PAKEFIELD.—The Life-boat Two Sis- ters, Mary and Hannah, was launched at 1.30 A.M. on the 9th Jan. last, and pro- ceeded to the assistance of the brigantine Kelpie, of South Shields, bound from Hartlepool for Lowestoft with a cargo of coal, which, having parted her two anchors, drifted on the outer flat about a mile south of Pakefield, and showed signals of distress. At about 2 o'clock the vessel was reached, her crew of seven men were then taken into the'Life-boat and safely landed at Lowestoft at 3.30, the boat being towed into the harbour by the steam-tug Rainbow. A strong wind was blowing from N.E. at the time the service was rendered, the sea was rough and the weather cold, with squalls of hail.

HAYLING ISLAND. — The Life-boat Charlie and Adrian was launched at 5.50 A.M., on the 14th January, in re- sponse to signals of distress from the brigantine Marie Louise, winch, while on a voyage from Falmouth to Hamburg with a cargo of logwood, stranded on the Houndgate Bock, westward of Selsey Bill.

The Life-boat stood by the vessel until she floated, when she was taken to a place of safety in charge of one of the Selsey Trinity pilots.

WHITBY.—Soon after 10 o'clock on the morning of the 15th January, while a fresh gale was blowing from W.N.W., with a moderately rough sea, it was reported that the coble Secret, which had gone out fishing about two hours previous, had anchored about a mile N.N.E. of Whitby, having lost her sail while endeavouring to return to the harbour. The No. 2 Life-boat John Fielden was promptly launched and brought ashore the coble's crew, consisting of four men. The coble was left riding at her anchor, apparently safe, as the weather was moderating. The weather, however, changed for the worse, and she ultimately sunk.

FLAMBOROUGH.—On the 15th January, while a strong gale was blowing from W.N.W., with a heavy sea, six of the fishing-boats were trying to reach the North Landing, but were unable to do so in consequence of the state of the wind and sea. The No. 1 Life-boat Mary Frederick was launched at noon and stood by the boats while they rounded the Head and made for the South Landing.

Mr. WILLIAM EGBERTS, Chief Officer H.M. Coastguard, who watched the Life- boat from the top of the cliff, spoke in the highest terms of this service, and of the manner in which the Boat was managed by her coxswain and crew. He stated that the Boat herself behaved splendidly under sail, working like a smack, with the sea lashed into white foam, the wind at times blowing nearly a whole gale, and that in the absence of the Life-boat, whose presence gave courage and support to the fishermen, a serious casualty would probably have occurred.

On the 26th January the Life-boat Mary Frederick was again called out for service. Signals having been seen, in very foggy weather, the crew of the Life- boat were summoned. The boat was launched at 6.30 A.M., and proceeded through a strong sea to the steamer Dundee, of Glasgow, bound from Grange- month for Rotterdam with a general cargo. The master of the vessel sent the whole of his crew ashore in the ship's large boat, but he and his officers re- mained on board the steamer, requesting that the Life-boat should stand by them until communication had been effected with Lloyd's Agent. On his arrival with the officer of Coastguard it was decided to abandon the ship, as the seas were sweeping her decks and it was evident that she was doomed. The captain and the three other officers therefore got into the Life-boat and were landed at the North Landing at 11 A.M. The steamer became a total wreck.

CULLERCOATS. — The Life - boat Co- operator No. I was launched at 11.30 A.M. and convoyed into harbour about twenty-five fishing-cobles, it being dan- gerous for the boats to attempt to cross the bar unattended, as a heavy sea was breaking on it and a dense fog prevailed at the time.

PORTHOUSTOCK. — Intimation having been received that a large steamer had struck on the Levellers Rocks, at about two o'clock on the morning of the 27th January, the erew of the Life-boat Charlotte were summoned, the boat was launched, and on reaching the steamer found she was the Liffey, of London, in ballast from King's Lynn to Barrow. A dense fog prevailed at the-time, the wind was blowing a moderate breeze from S.W., and the sea was smooth. The Life-boat remained alongside the vessel about three hours and then returned to her station, no immediate assistance being required, the crew awaiting the arrival of a steam- tug from Falmouth to tow her off at high water.

CULLERCOATS AND OTHER LIFE-BOATS.

—On the 13th February stormy weather prevailed 'on our north-east coast, and many of-the boats which had proceeded to their fishing-grounds were placed in great jeopardy in returning to their various ports. Several Life-boats of the Institution put off to the assistance of the boats, and rendered help to the fishermen either by convoying the boats into har- bour or remaining at hand while they crossed the bars, a proceeding which would have been in some instances perhaps im- possible, certainly dangerous, had not the Life-boats been near, ready to render help in the event of any casualty occurring.

The Life-boats engaged in these opera- tions were the Co-operator No. 1, stationed at Cullercoats; the John Fielden, stationed at Whitby ; the Thomas Bewick, of North Sunderland ; the John and Janet, of Ber- wick-on-Tweed; the Cape of Good Hope, of Runswick; the Queensbury, of Scar- borough ; and the Grace Darling, of Holy Island. A special account of the circumstances attending the launch of the last-mentioned Life-boat is given on page 622.

On the 21st February a heavy sea sprung up while fishing-boats were out, and timely assistance was rendered to them by the Life-boats Ephraim and Hannah Fox, stationed at Robin Hood's Bay; the Co-operator No. 1, of Culler- coats; and the Robert and Susan, of Newbiggin.

MONTROSE.—On the same day a very heavy sea was breaking on this coast and on the bar, and, as several steam and sailing vessels were awaiting the tide to enable them to enter the harbour, the Life-boatmen were on the look-out the whole of the day. At about 3.30 P.M. a steamer in crossing the bar was struck by several heavy seas, which carried her out of her coarse, and she had a narrow escape of being stranded on the Annat Bank. A fore and aft schooner was next seen approaching the harbour at about 4 o'clock, and a little later it was evident that she was in broken water and .in danger of stranding. A rocket was after- wards fired from Scurdyness, indicating that the services of the Life-boat were needed, and at about 4.30 the Robert Henderson was launched and pulled down the river towards the ship, which had grounded about a quarter of a mile N. of the harbour entrance. In crossing the Annat Bank the Life-boat was struck several times by very heavy seas, and was driven on a shallow bank that lay be- tween the boat and the vessel, but with considerable exertion the crew managed to get her off, and effected the rescue of the crew of four men from the schooner, which proved to be the Regina, of Jersey.

As it appeared doubtful whether the Robert Henderson Life-boat would succeed in reaching the vessel, it was decided to take out the No. 2 Life-boat, the Bessie Webster. Horses were at once procured, with the view of taking her on her transporting carriage along the sands, but just as she was got down to the beach it was seen that the No. 1 Life-boat' would be successful, and that the launch of the other was unnecessary. She was therefore taken back to her house.

POOLE.—On the 23rd February two vessels, the barquentine Albert T. Young and the Hildred, both belonging to Faver- sham, and laden with coal, stranded on the back of the Hook Sands, in a fresh S.E. wind and a rough sea. The Hon- orary Secretary proceeded to the spot and found that there was no immediate danger to their crews, who, in each in- stance, consisted of eight men. A num- ber of labourers who had been employed to lighten the vessels left in the evening in a tug, and the Honorary Secretary before leaving arranged with each of the masters that, in the event of their posi- tion becoming dangerous, signals should be made. The signalman at Sandbanks was instructed to summon the Life-boat- men in the event of their services being required, and the coxswain and crew of the Life-boat were instructed to hold themselves in readiness to respond to the signal. At 9.15 P.M. a signal was shown at Sandbanks, and the Life-boat was promptly launched and proceeded to the vessels. The Hildred declined assistance, but six men from the Albert T. Young wished to be taken ashore. The master and mate refused to leave, but were anxious that the Boat should stand by them during the night. The six men having been landed the Life-boat went back to the vessel and remained by her until daylight, experiencing a bitterly cold night.