CAISTER.—On the morning of the 23rd February, 1896, the Cockle Light-vessel fired guns and rockets. The Life-boat Covent Garden was taken out of her house, and while she was being launched a coast- guardman arrived and informed the cox- swain that a barque was on the S.E. part of Hasborongh Sand. The boat was afloat at 4.15 and sailed to the sand, shipping some heavy seas on her way, but found no vessel there. She then sailed down the sand and eventually came upon a barque, the Gleribervie, of Glasgow, bound from Hamburg for Adelaide with a general cargo and a craw of eighteen men. She was riding on the N.W. edge of the sand. The Life-boat went alongside and, finding the master was anxious to have his vessel taken to a place of safety, the Life- boatmen agreed to do so, and, with the assistance of two steam-tugs which sub- sequently arrived, she was taken to Harwich. A strong gale was blowing from E.S.E. and a very heavy sea was encountered all the way. The Life-boat arrived back at Yarmouth harbour at 8 o'clock on the following evening.

WICK.—The fishing-lugger Isabella, of Wick, while attempting to put to sea on the 26th February, the water being still rough after a S.W. gale, was struck by a heavy sea and was driven up the river.

Both her anchors were dropped, but they were of no avail and she was soon thrown on the rocks, where the sea made a clean breach over her. The-Life-boat John Anns was launched at 5 P.M., and at 6.30 returned, bringing the crew of the fishing-boat, six men in number.

GREENORE.—On the 2nd March the steamer Rosstrevor, of Dublin, belonging to the London and North Western Railway Company, left Greenore at about 6 P.M., bound for Holyhead, with pas- sengers and a general cargo. She had proceeded a little distance outside Haul- bowline Lighthouse, near the middle of Carlingford bar, when she struck a sunken rock and remained fast. She fired signals of distress, which were immediately answered from the Greenore Coastguard station. The crew of the Life-boat Sir Arthur Blackwood were summoned and at 7 o'clock the Boat was on her way to the vessel. On reaching the scene of the disaster, the captain requested that the Life-boat should take ashore the female passengers, children and as many male passengers as she could carry. Seventeen persons were taken on board and landed, and the Boat returned to the vessel, but found that the remaining passengers had been transferred to another of the Company's steamers, the Severn. The Rosstrevor was then afloat but was leaking badly and, with the aid of the Severn and the tug Violet, was beached a short distance from Greenore pier in order to prevent her from sinking.

In recognition of the service rendered to their vessel, the London and North Western Railway Company contributed a donation of 10Z. 10s. in aid of the funds of the Greenore Branch of the Institution.

WEXFORD.—While a moderate gale was blowing from W.S.W., with a rough sea and showers of hail, on the 3rd March, the fishing-yawl Annie, of Wexford, was observed stranded on the S. side of Wex- ford Bar, with the seas breaking over her.

The No. 1 Life-boat Andrew Pickard was immediately manned, and at 3.45 P.M.

proceeded to the vessel, dropped her anchor, and with some difficulty veered alongside. As it seemed probable that the fishing-boat could be got afloat if an anchor were laid out, the Life-boatmen took out one to which a long cable was attached and, with its aid, the boat was hauled off into deep water, when she floated with the rising tide.

BALLYWALTER. — On the 5th March information was received that a smack had been observed about ten miles distant, eastward, from the shore, in dis- tress and apparently signalling for help.

The Life-boat William Wallace was launched at 12.15 P.M., and on reaching the vessel found that she was the Governor Ready, of Douglas, bound from Dromore for Belfast with a cargo of paving-stones.

She was entirely disabled, having been struck by a heavy squall which carriedaway her topmast and two jibs and tore her mainsail in ribbons, and subsequently she lost her boat. It haying been seen from the shore that she had no mainsail, the Life-boat men had taken one out in the Boat. This sail, which had been kindly lent for the purpose by Mr. Wil- liam Gibson, J.P., was rigged up by some of the Life-boat crew, who also patched up a jib-sail, and the vessel, with her crew of three men, was brought into Ballywalter Harbour. The Eev. Dr.

Greer, the Honorary Secretary of the Branch went out in the Life-boat on this occasion.

On the morning of the 16th March a four-masted schooner, the Reform, of Stavanger, bound from Bankok for Greenock with teak wood, was sighted off Burr Point flying signals denoting that she was sinking. The crew of the Life- boat were summoned, and at 9.30, ten minutes after the alarm was given, the Boat was launched. The weather then was very bad, the wind sometimes blow- ing with hurricane force, with squalls of sleet and heavy seas which completely drenched the crew shortly after the Boat was launched. The vessel was reached at 10.30, when it was ascertained that she was leaking, in consequence of having struck a rock at the south of Burial Isle, off Burr Point. Endeavours were made to get rid of the water by means of the pumps, but it was found impossible to do so, and it became evident that the foundering of the ship was only a matter of time. Ultimately the crew took to the Life-boat and were safely landed, the master and mate being taken ashore by a coastguard boat •which had also proceeded to the vessel. About five minutes after leaving her, the Reform sank in about twelve fathoms of water.

FILEY.—The fishing-coble Lionel being observed in danger, while a strong gale, was blowing from the W., accompanied by a rough sea, on the 6th March, the reserve Life-boat, temporarily placed here while the station's Boat was being altered, was launched and stood by the coble until she safely reached the shore.

HOLY ISLAND AND BOULMER. — The Holy Island No. 1 Life-boat Grace Darling was launched at 2.20 P.M., on the 6th March, in a rough sea, the wind blowing a strong gale from N.W., in response to signals of distress shown by the schooner Scotia, of Inverness, which had stranded S.S.E. of Holy Island Castle. The vessel, however, floated off, leaking, and pro- ceeded southward, the Life-boat following to North Sunderland, when the vessel's signals were lowered. The Boat put into North Sunderland, and on her way rendered some assistance to a coble which was in difficulties.

At 4 P.M. the vessel was sighted off Boulmer, a telephone message having been, despatched there from Craster to look out for her. The Life-boat Heligcent put off to her assistance and finding her in a sinking condition, remained by her, some of the Life-boat men assisting at the pumps. A tug took her in tow and endeavoured to get her into the harbour, but before this could be accomplished she sank, her crew landing in their own boat.

WINTERTON.—Shortly after 5 o'clock on the evening of the 12th March, the cutter rigged shrimping-boat Adeline, of Great Yarmouth, was observed to ship a sea, when about half a mile S.E. of Winter- ton, and to instantly founder. An alarm being given, the No. 1 Life-boat Edward Eirfebecfe vras launched, proceeded to the scene of the casualty and found one man clinging to the vessel's bowsprit. He was at once taken into the Life-boat and stated that another man was with him in the boat at the time the accident occurred. A diligent search was made by the Life-boat's crew, but unhappily no trace of the man could be seen; all that was found was the floating wreckage of the boat.

REDCAR.—The Life-boat Brothers was launched at 10.15 A.M., on the 14th April, and helped two fishing - boats which had been overtaken by stormy weather and a heavy sea.

ST. IVES.—Signals of distress having been shown by a vessel lying at anchor in the bay, while a strong gale was blowing from N.N.E. with a heavy sea, the Life- boat Exeter was launched at I.d5 A.M.

on the 27th March. The vessel which signalled was the schooner Lizzie, of Chester, coal laden, from Swansea bound for Cherbourg. She had two anchors down, but was riding so heavily that it was feared her cables would part, and her crew of five men were anxious to be taken ashore. They were taken into the Life-boat, which then made for her station, and in passing another schooner, the Laddie, of St. John's, N.F., laden with codfish, from St. John's for Exeter, which was in a more dangerous position, her crew also .requested to be landed.

They were anxious to give the vessel more cable before leaving her, and, as this wonld take some little time, it was arranged that the Boat should land those she had on board and then return. This was done, and the Laddie's crew of seven men were also brought safely ashore, being landed in the harbour at 3.30 A.M.

In the afternoon the weather moderated considerably, and, the vessels having safely ridden out the gale, their crews were put on board and in the evening resumed their respective voyages.

NORTH DEAL.—On the morning of the 27th March rockets and guns were fired by the Gull Lightship and large flares were burnt by a vessel in the direc- tion of the Brake sand. The Life-boat Mary Somerville was launched at about 5 o'clock, a whole gale blowing from N.N.W. at the time, with a heavy sea, and proceeded to the schooner Janet, of Carnarvon, laden with cement from Rochester for Londonderry, which had been in collision with the ketch Tempter, of Hull. The latter vessel had sunk, and her crew of three men, who had jumped on board the schooner, were taken into the Life-boat and were safely landed.

Two of the Life-boatmen remained on board the vessel and assisted to take her to Ramsgate, with the help of a steam- tug which afterwards arrived, having been summoned from Ramsgate by n telegram despatched by the Life-boat on her return to Deal.

HILBRE ISLAND.—The lightkeeper at Hoylake having observed a vessel ashore on the West Hoyle, on the morning of the llth April, at once communicated with Hilbre Island, with the result that the Life-boat Admiral Briggs was launched at 5.45, and proceeded towards the vessel which was showing signals of distress.

On her way, the Life-boat met a ship's boat containing the crew of four men who 'had left their vessel, which was ascertained to be the steam-tug Albert, of Chester. These men were taken into the Life-boat, which then continued her journey to the steamer and found her half full of water. Ultimately a tug arrived from Mostyn and the Albert was towed off the bank and taken to Mostyn, her crew accompanying her. A very strong N.W. wind was blowing during the performance of this service, the sea was very rough and the weather was very cold.