LIFEBOAT MAGAZINE ARCHIVE

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Services of the Life-Boats of the Royal National Life-Boat Institution

PETERHEAD, SCOTLAND.—The People's Journal No. 1 Life-boat was launched at noon on the 5th of January, 1886, some of the boats engaged in the haddock fishery having been overtaken by a strong gale of wind from the N.E. and. a heavy sea. The Life-boat remained afloat, cruizing about until all the boats safely entered the harbour.

PORTHDINLLAEN, NORTH WALES. A signal of distress having been shown by the fishing smack Valiant, of Carnarvon, which was at anchor in Porthdinllaen bay, during a N.N.W. wind and a very heavy sea, the George Moore Life-boat was launched at 8 A.M. on the 8th of January. On reaching her, the master requested assistance to get his vessel into safety; whereupon one of the Life- boat crew jumped overboard from the boat, was taken on board the smack, and piloted her to a safe position. The Life- boat returned ashore, and on reaching it, another fishing smack, the Trio, of Carnarvon, showed a signal of distress.

I The boat therefore again went out, and put three men on board that vessel, which was then taken to a place of safety.

Each of the vessels had a crew of four men.

THURSO.—On the 8th of January, at 8 A.M., the ketch Crest, of Wick, lying at anchor in Scrabster Roads, showed a signal of distress during a very heavy N.

gale and a tremendous sea. The Charley Lloyd Life-boat proceeded to her assis- tance, and landed her crew, consisting of two men. At 9 o'clock the schooners Alpha, of Perth, and Lizzie, of Wick, showed distress signals, and the Life- boat again put off, and brought ashore their crews, numbering four and three men respectively. As the weather con-, tinned very stormy, the Life-boat was kept afloat, in case her services should again be needed. At 2 P.M. the steam trawler Toiler, of Aberdeen, signalled for assistance, and the Life-boat was once more launched, and rescued the crew of seven men from their perilous position.

MONTROSE.—-At 5 P.M. on the 8th of January, during a gale from the N.N.W., it was reported that a salmon fishing coble, with four men, was anchored a mile and a-half from Kirkside, and flying signals of distress, being in danger of drifting to sea. The Life-boat crews were summoned, and the No. 3 Life-boat, the Resolute, stationed at Kirkside, was launched into the river, but there being insufficient water, she grounded once or twice, and finally remained fast. All efforts to move her having failed, most of the crew were taken out of her by a fishing coble, two men being left on board to watch the boat. It was then decided to man the Montrose No. 1 Life- boat, Mincing Lane, and she accordingly put off and cruized about the North end of the bay for some time, but, owing to the darkness and the storm, nothing could l)e seen of the coble. The Life-boat returned at midnight, anchored off the " Leads," and burned blue lights for the tug, which went to her and brought her into Montrose at 1.45 A.M., through a very heavy sea. The crew were thoroughly drenched and benumbed with cold.

Arrangements were made to renew the search with the aid of the steam trawler Rosa, which was kindly lent for the purpose by the owner, and at daybreak the Mincing Lane Life-boat was towed out, the gale still increasing. They left the harbour at 7 o'clock, and were for- tunately successful in finding the coble and rescuing the four men, who were very much benumbed and exhausted, and safely lauded them at Montrose, at 9.40 A.M. The coble sank soon after the men had been taken out of her.

SKEGNESS, LINCOLNSHIRE.—The Herbert Ingram Life-boat was launched at 11.40 P.M. on the 8th of January, and took the master and crew of the smack Pet, of Grimsby, off to their vessel, which was at anchor about a mile from the Life- boat Station, as the weather was becoming squally, and there was a very heavy sea.

The Life-boat remained by the smack until 9 o'clock on the following morning, when the vessel was towed to Grimsby.

HOLYHEAD. — It having been reported that a ship was ashore in Church' Bay, the Thomas Fielden Life-boat was launched at 1 P.M. on the 9th of January, and taken in tow by a steam-tug. On reach- ing the vessel, which proved to be the barque James Kemoay, of Llanelly, bound from Liverpool for Charleston, it was found that her craw had left her, the master alone having remained on board.

He was taken into the Life-boat, and landed at Holyhead at 4 P.M., and shortly afterwards the vessel became a total wreck.

SOUTH WALES. — On the morning of the 11th of January the wind suddenly shifted to the N., and rapidly increased in violence until at noon it blew a fresh gale from the N.E., with a very high sea. At the time there was a small schooner, the Mary Jane, of Aberystwyth, laden with slates from Portmadoc for Newport, Mon., at anchor in the roadstead, and as the sea was com- pletely washing over her, and she was riding heavily, a sharp look-out was kept.

At 2 P.M., when the gale was at its height, j the vessel hoisted a signal of distress ; I the No. 2 Life-boat, the Appin, was im- mediately launched, proceeded to her, | and brought ashore her crew, consisting j of three men. The schooner foundered j soon after midnight.

CAISTER, NORFOLK. — Large flares were seen in the direction of the Middle Cross Sand, during a strong Southerly wind and a heavy sea, on the 18th of January.

The No. 1 Life-boat, Covent Garden, was launched at 1.45 A.M., and proceeded towards the sand ; the flare went out as the Life-boat left the beach. About half way between the Scroby and the Cross Sands the schooner Syren was sighted, the Life-boat bore down to her, and found her water-logged and abandoned by her crew.

Five minutes afterwards she sunk. The Life-boat searched for the crew, but could not find them. The Life-boat then sailed to the Newark light- vessel, but neither the crew nor the light had been seen; then she proceeded to the Cockle Light-ship, and found that the crew, six in number, had taken refuge there. The men were taken into the Life-boat, and landed at Caister at 7 A.M.

The schooner Julia, of and for Lowes- toft, from Hartlepool, with a cargo of coal, and having a crew of four men, was seen to take the ground on the North part of the Barber Sand, at about 4.30 A.M. on the 25th of February, during a N.E. by E. wind, and a heavy sea. An attempt was made to launch a yawl, but she was driven back on the beach. The No. 2 Life-boat, the Godsend, then put oif, and on reaching the vessel found that she had got afloat, but was rapidly driving ashore again on the south part of the sand. She was placed in charge of the Life-boat men, who extricated her from her perilous position, and anchored her until daylight, when she was sailed out of the Bing Buoy Channel into the Cockle Fairway; as she was then in safety, | the Life-boat left her, and returned to her { Station, arriving at 10 A.M. 

ARBROATH.—Notice was received at about 7 A.M. on the 23rd of January, during a fresh E. wind and a very heavy I sea, that the fishing boat 106, of Arbroath, was in danger outside the harbour bar.

The People's Journal No. 2 Life-boat was promptly launched, and pulled out to her assistance, but she would not attempt to cross the bar. The Life-boat returned to the shore, and again went out with a supply of cork jackets for the men, and some oil for them, to use. Considerable difficulty was, however, experienced by the Life-boat in getting across the bar, j the wind and sea increasing, and two of her crew being injured by the heavy seas which broke over her. The fishing boat's crew finally decided not to attempt to! enter the harbour, and made for the Tay pilot cutter, which was afterwards seen to take her in tow.

WHITBY.—At about 10 A.M., on the 28th of January, five fishing cobles, which had left the harbour about six hours pre- viously, were observed to be returning, the sea having risen considerably. As crossing the bar was, under the circumstances, a very dangerous operation to the boats, the No. 2 Life-boat, the Harriott Forteath, was launched, supplied the crews of the cobles with life-belts, and remained by the boats until they got communication -with the shore, all being safely beached by noon.

CULLERCOATS.—The Co-Operator No. 1 Life-boat was launched on the 28th of January, several fishing cobles having been overtaken by a heavy sea. As the weather was foggy and the sea breaking heavily on the bar, the Life-boat remained afloat until all the boats had safely landed.

RAMSGATE.—At midnight, on the 12th of February, during a moderate S.E. wind and thick weather, signals were fired from the Gull Lightship. The Bradford Life-boat put off in tow of the harbour steam-tug Vulcan, proceeded to the North Sand Head Light-ship, and found that-she had fired in answer to the East Goodwin. They then went to the East Goodwin Light-vessel, spoke her, and were informed that the master and part of the crew of a barque were on board, their vessel having stranded on the sand. The men were taken into the Life-boat, which, with the tug, then pro- ceeded to the barque, boarded her, and tried for a long time to get her afloat, by throwing overboard part of her cargo of salt, and by towing her. All efforts, however, failed to get her off, and as she was leaking badly, and the wind and sea were increasing, the master and crew, numbering in all twelve men, were taken into the Life-boat: four men belonging to a lugger, which assisted in the attempts to float the barque, were also taken on board the boat, and she was then towed back to Ramsgate, arriving there at 5 A.M. on the 14th. The vessel was the Frederike Carolina, of Lulea, bound from Brest for Elsinore.

BARMOUTH, NORTH WALES.-—At 10.25 A.M. on Sunday, the 14th of February, the Jones-Gibbs Life-boat put off to the assis- tance of the ship Magnolia, of Yarmouth, N.S., bound from Norfolk, Virginia, for Liverpool, with a cargo of cotton, which had stranded on a reef about seven miles from Barmouth, during a S.W. wind.

The Life-boat remained by the vessel until the following morning, when her services were not further required, as the ship ultimately floated, and was taken in tow by two steam-tugs.

TYRELLA.—The schooner Barclay, of Goole, bound from London to Ayr, stranded in Dundrum Bay, during thick stormy weather, at 7 P.M. on the 27th of February. As soon as the vessel was observed, the crew of The Memorial Life-boat were summoned, and the boat launched, but with much difficulty. The high sea and strong head wind, however, proved more than a match for the Life- boat men, and in spite of their most gallant exertions, the boat, was driven ashore. Additional hands were then taken on board, and with double-banked oars the boat once more put off, and succeeded in reaching the vessel, great caution being necessary in doing so, as she was lying between two ranges of rocks. They were fortunately successful, however, in rescuing the crew, consist- ing of five men and the master's two children.

PALLING, NORFOLK.—The ketch Betsy, of and for Newcastle, from London, with iron, stranded at Palling, during a strong S.E. wind and a heavy sea, on the 1st of March. The No. 1 Life-boat, Good Hope, was promptly launched; but the water was too shallow to allow her to cross the bank and proceed to the vessel. Ail- effort was then made to get her over the bank by means of the skids, but this proved unsuccessful. At low water the crew of the vessel left in their own boat, and the Life-boat men assisted them to reach the land safely.

On the following morning the Life-boat went to the assistance of the stranded schooner, Anne Gill, of and for Goole, from London, laden with wheat. Her crew had launched their own boat, and two men had got into her, but she broke adrift and drove on shore, leaving the master and mate on board the vessel.

With much difficulty the Life-boat suc- ceeded in rescuing the two men, who were brought into the boat by means of lines.

At midnight on the 8th of March the look-out man reported a vessel on shore.

A strong S.E. wind was blowing at the time and the sea was heavy. The Good Hope .was launched and proceeded to the vessel, which proved to be the brig Mat/en, of and from Shields, for London, with a cargo of coal. The Life-boat remained by her several hours, but as she was rapidly filling with water, her crew, con- sisting of seven men, were taken into the Life-boat, and safely landed at Palling at 11.30 A.M. The vessel became a total wreck.

LOWESTOFT.—At about 1.30 P.M. on the 3rd of March, the biigautine Caroline, I of Faversham, bound from London for the Tyne, with a cargo of burnt ore, and carrying a crew of seven men, was seen to part from her cable in the roadstead, and in trying to get clear of the New- come Sand, she struck. The wind was blowing from the N.N.E., accompanied by snow squalls and a heavy sea. The vessel floated before the Life-boat reached her, but as she was leaking very badly, the master engaged the services of a steam-tug and the Life-boat to take her into Lowestoft harbour.

HOLY ISLAND.—At 2 P.M. on the 16th of March a large three-masted schooner was seen, during a cessation of blinding snow storms, lying in for the land, and nearing a dangerous reef of rocks near the harbour bar, named the Parten Stiel.

She was evidently a stranger, for she con- tinued running within a few yards of total destruction; but her helm was afterwards put down, and she stood out to sea. In half-an-hour she was again heading for the shore, and the No. 1 Life- boat, the Grace Darling, was launched, and put off to her assistance. The Life- boat men pulled out to the bar, against a terrific head wind, and with the help of the position taken up by the Life-boat and by some cobles, the vessel steered safely through the breakers, and was subsequently moored in the harbour.

She was the schooner Republik, in ballast from Bremerhaven to St. David, Firth of Forth.

TEIGNMOUTH, DEVON.—A pilot boat, belonging to Teignmouth and manned by five men, was running for the harbour during a S.E. wind and a rough sea, at 11 A.M. on the 17th of March, when a broken sea suddenly overtook her and capsized her. The Arnold Life-boat was very promptly launched, being in the water in four minutes from the time the accident happened, and proceeded with all possible speed to the assistance of the men, but was aisle to rescue only one of them : another was picked up by a sloop, which was running for the harbour just behind the boat which foundered; the remaining three men were unhappily drowned. One of the rescued men died about two hours after he had been landed.

SUFFOLK.—Signals having been fired by the St. Nicholas Light-vessel, and flares having been shown in the direction of the South Scroby Sand at about 1.45 A.M. on the 18th of March, the No. 1 Life-boat, Mark Lane, put off during a fresh E. by S. wind and a rough sea, and on reaching the bar was over- taken by the steam-tug Tare, which took her in tow. They proceeded to the Light-vessel, and were informed that the flares, which had been discontinued, had apparently been shown by a vessel on the South Scroby. After searching some distance along the South end of the sand, the course was altered, and they went along the W. side of the sand, and found the billyboy schooner John and Mary, of Goole, at anchor, with her boat out and all her crew's effects on deck ready to leave the vessel. She had knocked over the Scroby Sand, and had about seven inches of water above the cabin floor. As the water was still gaining on her, the master gave up charge of her to the Life-boat's crew, some of whom worked at the pumps, while others got a rope to the steamer and hove up the anchor, and the vessel was got into Yarmouth about 5.30 A.M.

Those on board consisted of the master, his wife, the mate, two lads and a little girl.

The Life-boat crew were called at mid- night on the 30th of March, signals of distress having been observed in the roads, supplemented by rockets fired from the Light-vessel. The Mark Lane Life-boat was launched, and soon reached the distressed vessel, which proved to be the fishing dandy White Star, of Yar- mouth. She had driven from her anchors across the cables of a brig lying at anchor.

The Life-boat anchored to windward, veered alongside, and tried to get her free. The efforts however failed, and the crew of the trawler, six in number, fearing that their vessel would founder under the brig's bows, left in the Life- boat, which was then towed into the harbour. At daylight, observing the trawler to be still afloat, the Life-boat men i again put off to her, sheered her clear of | the brig, slipped her cables, her anchor having fouled that of the brig, and brought her safely into harbour.

DOVER.—A fisherman having reported, on the evening of the 20th of March, that he had seen a vessel ashore near the South Foreland Lighthouse, the Life-boat Henry William Pickersgill, R.A., was j launched at 9 P.M., proceeded to her assistance, and found her to be the ship Macduff, of Banff, homeward bound from Australia. The Life-boat remained by her until she was got afloat, and then returned to her Station.

CADGWITH, CORNWALL.—Minute guns having been heard at 9 P.M. on the 20th of March, the Joseph Armstrong Life-boat was very promptly launched, four minutes only being occupied in getting her afloat, and proceeded to the S.W., in which direction the signals had been heard.

She found the three-masted s.s. City of Venice, of Glasgow, bound from London for Glasgow with cement and rice, with fifty-four persons on board, stranded about half-a-mile N. of the Lizard Signal Station. At the master's request, the Life-boat remained by the vessel until she was got off at 9.30 P.M., the coxswain going on board to advise the captain, and then accompanying her to Falmouth; her forecompartment being full of water.

KIMERIDGE, DORSET.—On the 21st of March the cutter Ceres, of Poole, bound to that port from Truro, with barley, which had been hove to owing to a dense fog, had just been got round with her head to the S. when the wind suddenly changed, and the strong flood tide running in a S.E. direction carried her on to Broad beach. On information being received at the Kimeridge Life-boat Station, the Mary Heape Life-boat was launched, and proceeded to the assistance of the vessel.

Meanwhile two of the cutter's crew went out in their boat to lay out an anchor, but the boat was capsized by the heavy seas. One of the men clung to the bottom of the boat, but was unfortunately washed off and drowned; the other supported himself by two oars, and was picked up in a very exhausted state by the Life-boat, which afterwards, with much difficulty, on account of the very heavy surf, rescued the master and mate, who were on board the vessel.

WEXFORD.—During a very strong breeze from the W. and a heavy sea, signals of distress were shown by the fishing smack Queen, of Arklow, which had stranded on the North side of the entrance to Wexford Harbour, at about 7 P.M. on the 29th of March. The No. 1 Life-boat Ethel Eveleen was at 'once launched, proceeded to the vessel, and found her nearly full of water.

After about an hour's baling and pumping, the Life-boat crew got nearly all the water out of her, and then running out an anchor, got her afloat, and took her into Coal Channel; She had a crew of three men.

POOLBEG, Co. DUBLIN.—The smack Dispatch, of Bullock, an out port of Dublin, bound from Bullock to Dublin with granite stones, being in danger during a whole gale from the N.W., violent hail storms and a heavy sea, on the 30th of March, the Aaron Stark Byrnes Life-boat was launched to her assistance, at 10.45 A.M. The vessel had carried away her standing rigging, was half-full of water, and altogether un- manageable, and her crew of two men were in a very exhausted condition.

They were taken into the Life-boat and brought safely ashore. The smack sunk on the North Bull, inside Dublin Bar, and became a total wreck.

On the following night, while the schooner Esther Ann, of Belfast, bound from Dublin for Wexford with a cargo of wheat, was attempting to beat up Dublin river during rough threatening weather, her top-sail split as she was passing the North Bull Lighthouse, and she then anchored. The wind increased during the night to a whole gale, with a heavy sea, and at daylight the vessel was observed to be showing a signal of distress, and appeared to be in a very dangerous position. The Life-boat Aaron Stark Byrnes put off to her assistance, and after much difficulty succeeded in getting alongside her and taking off the master's wife and two children. The master and crew decided to remain on board the vessel, which was ultimately towed to Dublin.