SOUTHSEA.—On the 3rd March while a strong gale was blowing, the weather being very cold and thick, with squalls of rain and hail, intelligence was receivedthat a vessel was in distress and that the Warner Light Vessel was sending up rockets. At 7 A.M. the Life-boat Heyland was launched and proceeded, under sail, towards the vessel, shipping several seas on the way, and reached her just in time to rescue her crew of two men, as her boat astern was full of water and the vessel foundered soon after her crew had been taken off. She was the ketch Fox of Cowes, laden with stoneware pipes from Poole for Eroding, Isle of Wight.

On account of the strength of the wind it was feared that the Life-boat would find it very difficult to accomplish her return journey, and an application was therefore made for one of the Government tugs to be allowed to tow her back to her station. The request was most readily and kindly granted by the Admiral Superintendent of Portsmouth Dockyard, and the steam-tug Dromedary was despatched to the boat's assistance and brought her safely back with the rescued men..