ATHERFIELD, BRIGHSTONE GRANGE, AND BROOKE, ISLE or WIGHT.—On the night of Sunday 31st January, the fourmasted s.s. Eider, of Bremen, 4,719 tons register, bound from New York for Southampton, 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 Lifeboat Catherine Swift, stationed at Atherfield 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 Lifeboat 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 neighbouring 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 decided that it would be best to land the passengers, and during the day the Lifeboats 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 performed by the Life-boats, and one hundred and forty-six people were brought safely ashore, together with mails and specie, while on the two succeeding days bars of silver, specie, the ship's plate, and passengers' luggage were saved. Forty-one journeys in all were made by the gallant Life-boat crews, who worked hard and nobly, and threehundred 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 accomplished, the -total loss of this fine Norddeutscher 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 considerably damaged condition.

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

H.I.M. the Emperor of Germany presented to each of the coxswains of the three Life-boats, a gold watch bearing His Majesty's portrait and initials, in recognition of the devotion to duty, self-sacrifice, and philanthropy shown in the work of rescue. His Imperial Majesty also contributed the sum of 200Z., with the expression 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 Lifeboats and rewards to the crews who manned them, the Institution awarded the Second Service Clasp to Mr. WILLIAM COTTON, coxswain of the Atherfield Lifeboat, the Silver Medal to Mr. JAMES COTTON, coxswain of the Brighstone Grange Life-boat, and the Third Service Clasp to Mr. JOHN HATIER, 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 respectively of the Brighstone Grange, Atherfield, and Brooke branches, in recognition of the valuable services they rendered in connection with these services..