 8 men on board, who were rescued by the Life-boat with some difficulty on account of the heavy sea, the wind blowing strong from the N.E. The boat remained in sight of the ship until daylight, when the steam-tug Harwich came up, the rescued crew were placed on board her, and the boat was towed back to her station, which was reached at noon.

WINCHELSEA.—On the 22nd December, at about 6.45 P.M., signals of distress were reported to have been shown about two miles west of the Life-boat station. The Storm Sprite Life-boat proceeded, and with some difficulty succeeded in rescuing the crew, consisting of 4 persons, from the rigging of the schooner Vier Broders, of Groningen. The vessel had stranded at low water during a S.W. wind and heavy sea, and she soon afterwards broke up.

HARTLEPOOL.—On the 23rd December, at about 7 A.M., the brig BerdinKha, of Hartlepool, ran ashore on the North Sands at half tide. When the tide rose, the sea and wind became stronger, and at about 2.30 P.M. three steam-tugs went to her assistance, but could not render any ser- vice owing to the vessel being too far in- shore, and the strong sea rolling in. At about 3.45 P.M. those on board the brig, numbering 20 persons (12 of whom had gone on board at low tide to assist in getting her off) made signals of distress.

The rocket apparatus was got out, and with its aid 6 persons were brought ashore. The Life-boat diaries Mather was launched as soon as possible, and suc- ceeded in rescuing the remaining 14 per- sons from the wreck.

ORME'S HEAD.—On the 24th December, at about noon, the s.s. King Ja Ja, of Carnarvon, exhibited signals of distress in Llandudno Bay. The Life-boat Sisters' Memorial was launched, and on arriving at the vessel it was found that her engines and boilers had been disabled, and that she was dragging her anchors. The wind was blowing a gale from N.N.W. at the time, and the sea was running very high; the crew of the steamer, numbering 10 men, were therefore taken into the Life- boat, though with great difficulty, and brought safely ashore. The gale subse- quently abated, and a steam-tug which arrived during the night towed the vessel out of her dangerous position.

GREENCASTLE.—On the 26th December, the three-masted schooner Beautiful Star was observed close upon the Ton Bank, showing signals of distress. The Life- boat Mary Annette went off to her assist- ance and put 4 of her crew on board the vessel, and with their aid the schooner was got under way, and taken to a place of safety. The wind was blowing a strong gale, accompanied by a very heavy sea and showers of hail.

EYEMOUTH, N.B.—On the 26th De- cember, the smack Prospect, of this place, came into the bay before daybreak, and as the sea in the roadstead was heavy at the time, her anchor was dropped but did not hold; the waves then drove the vessel in towards the beach, placing her in a most perilous position. The Life- boat James and Sachet Grindlay was launched and succeeded in rescuing the smack's crew, consisting of 2 men. The wind was blowing from the N.W. at the time, and the sea was very rough, at times completely covering the Life-boat; snow was also falling heavily. The vessel shortly after her crew had been saved drove upon the beach and became a total wreck, although every effort was made by the Life-boat to save her.

PALLING.—On the 29th December, at 2 P.M., the British Workman Life-boat proceeded to the North Float light-ship, in reply to guns fired from that vessel.

On arrival it was found that the master and his wife, and the crew of 10 men of the three-masted schooner Ensimainen, of Borga, Finland, were on board the light- ship, they having taken to their boats on their vessel stranding on the Hasborough Sands during the night. These persons were taken on board the Life-boat and safely landed.