SEAHAM, DURHAM.—Towards midnight on the 31st Dec., 1898, signals of distress at sea were observed off this place, and when the New Year broke, the Life-boat SJcynner was on her way to render help to the vessel which had displayed them. The weather at the time was thick but calm, . following a strong S.E. wind which had prevailed throughout the day, and the sea was rough. The vessel which was reached at 1 A.M. was the s.s. Niord of Flanders, bound from that port for New- castle, and had stranded about a mile and a half N. of Seaham harbour, the seas washing over her. On nearing her the Life-boat's anchor was let go, the boat veered alongside and succeeded in saving the crew of eleven men. An endeavour was then made to recover the anchor, but it was found that the cable had fouled the rocks, and it had to be cut so as to ensure the safety of the Life-boat, which was in danger of being thrown broadside on. The vessel became a total wreck.

The following gratifying letter appeared in the Newcastle Daily Chronicle of the 7th January :— THE WBECK OF THE "NIOKD." To the Editor of the "Daily Chronicle." " SIR,—On behalf of my crew, who have now left, and myself, I beg to offer my best thanks to the captain and members of the Seaham.

Life-boat crew, the captain and members of the Seaham Life Brigade, for their timely assist- ance ; Mr. Kelly, agent for the Shipwrecked Mariners' Society; Mr. Smith, harbour-master, and the few people at whose hands I received the best of treatment the night our vessel came ashore. ,lYours &c., "F. EASMCSSEN," Seaham Harbour, " Master s.s. Niord." 5th January, 1899.

HOLYHEAD.—On the 2nd January a wind blowing with hurricane force from W.N.W. prevailed, accompanied by a very heavy sea, and the steam Life-boat Duke of Northumberland was called out three times to assist vessels which were in danger. At 4.30 P.M. the Life-boat left her moorings, proceeded to the schooner Ann Jane and rescued her crew of three men. She was dragging her anchor and afterwards parted her cable and became a total wreck on Penrhos beach. The boat returned to her moor- ings at 5.25, and five minutes afterwards was called out to a coal hulk which was reported to be in a sinking condition, and on board which were two of the crew of the ketch Gauntlelt, which had drifted from her anchorage on to the rocks at Salt Island. The two men had managed to jump on to the hulk as their vessel passed it. Having landed them, the Life-boat was moored alongside the L. & N.W. Railway Co.'s quay, owing to the violence of the gale, at about 6.15.

At 7.30 the third call was received, signals of distress being shown by the s.s.Ballinbreich Castle and the barquentine Millie Bain. From the former five men were rescued, and from the latter seven men. Both vessels were in the Outer Roads and were dragging their anchors.

These men were safely landed about 9 o'clock, and the Life-boat was then moored in the inner harbour in conse- quence of the continued severity of the storm, and on the following day returned to her usual moorings.

NEW BRIGHTON.—The steam Life-boat Queen left her moorings at 6.50 P.M. on the 2nd January, while a whole gale was blowing from N.W., with squalls and a very heavy sea, in response to signals of distress which had been shown in the direction of Crosby. The s.s. Voltaic, of Belfast, bound for Liverpool, was found on the beach stranded near the No. 8 gas-buoy; at the request of the master the Life-boat stood by until the vessel floated at 12.45.

BEMBRIDGE, ISLE OF WIGHT.—A vessel having been observed stranded on Bern- bridge Ledge, the Life-boat Queen Victoria was launched at 8.50 P.M. on the 2nd January and proceeded through a rough sea, the wind blowing a strong gale from W.N.W., to the scene of the casualty.

The vessel was found to be the schooner Rosalie, of Calais, bound from Boulogne for Rochefort with cement. She was full of water and had every appearance of becoming a total wreck. Her crew of five men and a boy were taken into the Life- boat and were brought safely to land at 11.30.NEW QUAY, CORNWALL.—On the morn- ing of the 3rd January the coastguards reported that a three-masted steamer was at anchor, S.W. of Trevose Lighthouse, flying the Italian ensign half-mast high.

The Life-boat Willie Rogers was therefore launched at 8.45 and proceeded with all possible speed to the vessel, which was in a most dangerous position. A moderate gale was blowing from W.S.W., there was a very heavy ground swell, and the weather was thick. Two of the Life-boatmen boarded the vessel, which proved to be the Voorwaarts, of Amsterdam, bound from Cardiff for Genoa. She had apparently been disabled by stress of weather, but very little information could be obtained, as none of those on board could speak English. It appeared that the casualty had occurred in a very heavy gale from N.W. at 3 o'clock on the previous after- noon, and that the master and ten of the crew had left her, in two boats, and had not since been heard of. The ship had seventeen feet of water in her hold, and it did not seem possible that she could remain afloat for any length of time. It was therefore arranged that the steam-tug Dragon which had arrived should stand by her until the morning, the Life-boat taking off the remainder of the crew, nine men, and safely landing them at 7.30 P.M.

On the following morning the vessel being still afloat, the Life-boat again went out to her, taking back the nine men, and an attempt was made to take the ship to Swansea. On boarding her it was found that the water during the night had increased by one foot. The men belonging to the vessel, assisted by some of the Life-boatmen, jettisoned about twenty-five tons of the cargo so as to lighten her, and the tug Dragon and s.s. Olivia succeeding in towing her to within fifteen miles of Lundy. At 5 P.M. one of the tow ropes parted, and in getting another on board a hole was knocked in the bow of the Voorwaarts ; she became unmanage- able, and in a short time was seen to be settling down. The men on board there- upon signalled to be taken off, and the ship was abandoned, the Life-boat being towed by the Olivia to Ilfracombe, where she arrived at 10.45 P.M. One of the ship's boats drove ashore at Mawgan Forth, being literally smashed to pieces' on the rocks, but no trace of any of her crew could be seen.

FlSHGUARD, PEMBROKESHIRE.----While a whole gale was blowing accompanied by a heavy sea on the night of the 2nd January, signals of distress were shown by the schooner Leander of Carnarvon, laden with meal from Paisley for Glou- cester. Her anchors had fouled in consequence of a sudden change of wind and she was drifting into a dangerous position. The Life-boat Appin was launched at 7.40, proceeded under oars to the vessel and rescued the crew of three men, who were safely landed at the new pier, Goodwick, at about 8.30.

WHITELINK BAY, ABERDEENSHIRE.— After a fine morning on the 5th January, a sudden and terrific squall was ex- perienced, accompanied by a heavy shower of snow and sleet. Soon afterwards the coxswain of the Life-boat Three Brothers observed a fishing-boat in distress off Rattray Head, and he at once summoned the Life-boat's crew. Two other distressed boats were afterwards seen. At 12 noon the Life-boat was launched, and in about twenty minutes overtook the nearest boat, the Good Hope, of Fraserbnrgh, and ten minutes later another boat, the Good Design, also of Fraserburgh, was also reached. Each of the boats had a crew of three men. Both boats were taken in tow, part of their crews being taken into the Life-boat, which being qnable to return to her station owing to the severity and direction of the gale made for Peter- head. She was towed by a steam-tug belonging to that port the last two and a half miles and subsequently back to her station. The crew of the third fishing- boat failed to observe the Life-boat bearing down on them and ran their boat ashore at Rattray Head.

GOURDON, JOHNSHAVEN, MoNTROSE AND ARBROATH. — A strong gale suddenly sprung up on the east coast of Scotland on the morning of the 6th January and the fishing fleets were compelled to return as quickly as possible to the harbours.

As some of the boats would incur con- siderable risk in entering their ports, the Life-boats Theophilus Sidney Echalaz, Meanwett of Glenbervie, Robert Hender- son, and William Souter were launched and remained in attendance until the fishermen were in safety.CASTLETOWN, ISLE OF MAN.—At noon on the 12th January intelligence was received that a vessel had hoisted signals of distress in Derbyhaven Bay. The Life-boat Thomas Black was taken on her carriage to Darbyhaven, where she was launched and was fortunately suc- cessful in saving the crew of three men from the ketch John Parry, of and from Beaumaris, bound for Ayr with a cargo of slates. A whole gale was blowing from W.S.W. and the sea was very heavy.

In fact, the weather was the worst ever experienced by the Life-boatmen, and in recognition of their admirable services on this occasion an extra reward was granted to them by the Institution.

BROADSTAIRS.—The Life-boat Frances Forbes Barton was launched at 3 P.M. on the 12th January in a very rough sea, the wind blowing a whole gale from W.S.W.

veering to N.N.W., with rain squalls, a signal of distress being shown by the three-masted schooner Julia, of Lancaster, laden with slates from Antwerp for Exmouth. On reaching the vessel, which was five miles S.E.of the North Foreland, the master stated that a steam-tug in trying to speak him had come into collision with the schooner, carrying away the latter's bowsprit and jib-boom and damaging the b3ws. He asked that the anchors might be slipped and that the Life-boat might remain by until Ramsgate was reached. It was evidently impossible for the vessel, in her damaged condition, to proceed under sail, and the captain, acting on the advice of the Life-boatmen, secured the services of a steam-tug. Her anchors were slipped, after buoying them, and the vessel was towed, with the Life- boat astern, in the direction of Ramsgate, it being intended to take the harbour at the tide, but the gale increased and it was considered imprudent to attempt to enter at night; therefore the tug continued to tow her throughout the night, in the teeth of the gale, the seas breaking over the Life-boat the whole of the time, until 9.30 in the morning, when the harbour was safely entered and the schooner made secura. She had a crew of five persons.

The Life-boatmen, who had been exposed for eighteen hours to the fury of the heaviest gale they had ever experienced, then proceeded on the return journey to her station, arriving there at 10.45 A.M.