At about 9.30 on the evening of the llth January, signals of distress were observed from a large ship ashore, or nearly so, on the main abreast of Walmer Castle. The weather was very bad with a rough sea and a strong S.W. by S. gale. The crew of the Life-boat Civil Service No. 4 were mustered and the boat launched. In doing so, owing to the heavy surf, the rudder was damaged and rendered use- less, but notwithstanding this the men proceeded to the vessel, steering the boat by means of sweeps and oars. They found the vessel in a very dangerous position, having lost one of her anchors and her sails being blown away. Eight Life-boatmen were placed on board and succeeded with the assistance of a tug in. saving the -vessel and her crew of twenty-two men. It was impossible to weigh the vessel's anchor, as the wind- lass was broken; the cable was therefore slipped, and the tug having made fast, towed the vessel to the Thames.

The vessel was the barque Formosa, of Glasgow, and was bound from Shields to San Pedro with a general cargo..