SUFFOLK.—At 2.45 P.M.

on the 2nd May, 1901, the Cross Sand Lightship fired signals, which were repeated by the St. Nicholas Lightship, and in response the Life-boat Marie Lane was launched and was towed by the steam-tug Meteor to the East Cross Sand, where the s.s. Ossian, of Leith homeward bound from Bordeaux, with a general cargo, and having on board a crew of sixteen persons and one passen- ger, was found to be in a very precarious position. With the help of steam-tugs and the Life-boatmen, she was got clear of the sand, brought up in the roads, and subsequently taken into harbour.

HARWICH.—In reply to signals from the Cork Light-ship denoting that a vessel was on the Sands, the steam Life- boat City of Glasgow left her moorings at 7.5 P.M., on the 17th May, and pro- ceeded through a moderate sea to the assistance of the vessel, which proved to be the schooner Harriet, of Goole, laden with rice from London for Great Yarmouth. About five minutes before the Life-boat reached the spot, a beach boat from Woodbridge Haven had arrived and her crew had been engaged to render assistance. The Life-boat stood by until the schooner floated and no further help was required.

This was the first service rendered by the new steam Life-boat, and her behaviour and speed gave great satis- faction.

STAITHES, YORKSHIRE.—On the 18th May, the Life-boat Jonathan Stott was launched at 6.30 A.M., and remained in attendance until several cobles, which had been overtaken by a heavy sea, had safely reached the shore.

HOLYHEAD.—A telephone message having been received from the Break- water Lighthouse stating that a boat, containing one man, was drifting across Church Bay and was evidently in need of assistance, on the llth June, the coxswain of the Life-boat went to the coastguard station, and, with the aid of a telescope, saw the boat drifting help- lessly. A strong breeze was blowing from N.W., and the sea was rough.

He at once summoned the crew, and at 3.10 A.M. the Life-boat Joseph Whitworth was launched, and was fortunately successful in taking the man and his boat safely back to the shore.

While a moderate breeze was blowing from S.W., accompanied by a smooth sea and fine weather, on the 1st August, a message by wireless telegraphy was received about 5 P.M., stating that a steam trawler was stranded at Carmel Point. The Life-boat Joseph Whitworth was launched, and found the stranded vessel was the Goeland, of Liverpool.

The master asked the Life-boatmen to stay by him until he could ascertain whether it would be safe for him to proceed on his journey when the vessel floated. His request was complied with, the Life-boat remaining by the trawler until she reached the West Mouse, when no further help was needed.

On the 26th August a message by telephone was received from the South Stack Lighthouse, reporting that a schooner about six miles distant was signalling for assistance. The steam Life-boat Duke of Northumberland left her moorings at 12.20 P.M., and pro- ceeded through a very heavy sea, a strong gale blowing from N.W., to the vessel, which was found to be the Mabel, of and from Bideford, laden with clay for Runcorn. She, however, succeeded in getting into the harbour without any help. The Life-boat then went to the s.s. Barbadian, of Liverpool, homeward bound, in ballast, from Cape Town. Her engines had broken down, and she had anchored about half a mile from the end of the breakwater, in a very dangerous position. Two tugs were in attendance, and at the request of the master the Life-boat stood by and rendered assist- ance in taking lines to the tugs in order to get the hawsers on board, and in other ways, not leaving the vessel until she was taken safely into the harbour.

NEWQUAY, CORNWALL. — At about 5.10 P.M., on the 17th June, the Coast- guard reported that a vessel about four miles N. of Towan Head was in need of assistance. A strong breeze from N. was then blowing, the sea was moderate and the weather cloudy. The Life-boat James Stevens No. 5 was launched and proceeded towards the vessel; a fishing lugger, which hap- pened to be in the bay, also bore down on her, and found that her mainmast had broken at the hounds; both boats took her in tow and succeeded in getting her safely into the harbour. She was the ketch Annie, of Bideford, bound from Sydney for St. Agnes', with a cargo of coal.

ST. AGNES', ISLES OF SCILLY.—A large four-masted barque, the Falkland, of Liverpool, laden with wheat from Tacoma, Puget Sound, for Falmouth, in endeavouring to weather the islands in a moderate gale from S.S.W., a heavy sea and thick weather, on the evening of the 22nd June, missed stays, and was driven on to the Bishop Rock. One of her boats was lowered, and into this twenty-seven persons were taken, amongst them being the captain's wife and baby, but the captain and five of the crew unfortunately lost their lives, the vessel suddenly foundering about ten minutes after she struck the rock. The Life-boat Jamesand Caroline putoff to the scene of the casualty as soon as possible; took the ship's boat in tow, and her occupants landed at St. Mary's, where they were well cared for, several of them being in an exhausted condition.

WALMER.—The s.s. Cid, of and for Barcelona, laden with coal from the Tyne, stranded on the Goodwin Sands in a dense fog on the morning of the 6th July. Signals were fired by the South Sand Head Light-vessel in re- sponse to which the Life-boat Civil Service No. 4 was launched at 3.30 and proceeded to the Sands, but the fog was so thick that it was utterly impossible to discern anything and the boat there- fore anchored until about 7' o'clock when two musket shots were heard, fired close to her and the position of the vessel was revealed. She had one of her boats out and the crew therefore declined any help thinking they would be able to lay out a kedge anchor, but encountering heavy seas, their boat was nearly cap- sized and had to return to the steamer.

The services of the Life-boatmen were then engaged; they laid out a large anchor with about a hundred fathoms of wire hawser and ultimately the vessel, which was at one time in danger- ous proximity to the wreck of another steamer which had for some time been lying on the sands, was got off and was taken to the Downs where she was safely anchored.

YOUGHAL, co. CORK.—On the morning of the 16th July, the barque Pax, of Liverpool, outward bound with ageneral cargo, stranded about half a mile north of Knockadoon Head, having lost some of her sails, while a moderate gale was blowing from S.S.W., accom- panied by a rough sea. Information of the casualty having been received by the honorary secretary, the Life-boat Mary Luckombe was very promptly launched at 10.30 A.M., reached the vessel and stood by her for some time.

She was rolling and bumping heavily, but fortunately the ground being of a sandy nature she received no material damage, and an anchor having been laid out she swung to it as the tide rose and eventually got out of danger.

PETERHEAD.—At about 4.0 P.M. on the 25th July, information was received that a fishing boat was stranded at Scotston Head. A moderate breeze was blowing from N.E., there was a heavy swell and the weather was very thick. The Life-boat George Pickard was launched and being towed by the steam-tug Flying Scud, belonging to the Harbour Commissioners, reached the stranded boat and found she was the Advance, of Pittenweem. She had just managed to get afloat and was taken in tow by the tug, but the fishermen who were working at the pumps were unable to keep the water under; some of the Life-boatmen therefore went on board to assist in pumping and both boats were towed to the harbour, arriving about 6.30 P.M.

MOELFRE, ANGLESEY.—The schooner Edith, of Newry, bound from Liverpool for Drogheda, co. Louth, with coal, was lying in the outer roads while a whole gale was blowing from N.N.W., accom- panied by a very heavy sea and thick weather, on the 25th August. She was riding heavily at her anchors and her crew feared that her cables would part and that she would be dashed on the rocks at Llanddona, in which event there would be but little hope of the vessel or those on board being saved.

They therefore showed signals of distress, and at 12.35 P.M. the Life-boat tempo- rarily placed here during the absence of the Life-boat belonging to the station for repair, was launched and took the four men safely ashore. Fortunately the anchors held and the schooner safely rode out the gale.

REDCAR, YORKSHIRE.—On the 26th August one of the pilots went out in his boat, the Try Again, to bring back another pilot who was taking out a steamer. The wind, which was blowing from N.N.E., increased to a strong gale and a heavy sea sprung up, placing the boat in considerable danger and render- ing it absolutely impossible for her to return to the shore. At 3.30 P.M. the Life-boat Brothers was launched and sailed to the pilot boat, which was found riding at anchor off Marske and showing a signal for assistance. The man was taken into the Life-boat and his boat soon afterwards capsized.

NORTH DEAL.—On the 17th Sep- tember a strong gale blew from S.W., the sea was very heavy, the weather was thick and rain was falling. At about 2 P.M., a vessel was sighted on the south part of the N.W. Goodwin Sands, the crew of the Life-boat Mary Somerville were summoned and the boat launched. On nearing the sands, the anchor was let go and the Life-boat veered down to the vessel, which was found to be the barque Maria, of Venice, bound from Marseilles for Carls- crona, with a cargo of linseed cake. The mainmast had fallen, the wreckage was lying alongside the barque and the heavy seas rendered it very difficult to approach her, and the boat had her rudder con- siderably damaged by being dashed against the wreck. The crew of ten men were, however, got safely into the Life-boat, which then set sail and made for the Gull stream, where she fell in with the steam-tug Cambria, which kindly took her in tow back to her station. Three of the rescued men had been injured and were conveyed to the hospital.

Some boatmen went off to the wreck on the following day and took ashore some of the crews' effects and other small articles. They reported that the deck had burst, the vessel was full of water and was a total wreck.

RHOSCOLYN, ANGLESEY.—Intelligence reached this Life-boat station on the 8th December that a vessel was in distress in the offing. The Life-boatwas quickly got ready and launched and the following report subsequently fur- nished by the coxswain and verified by the letter appended to it, which was afterwards handed to the Life-boatmen by the master and crew of the wrecked vessel, shows what an admirable and timely rescue was effected by the Life- boat. The coxswain said :—.

"The Life-boat Ramon Cabrera left her moorings at 4 P.M. on Sunday, 8th Dec., 1901, blowing a whole gale from N.W. by W., proceeded to the schooner J. W. Wearing, of Lancaster, in distress about six miles S.W. of Rhoscolyn Point. On arrival at vessel made three attempts to get a line on board, then a very heavy sea struck the Life- boat, put her on her beam ends, she filled, but righted at once, and cleared herself of water. On our fourth attempt got a line on board schooner but it parted. Ultimately we got a line on board and made fast, then we got a second line on board as life-line, and pulled two of the crew through the sea to Life-boat; this line then parted.

The vessel was now within a cable's length of the Forth Saint Rocks, so I pulled the Life-boat up under her stern and the remainder of the crew (three men) jumped on board; I then got the sails up, and only cleared the Forth Saint Rocks by a boat's length. The vessel was driven on the rocks and broken into matchwood ten minutes after we got the three men off. Some of the crew got knocked about under the vessel's stern, we lost five oars, and got a hole in the side of the Life-boat." The following is the letter addressed by the shipwrecked men to the cox- swain of ,the Life-boat:— " We feel that we cannot leave Holy- head, perhaps never to meet again, without attesting and expressing our heartful and sincere thanks for the bravery of you and your crew in saving our lives from a watery grave on the evening of Sunday, the 8th inst., during the heavy gale and terrible sea and exposure, and also to testify to your splendid seamanship in handling your boat in the broken water and in the teeth of those terrible rocks, and un- questionably your courage and seaman- ship not only saved pur lives but those of your crew after coming into the boat.

Therefore please accept our heartfelt thanks, and convey the same to your brave crew, and may God bless all of you, and may you be spared to render similar service to our fellow-seamen.".

The Committee of the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION awarded the Silver Medal of the Institution and a copy of the Vote inscribed on vellum and framed, to the Rhoscolyn Coxswain, HUGH HUGHES, in acknowledgment of his general gallant services in saving life from shipwreck, especially on the above- mentioned occasion, besides allowing the crew double pay.

WALMER AND KINGSDOWNE, KENT.— On the 27th and 28th December, 1901, a heavy south-westerly gale prevailed in the Channel. The four-masted iron ship Mersey, of Grimstad, was driven on the Goodwin Sands, and in a very short time was engulfed. Happily, the crew of fourteen hands were rescued by the Walmer and Kingsdowne Life-boatmen.

The Mersey, which had been converted from a steamer into a sailing ship, was on a voyage from the River Plate to Goole, with a cargo of 1,400 tons of timber, used for dyeing purposes. In crossing the Atlantic she encountered severe weather, which strained the vessel a great deal. She drifted on to the Goodwin Sands early on Saturday morning. Shortly afterwards, as the vessel commenced to break up, the boats were lowered, but owing to the violence of the seas the crew were unable to take to them. Two tugs arrived, one from Dover and the Ramsgate Harbour tug Aid, but neither could get near enough to the doomed ship to take off the crew. In the meantime the Life-boats from Walmer and Kings- downe, the Civil Service No. 4 and the Charles Hargrove, had been launched, and after an arduous pull reached the wreck and took off the crew. The Mersey's masts and rigging had fallen before the crew left her, and the men had some miraculous escapes from in- jury. The Walmer boat landed her freight at Deal, whilst the remainder of the crew were put ashore at Kings- downe.