ARKLOW. — On the morning of the 28th March, the schooner Express, of and for Wexford, from Dublin, while beating down against a strong S.W. wind between the Arklow Bank and the mainland, the weather at the time being thick, with rain, stood too far over and grounded on the bank. Shortly afterwards the master ordered the boat to be got out, and while assisting to do.so, a heavy sea broke over the boat and washed him overboard. As soon as news of the casualty reached the Life-boat station, steps were taken to launch the Life-boat, Frances and Charlotte, and when she arrived near the wreck the sails were lowered, the masts unstopped, and she was rowed through the breakers. In rounding the stern of the vessel, a fearful sea struck the Boat, completely filling her, but she emptied herself in about twenty seconds. Having let go her anchor, the Boat veered as close as she could safely do to the wreck, the hull of which was under water, three men having taken refuge in the starboard fore-rigging, and one man in the port-rigging. After several failures, owing to the position of the men in the rigging, a cane lice was thrown to them, a veering line was then bent on to this and was hauled on board and made fast to the rigging on the starboard side. The coxswain of the Life-boat tfcen shouted directions to haul plenty of slack' on board, and the men to fasten themselves to the rope and jump overboard.

Either they did not hear or did not understand these directions, and hauled in onlj six or seven fathoms to which they fastened u boy. The coxswain and crew shouted to the men to haul in more slack, but instead of doing so they immediately lowered the boy into thewater. He was hauled towards the Lifeboat, bttt there was not sufficient slack to get him on board, and the Life-boat men therefore hailed the men on the wreck to let go the line or the boy would be drowned. They did so and the boy was got into the Life-boat almost lifeless.

When the end of the veering line was got on board the Life-boat it was found that the cane line had been cast off, and thus all communication with the wreck had been severed. During this time the flood tide had begun to make, and the Life-boat was able to back nearer to the wreck, and endeavours were made to throw a coil of the veering line so as to again communicate with the men in the rigging, but without success. Ultimately the foremast went over the port side (the opposite side to that on which the Life-boat was lying), taking the three men in the rigging with it. It was impossible for the Life-boat to have crossed to the other side, for if the anchor had been lifted she would have been carried off the bank to the eastward by the tide and sea. The Boat remained at anchor by the wreck about an hour after the mast fell, but unhappily the men were not seen again.

An enquiry was held by the Board of Trade into the circumstances attending the loss of this vessel, and the investigation included the action of the Lifeboat crew. The court found that there was no delay on their part in proceeding to the wreck, and no undue delay in effecting communication with the men in the rigging; also that proper efforts were made by the coxswain and crew to restore communication with the men, and that after the foremast went over the port side, taking the men with it, it was impossible, owing to the strong tide and sea, for the Life-boat, being on the starboard side, to reach them..