SOUTHEND, ESSEX. — Signals having been fired by the Nore Light-vessel on the night of the 19th January, the Lifeboat Theodore and Herbert was launched at 11 o'clock in a rough sea and a strong S.S.W. breeze, which afterwards increased to a gale. The boat was taken in tow by the steamer Vestal, belonging to the Trinity House, and proceeded to the Mouse Light-vessel which reported a vessel ashore on the Black Tail Sands.

On reaching the sand, the schooner Vectis, of Teignmouth, laden with coal from Seaham for Ramsgate, was found stranded there with seven feet of water in her hold. The crew of four men were taken into the Life-boat which had to wait until the flood tide enabled her to cross the sand when she was again taken in tow by the steamer, which had anchored near the South-East Maplin Buoy waiting for her, and regained her station with the rescued men at 10.30 on the following morning.