Castlemaine
BALLYWALTER, Co. DOWN.—On the 4th March, at about 1 A.M., intelligence was received that a ship had stranded in Ballybalbert Bay, three miles south of this Life-boat Station. The wind was blowing a hurricane from the S.E., with heavy sleet and rain at the time. Horses were obtained, and the Life-boat Admiral Henry Meynell proceeded by road to the scene of the wreck. Great delay was occasioned on account of the horses being unable to draw the Boat against the gale and rain, the road being very bad and exposed. However, she at last leached the Bay, and was then launched with great difficulty over the very rough shore through a very heavy surf. She was repeatedly driven back by the seas, but after great exertion the crew managed to get hold of a line drifted to leeward from the ship, and by rowing and hauling they got under the bow of the vessel, which proved to be the ship Castlemaine, of Liverpool, bound from Eangoon to the Clyde, with a cargo of teak and bones, and in two trips brought ashore the crew of twenty-five men. The crew of the Lifeboat, who were accompanied by the Rev.
J. O'REILLY BLACKWOOD, the local Hon.
Secretary at Ballywalter, behaved admirably, under very trying circumstances, and suffered greatly from the cold and long exposure.
The Silver Medal of the Institution was awarded to Mr. BLACKWOOD, together with an extra reward to the crew of the Life-boat, in acknowledgment of this gallant Life-boat service..