SOUTHEND-ON-SEA., ESSEX.—On the 12th January, while a strong gale was blowing from W. to W. by S., accompanied by a rough sea, notice was received from the pier-head that a vessel was stranded on Shoebury Sands about five miles east.

The Life-boat Theodore and Herbert was manned and put off at 5.30 P.M. An hour later the vessel was reached and found to be the barge Whitwell, of London, on a journey to Margate with a cargo of coal.

She was leaking badly and her rudder was disabled. The master engaged the services of the Life-boat men and they set to work at the pumps, got up the anchors and took her inside the Leigh sand to await the next tide, when she was brought up to Soutbend, arriving there at about 11.30 on the following morning. The Life-boat returned to her moorings at about 1 P.M., her crew having been away about twenty hours, the greater part of the lime being occupied in pumping the vessel. The barge carried a crew of three men.