BALLYWALTER, Co. DOWN.— On the morning of the 4th January, 1892, while a moderate gale of wind was blowing from the N.N.E., with strong hail squalls and a heavy sea, signals of distress were seen in the direction of the Ship Rock, about a mile and a half N. of the Life- boat house. The Life-boat temporarily placed here while the station's boat was being altered was launched, and, on reaching the rock, found that the steam- tug Defiance, of Greenock, had stranded there. A very heavy sea was breaking round the vessel, but as she was lying head to wind and sea, there was every prospect that when the tide rose she could be floated off the rock. The Life- boat remained by her until this was accomplished, and the vessel was able to proceed to Donaghadee harbour, the boat regaining her station at 10.30 A.M.

WEXFORD.—The fishing-yawl Liberator, of Wexford, grounded on the N.E. side of the Dogger'Bank, while returning to port from the fishing grounds in a strong N.W. gale and a rough sea on the 5th January. The Life-boat Andrew Pickard promptly went to her assistance, and, finding that it probably would be possible to get her off the sand with the assistance of an anchor, the Life-boat men laid out one, to which the Life-boat's cable was attached, and at flood-tide the vessel was hauled into deep water.

On the 16th January the Life-boat Andrew Pickard was again called out on service while a whole gale of wind was blowing from the S.E. The ketch Marys, of Aberystwith, while running for Han- toon Channel, having lost her mainsail, and showing signals of distress, the Life-boat put off at 2.30 P.M., and after encountering a very heavy sea, which occasionally broke over the boat and filled her up to the thwarts, reached the vessel, which had then stranded in the channel.

Several efforts were made to take off her crew, but the boat was repeatedly washed away from her by the heavy seas which broke over the wreck and filled the boat; but at length, after a hard struggle, the three men, who were nearly exhausted, were happily rescued from their perilous position.

DOUGLAS.—The Life-boat Civil Service No. 6 was launched, at 6.15 P.M. on the 7th January, to the assistance of the schooner Droughty Castle, of and for Portaferry from Dublin in bal- last, which, having dragged her anchors in Douglas Bay, showed signals of dis- tress as she had drifted into a dangerous position. The weather was squally, and there was a rough sea. Her crew, consist- ing of three men, were taken into the Life-boat and safely landed.

LYNMOUTH, NORTH DEVON.—A schooner, The Saint, of Runcorn, bound from France for Portmadoc with hay, straw, and bal- last, having been dismasted off The Smalls in a N.W. gale on the 5th January, was taken in tow by a large steamer; but on the 7th January, at 8 P.M., the tow-rope parted, and the two vessels lost sight of each other in a hailstorm. The steamer searched for hours, but was unable to recover the schooner, which drifted to- wards the rocks bounding Lynmouth Bay, and -was observed at 9.50 P.M. by the assistant coxswain of the Life-boat. In ten minutes the Life-boat was launched, proceeded through a very heavy sea, and with great difficulty, the boat being frequently filled with water, reached the vessel and took off her crew, consisting of five men. The schooner held to her anchors, the gale having abated, and on the following day the Life-boat again went to her, the weather being still too rough to allow any ordinary boat to go to sea, put the crew on board again, and rendered other services, and ultimately she was towed away by a steam-tug, and was taken to Cardiff.

NORTH SUNDERLAND. — The fishing- cobles Morning Star and Mary and Dan, of North Sunderland, were overtaken by a heavy sea while fishing on the 8th January, and, as they were in danger, the Life-boat Thomas Bewick was launched at 1.15 P.M., and brought them safely into the harbour.

DUNGARVAN, Co. WATERFORD. — 1.20 P.M. on the 8th January, the Life- boat William Dunville was launched, a signal of distress having been shown by the fishing cutter John. It was found that the boat had lost her mast, which in falling had injured most of her crew.

She had a jury-mast rigged up with an old sheet flying as a signal of distress.

One man, who had his arm severely in- jured, was taken into the Life-boat and brought ashore, but the others remained on board their vessel, as a hooker, with the owner of the boat on board, had come out to their assistance.

ST. IVES, CORNWALL.—At 12.15 A.M. on the 10th January the Life-boat Exeter was launched, it having been reported that a vessel lying about five miles W. of St. Ives Head was burning flambeaux and blue lights. A strong N. gale was blow- ing and there was a very heavy sea. At 1 o'clock a terrific snowstorm commenced, and prevented the Life-boat men from finding the vessel for nearly two hours.

On reaching her she proved to be the s.s. Alonso, of Hull, bound from Antwerp for Cardiff in water ballast. Her circu- lating pump had broken down, and she had been compelled to cast anchor, not- withstanding the proximity of a dangerous lee shore. With the master's permission, seven of the steamer's crew were taken into the Life-boat, and it was arranged that the boat should take them ashore and return to the vessel. They were landed at « A.M., and the Life-boat, manned, with the exception of three men, by- the same crew, again put off; but it was found that the vessel was then weighing her anchor, a large steamer being about to take her in tow.

MILFORD.—A vessel having been re- ported to be in a dangerous position on a lee-shore close to St. Ann's Head, while a moderate gale was blowing from the S.E., on the 16th January, the reserve Life-boat placed here while the station's boat was being altered, put off at 10.30 A.M. in a heavy sea, and found the schooner Harriet, of Bristol, about two cables' length from the cliffs at Waddick Point, where she had been compelled to anchor, having lost her sails.

The Life-boat reached her at 11 o'clock, and at the master's request remained by her until she was taken in tow by a steam-tug and extricated from her dan- gerous position.

ST. ANDREW'S.—The sloop May Ann, of and for St. Andrew's, from Shields, with a cargo of coal, arrived off the har- bour on the afternoon of the 16th Janu- ary, and waited for the tide to rise sufficiently high to enable her to enter.

A light wind was blowing from the S.S.E., but a heavy sea was breaking into the harbour mouth, rendering it dangerous, if not impossible, for the pilot-boat to venture out. The assistance of the Life- boat Ladies' Own was asked for to put the pilot on board the vessel, and to take off some men to assist to work her into harbour, as it was known that her crew consisted only of two men and a boy.

Permission to take the Life-boat was readily accorded, the pilot and four other men were taken to the sloop, and she was safely berthed in the harbour.

SOUTHWOLD.—The fishing-punt Mary Ann was observed making for the shore in a moderate gale from S. by E., on the 16th January. As it was impossible for the boat to cross the shoal in safety, the Life-boat Quiver No. 2, went to her as- sistance, and brought ashore her crew consisting of four men.

HOLY ISLAND.—Several boats put to sea on the morning of the 20th January, intending to proceed to the fishing- grounds. The weather was thick and heavy, and soon after the boats had de- parted heavy breakers were rolling over the bar, and the return of the fishermen was eagerly looked for. Seven of the boats came back without shooting their lines, and their crews promptly manned and launched the Life-boat Grace Darling to proceed to the assistance of ten other boats which were still out, and were in considerable danger. The Life-boat pulled out in the trough of the sea, waited for the boats, and as they arrived towed or piloted them safely into the harbour.

But for the timely help rendered by the Life-boat, some of the boats would pro- bably have been lost with all hands.

CAISTER.—At midnight on the 25th January, flares were seen on the Barber Sand. A yawl was launched and sailed ;o the Sand, but found that the sea there  was heavier than had been expected. At 12.40 the Life-boat Eeauchamp put off, as the flares continued to be shown, and found the fishing dandy Canpida, of Great Yarmouth, returning from the fishing grounds, stranded on the Middle Barber Sand. The yawl's crew laid out an anchor, and after a time the fishing-boat was got off the sand, the Life-boat re- maining by her until that was accom- plished.

ATHERFIELD, BRIGHSTONE GRANGE, AND BROOKE, ISLE or WIGHT.—On the night of Sunday 31st January, the four- masted s.s. Eider, of Bremen, 4,719 tons register, bound from New York for South- ampton, en route for Bremen, stranded on the reef of rocks known as Atherfield Ledge in a thick fog, stormy weather, and a very rough sea. She fired signal rockets, and at about 11 o'clock the Life- boat Catherine Swift, stationed at Ather- field was launched, proceeded to her, and at the request of the master brought ashore telegrams for steam-tugs. At daylight the vessel again signalling the Life- boat went to her, and found that the master desired to land some of the mails, which were therefore brought ashore.

Meanwhile, intelligence of the stranding of the steamer had been sent to the neigh- bouring Life-boat stations at Brighstone Grange and Brooke, and the Life-boats Worcester Cadet and William Slaney Lewis arrived as quickly as possible on the scene.

The master of the Eider ultimately de- cided that it would be best to land the passengers, and during the day the Life- boats made altogether eighteen trips to the ship, and safely landed two hundred and thirty-three persons, specie and mails at Atherfield, where all the boats were afterwards drawn up for the night.

The next day, eleven journeys were per- formed by the Life-boats, and one hundred and forty-six people were brought safely a- shore, together with mails and specie, while on the two succeeding days bars of silver, specie, the ship's plate, and passengers' lug- gage were saved. Forty-one journeys in all were made by the gallant Life-boat crews, who worked hard and nobly, and three hundred and seventy-nine persons were rescued by them. The master and some of the crew remained on board the vessel, hoping that it would be possible to get her afloat, and by dint of extensive salvage operations this was ultimately accom- plished, the -total loss of this fine Nord- deutscher Lloyd liner being thus happily avoided. On the 29th March, she was successfully towed off the rocks, and on the following day she was safely berthed in Southampton docks; although, as might reasonably be expected, in a con- siderably damaged condition.

Her Majesty the Queen graciously ex- pressed to the Institution Her Majesty's warm appreciation of the gallant conduct of the Life-boat men.

H.M. the Emperor of Germany pre- sented to each of the coxswains of the three Life-boats, a gold watch bearing His Majesty's portrait and initials, in recogni- tion of the devotion to duty, self-sacrifice, and philanthropy shown in the work of rescue. His Imperial Majesty also con- tributed the sum of 200Z., with the ex- pression of his thanks, to the Institution.

The Norddeutscher Lloyd, the owners of the Eider, expressed their appreciation of and thanks for the gallant services rendered to their vessel by the Life-boat men, and gave a donation of 1052. to the funds of the Institution.

In addition to the sum of 565?. 10s. to pay the expenses of launching the Life- boats and rewards to the crews who manned them, the Institution awarded the Second Service Clasp to Mr. WILLIAM COTTON, coxswain of the Atherfield Life- boat, the Silver Medal to Mr. JAMBS COTTON, coxswain of the Brighstone Grange Life-boat, and the Third Service Clasp to Mr. JOHN HATIEB, the coxswain of the Brooke Life-boat.

The thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum were also presented to the Reverend F. B. LIPSCOMB, M.A., and to Messrs. CHARLES DABELL and WILLIAM HILLIBE, Honorary Secretaries respec- tively of the Brighstone Grange, Ather- field, and Brooke branches, in recognition of the valuable services they rendered in connection with these services.