BLACKPOOL.—On the 26th February, at 7.30 A.M., the coxswain of the Life-boat was informed that a vessel had just been seen on the Salthouse Bank with a signal of distress flying. The wind was blowing a gale from the N.W., and the sea was very heavy at the time. He at once went down the pier, and, finding the report to be correct, the Eolert William Life-boat was got out immediately, and placed in position for launching. It was found that only seven of the crew had arrived, and the coxswain then selected three landsmen whom he knew could pull pretty well, and as no time was to be lost, the boat was launched, even now undermanned, her proper complement being ten oarsmen in addition to the two coxswains and a bowman. She proceeded under sail as near to the wreck as was possible, shipping heavy seas nearly the whole of the time. The oars were then got out, and after two hours' very hard pulling, phe got alongside. Great danger was incurred in approaching the vessel, as her spars were adrift and working about. The Life-boat was therefore hauled to within ten yards or so of the rigging, and a line was passed on board, by means of which the crew were dragged one by one through the sea and into the boat; they were in a most exhausted condition, and almost unable to assist themselves.

Having safely got the 4 men into the boat, the grapnel line was cut, the anchor weighed, and her head put for the shore, which was about four miles away. Being close on to the bank, she was obliged to run over it, the sea being terrific, but the drogue was got out and put in charge of the bowman, the sub-coxswain not being on board. One great sea broke right over the boat's stern, filling her completely, and driving her like an arrow for about a quarter of a mile.

At last, despite all efforts, she broached to and was thrown on her beam ends, oneman being washed overboard, and the remainder hurled to the side of the boat.

The crew, however, by directions of the coxswain, quickly sprang to the weather side, which manoeuvre brought her almost to an even keel, and prevented a capsize. Her head was once more got before the sea, and the man who had been thrown overboard and had held on to the life-lines, was pulled into the boat. They, however, still had a critical time, for when the boat had been struck by this heavy sea the bowman had been knocked over, and had lost his hold of the drogue line, and the drogue was consequently lost.

The coxswain then got out the bucket, and having attached lines to it, extemporised a drogue. At 12 o'clock at noon the Life-boat safely landed at St. Ann's, and was rapturously received by an immense crowd. The vessel proved to be the schooner Bessie Jones, of Pleetwood, bound from Glasgow to Liverpool with steel railway metals. One of the shipwrecked crew (the cook) had unfortunately been washed overboard from the vessel and drowned before the Life-boat arrived.

The Silver Medal of the Institution was voted to Mr. EOBEBT BICKEBSTAFFE, the coxswain of the Life-boat, in acknowledgment of his general gallant exertions in the boat, and particularly for his good services on this occasion. A double reward was also granted to the crew of the Lifeboat, in addition to the local presentation of a special Silver Medal commemorative of the occasion, accompanied by a sum of money, amounting to nearly 51., which was paid into the Post Office Savings Bank to the account of each man..