The full-rigged ship Maxwell, 1,800 tons, of Liverpool, left that port on the morning of the 19th July, bound for San Francisco with a cargo of coal. She was towed by the steam-tug Great Western and, on arriving near the North-West light-vessel between eight and nine o'clock in the evening, the weather had become so bad, a very heavy gale blowing from the N.E., and the sea being extremely rough, that it was considered advisable to return to Liverpool as the ship was plunging heavily, her decks were full of water and the tug was unable to control her. In crossing the bar, on which a very heavy sea was running, the Maxwell, unfortunately grounded and all efforts of the steamer to tow her off failed. Ultimately the hawser parted and the tug then male for Liverpool to obtain assistance.

In response to signals the crew of the New Brighton Life-boat Henry Richardson promptly assembled, and at 11.40 the Life-boat proceeded for the wreck in tow of the Great Western, and at 1.40 reached the ship, over which the heavy seas were washing, threatening her every moment with total destruction. Considerable difficulty was experienced by the Lifeboat men in taking off the twenty-nine persons on board the vessel, so unusually high were the seas; but this was at length safely accomplished, the men were safely landed at New Brighton and were afterwards taken to Liverpool.

Soon after striking the bar the Maxwell was run into by a small schooner which was seriously damaged by the collision.

One of the Liverpool Life-boats, belonging to the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board, also put off to the aid of the shipwrecked men, but was capsized, being struck by heavy seas, and two of her crew were unhappily drowned, another of the men succumbing to his injuries shortly after his admission to the Cottage Hospital at Hoylake.Owing to the darkness of the night and the fury of the gale, the Liverpool boat was not seen by those on board the New Brighton boat, nor were any cries for assistance heard by them, and they were therefore unaware of the accident which had so unfortunately befallen the Liverpool men..