The Yar- mouth Life-boat men were exposed for more than eleven hours to the fury of a strong S.S.E. gale and heavy sea, in connection with the wreck of the barque Erna, of Arendal, which became un- manageable when off Yarmouth, on the llth November. The barque was bound from Kramfors, Sweden, to Yarmouth, with a cargo of timber, and had practi- cally reached her destination when mis- fortune overtook her. About 10.30 A.M.

her anchors parted, and she commenced to drive towards the beach. The Life- boat John BurcJi was promptly launched, and shortly after she reached the barque a tug also arrived. Communication was effected, and an attempt made to tow the distressed vessel clear, but in the gale which was raging and the strong ebb tide, the vessel took charge, and both vessel and tug, with the Life-boat in attendance, drifted towards the Bar- ber Sands. Happily they cleared the sands, but the tug being unable to hold the barque, they drifted eleven miles up the coast. In the evening, when the wind had moderated somewhat, and the tide had turned, another tug went to the vessel, and she was brought back to the Yarmouth Roads. An attempt was made to enter the harbour—it was then shortly after 9 P.M.—but the hawsers were carried away, and before anything further could be done, the barque stranded on the North Sand, and even- tually became a total wreck. Directly she stranded, the Erna commenced to bump heavily ; the Life-boat, therefore, without delay, took off eight of the crew and landed them about 10 P.M. on the north beach. Four hours later, when the men were somewhat rested, the Life-boat was re-launched, and taken back to her station, having performed an excellent service..