ABERYSTWYTH.—On the 7th October, during the severe storm which worked wide devastation over a great portion of the United Kingdom, a vessel was seen to be labouring heavily and showing signals of distress, some two or three miles from the Merionethshire coast, and about seven or eight miles from Aberystwyth. She was rapidly drifting towards a very dangerous reef of rocks called the " Patches." The coxswain of the Aberystwyth Lifeboat, Mr. THOMAS WILLIAMS, at once summoned the Life-boat crew by signal, and there was no delay in getting the boat to the edge of, perhaps, as wild a sea as a small boat was ever launched in. It was low-water, and for a long time it was impossible to move the carriage through the sand. There were plenty of willing hands, including many students of the University College of Wales, but, notwithstanding the fact that scores of the men went into the water until the waves broke over their heads, a considerable time elapsed before the boat was slipped from the carriage and was fairly afloat. When this part of the work had been accomplished, the crew began a struggle against wind and waves which was only equalled some eight or nine years ago, when one of the crew died from exposure. The men pulled at the oars in a tremendous sea, and slowly forged ahead, in the teeth of the wind, towards the south. The object was to get sufficient way to avoid being blown upon the rocks. When the men had been rowing for an hour, they had scarcely movtd from the spot they were enabled to reach by the fixed rope. Great white seas broke over the boat, drenching the men to the skin, and carrying her back towards the shore. Again and again the struggle was renewed, and again and again the boat was carried back on the crests of the waves towards the shore. Sometimes the boat would be thrown on end almost into a perpendicular position, and then fall into the trough of the sea, and disappear.

After a struggle of two hours against the angry sea and the fierce wind, during which time six oars were broken, and there were many narrow escapes from upsetting, the boat was carried by three or four huge rollers towards the pier, and into comparatively smooth water. A rope was thrown from the end of the pier to the boat. More oars were then taken on board, and fiveadditional men went into the boat. Four of them -were lowered down the rope, but one, Mr. ALSBHD WORTHISGTON, jumped into the seething waters from the steps of the promenade pier, and swam [to the boat. He remained out until midnight in his wet clothes, but, as far as that went, all the crew were wet through before the boat had been launched an hour. Sea after sea broke over the boat, which, it was admitted all round, behaved splendidly.

As soon as the extra men had settled to their work, another attempt to get southward was made. The wind still blew, and the waves still broke with unabated force, but the Life-boat was impelled forward, and although she was often lost to sight in the trough of the sea, or buried in spray, she made headway steadily, until a point had been reached when the coxswain thought it was safe to hoist the sails. This was done, and in a few minutes the boat went beautifully and rapidly before the storm in the direction of the vessel. After making three tacks the ship was reached; she proved to be the Arklow of Windsor, N.S., and although terribly battered, she was still holding on to her anchors. Two of the Life-boatmen boarded her to assist in taking her to St. TudwalTs Boads, and the boat remained alongside some time, at the request of the master, to be in readiness to save the crew should the cables part; eventually she returned to shore, which was reached a little before midnight.

A Liverpool steam-tug was afterwards Bent into the Bay, and when the weather moderated the vessel and crew were taken to a place of safety. The undaunted spirit displayed by the. Lifeboatmen won the admiration of the thousands of spectators. While alongside the wreck an immense wave went completely over the Life-boat, and washed three of her crew overboard, and it was some time before they were picked up.

[For this excellent service, in addition to the 2J. 5s. allowed to each of the Life-boatmen by the KOT.AL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, the owners of the vessel, wishing to show their approval of the crew's services, forwarded the sum of £30 to the local Honorary Secretary, with a request that he would divide it amongst the men as some recognition oa their part of their gallant conduct.].