CLACTON-ON-SEA, ESSEX.—The coastguard having informed the coxswain of the Life-boat Albert Edward, on the morning of the 2nd February, that signals had been fired by the Swin Middle Light-vessel, he summoned the crew, and at 5.30 the Life-boat was launched. On speaking the light-vessel the coxswain was informed that the signals had been fired in answer to those of the Mouse Lightship, and the boat at once proceeded in that direction and found the s.s. ' Dungonnell, of Glasgow, bound from Grangemouth for London, with coal, stranded on the Black Tail Spit. A whole gale was blowing from the E. and the sea was very heavy. The Life-boatmen were engaged to jettison the cargo, and they continued to do so until 5 P.M., when the sea increased to such an extent that it became necessary to batten down the hatches. At 7 o'clock the engines were put astern, but before high water they were choked with sand, and the ship did not move with that tide. At 9.30 the jettisoning was again commenced, and continued until 4.30 A.M., when one of the steamer's boats was launched and took a line to a steam-tug, by means of which a tow-line was brought to the vessel and made fast. At high water the tug succeeded in towing the vessel off the sand, and at once her anchor had to be let go so as to avoid collision with another vessel. The crew of the steamer, eleven in number, were so thoroughly exhausted that the Lifeboatmen were requested by the captain to get in the anchor and the sixty fathoms of chain attached; this they did by manual labour, no steam-power being available. The tug then towed the steamer in the direction of Gravesend, the coxswain of the Life-boat accompanying her, and the boat returning to her station, which was reached at 3.15 P.M. on the 3rd February, the s.s. Merlin, belonging to the General Steam Navigation Company, of London, kindly towing her part of the way..