On the night of the 17th, lights, repeated in quick succession, were seen in the direction of the New Sand light, and the Donna Nook Life-boat proceeded to sea, but the unfortunate vessel, which was found to be the Annie, of Montrose, had capsized, and the crew perished, longbefore the Boat could get to their assistance.

In launching, on this occasion, great difficulty was experienced; the flood tide coming in so quickly on the flat beach that it floated the Boat off the carriage, which latter had to be abandoned until the tide turned, and some of the launchers and two of the horses had a most narrow escape from drowning, as the water was over the backs of the horses, and they were only liberated just in time. The service was one of the most trying the men had ever experienced, the horses also suffering fearfully. It was a bitter cold night, and they did not get home until four o'clock in the morning.

The men had just placed the horses in the stable, and were taking off their wet clothes, when the signal gun was again fired in quick succession. Fresh horses were procured, and the Life-boat was soon off to a ship ashore near Saltfleet Haven. She was the barque Johann Benjamin, of Memel, bound thence to Hull with a cargo of timber; two of her masts had been cut away, and she had also lost her mizen-top-mast and jibboom, and was altogether in a most dangerous position.

The Theddlethorpe Life-boat had also gone to her aid, and she took off 6 of the crew; 3 went in the Donna Nook Lifeboat, but the master and mate declined to leave their ship. Soon after the Douna Nook Life-boat landed, she was once more called out, and proceeded through a very heavy sea to the schooner Briton, of Sandefiord, bound from Charlestown to Frederikshavn with a cargo of coals, which had stranded near Grainthorpe.

On reaching that vessel, it was found that the crew had been got ashore, but that they had left the signals of distress flying.

There were two landsmen on board. Another vessel—the Russian schooner Krona —also stranded at Donna Nook while the Life-boat was at Saltfleet; her crew of 11 men were saved by some of the boatmen, with the help of three horses. The Life-boat returned to Donna Nook about 3 P.M. on the 18th, the crew having been on service then for nearly twenty-one hours; they were nearly exhausted, but showed a most brave and determined spirit, and were quite ready to go out again in the Life-boat if required, not- withstanding their condition. Although too much praise cannot be given to the men who performed such noble services, it may be mentioned that the rewards granted by the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION for these services of the three Life-boats amounted altogether to 241Z.