LLANDUDNO, CARNARVONSHIRE.—At 1.45 P.M. on the 1st January a signal of distress was shown by two men in a fishing-boat two miles off from land in Llandudno Bay. The men, father and son, had gone out to their fishing lines and were overtaken by a sudden rising of the wind blowing from the west, which nearly caused the swamping of their boat. They fortunately had a bucket in the boat and were able to keep her afloat until help reached them.

The Life-boat Theodore Price was launched very promptly and the men were rescued, their boat being towed in nearly full of water. In the freshening wind the sea became very rough, but the Life-boat behaved splendidly.

CARDIGAN, CARDIGANSHIRE. — The Life-boat Elizabeth Austin was launched at 9.15 P.M. on the 1st January in answer to signals of distress from a vessel midway between Cardigan Head and Cardigan Island. There was a strong westerly breeze and a rough sea. On reaching the vessel, which proved to be the ketch Kattie Darling, of Cardigan, with a crew of three men, it was found she was dragging her anchors and drifting towards the rocks. The men were rescued and conveyed ashore, the vessel being left to her fate. Fortu- nately the anchors held and the vessel did. not become a total wreck, but was taken into the river the next day.

SELSEY, SUSSEX.—The Coastguard, at 8 A.M. on the 2nd January, reported that a vessel was ashore on the west end of the Mixon. Reef, and the crew of the Life-boat Lucy Newbon were quickly assembled and the boat launched. They found the barquentine Waterwitch, of Portsmouth, loaded with coal and bound for that port, had stranded in the pre- vailing iog and was bumping heavily.

Owing to the strong flood tide and head wind it took the Life-boat some time to get to the vessel, but on reaching her it was thought prudent to stand by her as she was in a very dangerous poskion, and with a heavy ground swell running.

Later in the day a tug from Little- hampton was able to tow the vessel off in a leaking condition, and the crew being no longer in danger, the Life-boat returned to her station, arriving shortly before 5 P.M.

CAISTER, NORFOLK.—During a very thick fog on the 5th January a message was received from the Cross Light-vessel by wireless telegraphy stating a steamer was ashore on the sand. The crew of the No. 1 Life-boat Covent Garden were assembled and the boat launched. The sea was smooth at the time, but there •was a heavy swell on the saads. After searching for half an hour in the fog the Life-boat fell in with the s.s. Orkla, of Leith, bound from that port to Alexandra with a general cargo, on the sand with three tugs in attendance.

The captain asked the Coxswain to stand by until high water, when the vessel floated; the Life-boatmen were then engaged to assist to save the vessel and took her to Yarmouth Road, where she anchored.

PALLING, NORFOLK.—In smooth but thick weather on the 6th January a telephone message was received from the Coastguard stating that a steamer was ashore at Horsey Gap. The crew and helpers of the No. 2 Life-boat Hearts of Oak were assembled and the boat sent to her assistance. She found the s.s. Swansea Say, bound for Portugal in ballast, in the position described. By the request of the master the Life-boat stood by the vessel and her crew assisted to lay out an anchor, by which means the vessel was eventually floated. The Life-boat then returned to her station.

RAMSEY, ISLE OF MAN.—At about 4.45 P.M. on the 8th January a flare was observed E.N.E. of the Harbour from a schooner riding about a mile off.

The Life-boat crew were summoned and the Life-boat Mary Isabella was quickly alongside the schooner, which turned out to be the Glide, of Belfast, bound from Connah's Quay with bricks. Two anchors were out but the cables were foul, and the men on board feared dragging, as there was a strong gale blowing from S.W. with a heavy sea running. Whilst the crew, four in number, were being rescued, a steam trawler fell across the schooner's bows and carried away her bowsprit, placing the Life-boatmen in considerable peril.

They got clear, and returning to Ramsey landed the rescued men at 6 P.M.

HOLY ISLAND, NORTHUMBERLAND.— At about 1.30 P.M. on the 9th January the Life-boat Coxswain with a large number of men witnessed the breaking away from their moorings of two boats anchored in Holy Island Harbour, one being the cutter Alma, of South Shields, and the other the ketch Fingal, of Dublin. A very strong W.S.W.

gale was blowing, with a very heavy sea, and the boats were liable to the double danger of collision and stranding on the rocks. The Alma managed to barely clear the rocks but stranded on a sandy beach, where she was attended by shore-boats. The Life-boat Lizzie Porter was smartly launched and in five minutes was alongside the Fingal, which had been brought up by her anchors.

The Life-boat stood by the vessel for two hours.

LLANDDULAS, DENBIGHSHIRE.— Shortly before noon on the 9th January, the schooner Gwalia, of Drogheda, bound from Liverpool with coal, was observed in the Bay showing signals of distress.

The crew of the Life-boat Brother and Sister were at once summoned, and although they were mostly in their different places of worship the Life-boat was promptly launched. In the teeth of a westerly gale the boat was rowed to the sinking vessel. The whole of the crew, six in number, were rescued and brought ashore, amid much excitement amongst the large crowd assembled on the beach. The sea was very rough at the time of the rescue, and after the men were saved the schooner stranded.

POOLE, DORSET.—On the evening -of the llth January, considerable anxiety was felt for the safety of fourteen fishing boats belonging to Poole, the south- westerly wind having suddenly increased to a whole gale whilst they were out at sea. Many members of the Life-boat's crew were in the boats, but a crew was obtained and the Life-boat City Masonic Club launched to their assistance. On reaching the boats she stood by them and accompanied them into port, the last one arriving at about 10.30 P.M. For- tunately all the boats got in safely, but many of them had their sails and gear carried away, and had a very narrow escape.

WALMER, KENT.—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.

PETERHEAD, ABERDEENSHIEE. — The steamer Lady Bessie, of Aberdeen, whilst on her way to Peterhead, stranded in the South Bay on the evening of the 13th January. A strong S.S.W. breeze was blowing and the sea was rough. In response to a telephone message re- porting the casualty and the vessel's signals, the Life-boat George Pickard, was sent to her assistance in tow of a tug. On nearing the wreck the Life- boat anchored and veered down to her, but the captain of the vessel preferred to land the crew by means of the ship's boat, although warned of the danger.

He declined the help of the Life-boat; she therefore stood by until all were in safety and then returned to her moorings.

CLACTON - ON - SEA and WALTON-ON- NAZE, ESSEX.—About midnight, on 14th January, signals of distress were ob- served from a vessel apparently ashore on the Gunfleet Sands, and a telephone message was sent to the Gunfleet Light- house, asking for information. Shortly afterwards further signals were seen and the Light-house also fired rockets. The crew of the Life-boat Albert Edward, at Clacton, and of the James Stevens No. 14, at Walton, were promptly summoned and' the Life-boats proceeded to the sands. They found H.M. tug Diligent with a lighter in tow, bound from Har- wich to Sheemess, aground on the S.W.

part of the sand, and the captain gladly availed himself of the services of the Life-boatmen to try and float his vessel.

At low water they ran out the vessel's large bower anchor with a steel hawser attached, and when the tide made, eventually succeeded in getting the vessel clear.

The Life-boats then returned to their stations.

PAKEFIELD, SUFFOLK.—During moderate weather at 5.35 A.M., on the 14th January, flares were observed in the direction of the Newcombe Sands.

The crew of the Life-boat The Two Sisters, Mary and Hannah, were promptly called out and the boat launched. The vessel proved to be the ketch Salacia, of Lowestoft, homeward bound from fishing, but she was hard aground, with her mainmast carried away. At the request of the master Life-boatmen were put on board, and later on the Life-boat succeeded in towing her clear, when she proceeded to Lowestoft Harbour.

PIEL, LANCASHIRE.—The steam trawler Dorothea, registered at Thors- haven, Faroe Islands, left Fleetwood for the fishing grounds early in the morning of the 16th January, but stranded on the west end of Walney Island, shortly after 3 A.M. The vessel was then in no immediate danger, but she was kept under observation, and later in the day tugs were ordered to go to her assistance.

Shortly afterwards the vessel began to fill with water and hoisted a distress signal. The Life-boat Thomas Fielden, was promptly despatched to her assist- ance. A strong and squally S.W.

breeze had been blowing and this in- creased to a moderate gale, causing very rough and broken water. A tug towed the Life-boat to windward of the vessel where she anchored and veered down.

Considerable difficulty was experienced by the Life-boat in getting alongside the trawler, and just before doing so a heavy sea washed one of the crew out of the Life-boat, but he was fortunately recovered at once.

Ten men were aboard the trawler and all were successfully rescued, the vessel having every appearance of becoming a total wreck.

GOKLESTON, SUFFOLK.—Shortly before 1 A.M. on the 23th January the Coast- guard reported that signals of distress had been fired by the St. Nicholas Light-vessel. As quickly as possible the crew of the No 1. Life-boat Mark Lane were assembled, and the Life-boat, in tow of a tug, proceeded to sea. From the master of the Cross Sand Light- vessel the Coxswain ascertained that two steamers had been in collision, and had steamed slowly away to the south- ward.

The Life-boat and tug proceeded in that direction, and fell in with the steamer Helene Lohden, of Stromstad, from Leith to Boulogne with coal, which had been in collision with the steamer Restitution, of Liverpool, with sixteen hands on board. As the former was leaking badly, the Life-boatmen quickly ran ropes from her to the tug, and, with the Life-boat in close attendance in case of emergency, the vessel was taken into harbour and berthed for repairs. During this service a strong N.N.W. gale was blowing, with a heavy sea, .and, but for the timely assistance, the vessel would probably have been lost.