POET ERIN, ISLE or MAN.—At about 3 P.M. on the 26th August, during a whole W.N.W. gale, the fishing-boat Fear Not, was seen to miss stays and drift towards the rocks. The Life-boat William Sugden was immediately launched, but before she could reach her the fishing-boat was on the rocks, a total wreck, only five minutes elapsing between the time the boat commenced to drift and being dashed on to the rocks. The Life-boat approached the weather at the time was unusually bad, and the service was an excellent one, in recognition of which the Committee of Management granted each of the crew double pay.

NEW BRIGHTON, CHESHIRE.—A fierce westerly gale swept the Mersey during the early hours of the 27th August, and at about 4 A.M. the large dredger Walter Glynn, belonging to the Docks and Harbour Board, was capsized near the wreck as near as it was possible, and searched the wreckage, but failed to find any sign of life. Two of the vessel's crew, unfortunately perished, but the four others managed to get ashore. The Coxswain, having satisfied himself that nothing further could be done, proceeded, in answer to distress signals, to the smacks Expert, of Castletown, and Milky Way, of Port St. Mary, and saved six men from the former and seven from the latter. Shortly afterwards, the Expert parted her cable and was driven on shore, becoming a total wreck. The North Wall, Liverpool. She had a crew of sixteen on board. Some of the men clung to the upturned dredger, but others managed to get ashore, whilst two, unfortunately, lost their lives in the attempt. At 4.30 A.M. a telephone message was received at New Brighton, reporting the casualty, and the steam Life-boat Queen was promptly des- patched. On reaching the vessel the Coxswaiu found that she was aground, with several men clinging to the upper part of her. As the vessel lay with her bottom towards the wall, and too near in for the Life-boat to attempt to get to leeward, the Coxswain was compelled to approach her from windward. The Life-boat's movements were much im- peded by the wreckage and the vessel's top hamper, consisting of dredging- buckets, masts, funnels, etc. With con- siderable difficulty and after four un- successful attempts, the Coxswain managed to get off all the remaining men, five in number, dragging them one by one through the water. One man had been severely injured, and required careful handling and skill in getting him into the Life-boat. The Coxswain, having made sure that there were no signs of life either on the wreck or in the vicinity, proceeded to New Brighton and landed the rescued men. This was an excellent service, carried out in a whole gale and at considerable risk owing to the close proximity to the sea- wall and to the wreckage, and the Committee of Management awarded the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum to WILLIAM CROSS, the Cox- swain, and granted him and each of the crew additional pay.

ALDEBURGH, SUFFOLK.—At 11.30 A.M.

on the 28th August a barge was observed riding at anchor about a quarter of a mile from the shore between. Orfordness and Aldeburgh. She was labouring heavily, with the sea washing over her.

A signal of distress was made a"nd the No. 2 Life-boat Edward Z. Dresden was immediately launched. The Life-boat- men found the barge was the Resurga, of London, bound from the Humber to London with coal. The captain reported that his anchor was dragging and that he wanted help to recover it, as he feared his vessel would ground. The crew of three hands were all ready to leave her. The Coxswain considering it would be possible to save the vessel, put five men on board, the anchor and cable were slipped, and the barge got under way. Accompanied by the Life-boat, they took her to Southwold Harbour, arriving at 5 P.M.

NORTH DEAL and RAMSGATE, KENT.

—At 10.15 A.M. on the 29th August a barque was observed from Deal ashore on the Goodwin Sands. The Life-boat Charles Dibdin was promptly launched and proceeded to her assistance. She proved to be the barque Henrich, of Larvik, with a crew of ten hands, bound from Antwerp, partly loaded.

Some difficulty was experienced in boarding her, but when accomplished the Life-boatmen were engaged to save the vessel. The sea at this time was so heavy that the Life-boat was unable to lie alongside; she therefore anchored close at hand, and subsequently laid out an anchor from the vessel. When the tide flowed the barque was hauled clear and taken into the Downs. Shortly after the vessel had been seen from Deal, the Gull Light - vessel commenced to fire signals, and the Ramsgate Life-boat Charles and Susanna Stephens put to sea.

When she reached the barque she found the North Deal men already engaged in salving the vessel. She stood by in case any further assistance should be required, and when the vessel got clear of the sands returned to her station.

CAISTER, NORFOLK. — The schooner William and Alice, of Hull, whilst bound from that port to Grays with a cargo j of coal, stranded on the Cockle Sand on I the 31st August. The crew of the No.

; 2 Life-boat Nancy Lucy were assembled and the Life-boat launched. On arrival at the schooner it was found that she was hard aground. The master declined any assistance, but the Life-boat stood by for about two hours, while a tug, which had also come to the schooner, made efforts to tow her clear. At the end of this time the vessel floated, and the Life-boat returned to her station.

CAISTER, NORFOLK.—The No. 1 Life- boat Covent Garden was launched at 1.45 P.M. on the 4th September, the Coastguard having reported a vessel was making distress signals. It transpired that the ketch barge Empress of India, of. Ipswich, whilst bound from Sunder- land to London with a cargo of bottles, was overtaken by a violent northerly gale when off Caister and sprung a leak. Signals of distress were made, and the Covent Garden Life-boat put off in a very heavy sea. On reaching the vessel it was found that she was water- logged, and the four persons on board, including the master's wife, were rescued as the vessel was sinking. As the weather was too bad for the Life-boat to attempt to land at Caister, she pro- ceeded to Yarmouth, where the rescued people were landed, wet through and exhausted. A very gratifying letter of thanks was subsequently received from the master of the barge, in which he spoke in high terms of the service rendered him.

GORLESTON, SUFFOLK.—At 12.30 A.M.

on the 5th September, during a whole N.E. gale with very heavy sea, it was reported to the Coxswain of the No. 2 Life-boat Leicester that a vessel was ashore on the North Bank. The Life- boat was launched and proceeded to the vessel, which proved to be the steam drifter Test, of Lowestoft, with ten hands aboard. She was hard aground about 100 yards north of the North Pier. The Life-boat anchored and veered down to her, when the master at once engaged the services of the crew and that of a tug to try and get his vessel afloat. Life-boatmen were put on board," an anchor run out, and with the flood making she was towed off and taken into safety.

ALDEBURGH, SULPOLK.—At 8 A.M. on the 14th September a barge was seen drifting ashore about half-a-mile from Thorpeness. The assembly signal was at once fired and the No. 2 Life-boat promptly launched. The life-saving apparatus also proceeded to the scene of the casualty, but was unable to get into communication. The crew of two men were rescued by the Life-boat, which then stood by for some time to see if it would be possible, with the assistance of a tug, to save the craft.

1 After two hours' waiting, all attempts were abandoned, as the sea was too heavy in the prevailing easterly gale.

The barge, which was the Monarch, of London, eventually became a total wreck.

RAMSGATE, KENT.—At 5.35 A.M. on the 18th September it was reported that the Gull Light-vessel was firing guns, and also that a steamer could be seen on the Goodwin Sands. The Life-boat .Charles and Susanna Stephens promptly proceeded in tow of the Harbour tug to sea. On arriving at the vessel the Life-boat went along- side and offered assistance, which was accepted. The steamer was the Stain- Imrn, of Workington, carrying a crew of nine, bound from Newcastle to St.

Helen, Isle of Wight, with coal. The crew had got all their effects ready for leaving the vessel, but were advised to remain on board. The steamer had stranded earlier in the morning and had been bumping heavily. An anchor was laid out, and as the flood made heavy seas broke-over the steamer. At 8 A.M.

ropes were successfully passed to the tug and by the united efforts of the tug and the Life-boatmen the vessel and her crew were eventually saved.

SOUTHEND-ON-SEA, ESSEX. — On the 2nd October, during a strong S.W. gale, it was reported that a steamboat—the Dulce of Alercorn—was driving down towards the pier. The Deputy Pier- Master was informed, and it was deemed advisable to assemble the crew of the Life-boat James Stevens No. 9, in readiness. On arriving at the pier- end the crew found the Managing Director of the company to which the vessel belonged. He was very anxious about the safety of the vessel, as she was short-handed, the Skipper and Chief Engineer being ashore, and he re- quested the Coxswain to put him and an engineer on board. The Life-boat was manned at 8.55 P.M., and the two men were taken off. The Life-boat then returned to her moorings.

GORLESTON, SUFFOLK. — At about 2 A.M. on the 3rd October, the Cox- swain of the No. 1 Life-boat Mark Lane was called up and informed that a vessel near the North Bank had dragged her anchors, and was burning flares for assistance. He hastened to the Boathouse, and found the crew had already assembled. The Mark Lane was promptly launched, and in tow of a tug she proceeded to sea. It was blowing a hurricane at the time from the S.S.E., but an hour later the wind flew round to N.W. and blew a whole gale. A course was shaped for the vessel, and getting to windward, the Coxswain, anchored and veered; down to her. The vessel proved to '• be the Dandy barge Lord Nelson, of London, carrying a crew of four hands, ! bound from Hull to Maldon, Essex, with a cargo of coal. She. was in a ; sinking condition, but the master stated ; that with the help of the Life-boat j and tug he hoped to save her. Five Life-boatmen were put on board and com- munication was established between the tug and the barge, a wire hawser being | eventually made fast. The vessel was then towed into a position of com- parative safety until daybreak. At 5.40 A.M. the tide was favourable, and the barge and the Life-boat were safely ] towed into harbour, and the former was taken up the river and beached.

i NEWHAVEN, SUSSEX.—At 8 A.M. on : the morning of the 6th October, the j Coastguard reported that a steamer j was ashore under Telscombe Cliffs in i a dangerous position. It was decided j to launch the Life-boat, and she pro- j ceeded to the stranded vessel, which was found on the rocks within six feet I of the cliffs. The Coxswain of the Life- boat asked the Captain if he required assistance, and he' requested the Life- j boat to stand by until high water, when ! an attempt would be made by tugs to j tow the vessel off. The Life-boat j accordingly remained with the vessel, and some hours later the tugs succeeded in towing her off. The Life-boat then returned to Newhaven. The vessel was the steamer Progress, of Hull, bound from Jersey to Newhaven in Ballast.

ST. DAVID'S, PEMBROKESHIRE. — j Shortly after 1 A.ji.onthe 13th October j a deplorable disaster overtook the St. j David's Life-boat, Gam, after she had ! rescued three men from the ketch j Democrat, of Earnstaple. j The Democrat was riding with her j two anchors down on the night of the 12th October, when the prevailing moderate N.N.E. gale increased, and the master, fearing that his .anchor would drag, made signals for assistance.

The crew of the Life-boat 'were assembled, and in a heavy sea the boat was launched. The night was very dark and it was then blowing a full gale from N.E., with occasional showers.

After two unsuccessful attempts the Life - boat got alongside the vessel, which was in close proximity to a dangerous reef of rocks known as "The Bitches." The three men on board were taken into the Life-boat and orders given to sheer off. Although the crew pulled hard they were unable to straighten the Life-boat's head up against the wind, sea and tide, and she was rapidly swept towards the reef.

Seeing that it was impossible to pull clear the Coxswain made an effort to manoeuvre his boat through a narrow passage, which in the darkness was only discernible by its foam, the sea in the whole of the vicinity being described as " boiling mad." Unfortunately, in attempting to make this passage the Life-boat struck on a rock, and all the men were thrown out, some on to the rock and some into the sea, the Life-boat being washed away and totally wrecked.

Fifteen men, including tbe crew of the Democrat, succeeded in getting upon the rock, but JOHN STEPHENS, the Coxswain, and two other Life-boatmen were not seen again until their bodies were picked up. On land nothing was known of the accident until about 9 A.M., when one of the men on the rock burnt some oil-skins to attract attention.

SYDNEY MORTIMER, a fisherman, hearing that an accident had happened to the Life-boat, at once called for volunteers to go to their assistance. SAMUEL GUPPY and SAMUEL HUSK, two Coastguardsmen, promptly responded, and the three men put off in a shore-boat in a very heavy sea. When they reached the vicinity of the rock the sea was too rough for them to attempt to approach it, and the men. on the rock were too exhausted by exposure and the hardships they had undergone to allow of an attempt to haul them through the sea from the rock to the boat. Mortimer therefore decided to stand by until the tide had fallen.

Four hours later he took five men off and landed them on Ramsay Island. He then returned and took five more ashore, and was going back a third time when another boat, which had put off at about 3.30 P.M., manned by ELEAZAR JAMES and four other men, rescued the re- maining men. In the meantime those on shore had done all that was possible, and had telegraphed for the Fishguard motor Life-boat, Charterhouse. That boat was promptly manned, and in face of a sea described as running mountains high, proceeded upwards of sixteen miles to the help of their comrades in distress.

Although the Charterhouse was not in time to take any of the men from the rock, her arrival was most opportune, as the boat manned by James and the four other men was frail, and she was in imminent danger of being swamped, and was not under control. A rope was thrown to the boat, and the Life- boat towed her into safety. An hour later the rescued men, who had been landed on Ramsay Isle, were brought to St. David's. Many of the survivors were so exhausted that they were in a state of collapse. Restoratives were administered, and everything possible was done for their comfort.

The deepest sympathy was felt by all for the relatives of the three brave men who had risked and lost their lives to save their fellows. A fund was opened locally for their benefit, and to this the Institution contributed 2251., at the same time passing a vote of deep sympathy.

The gallant conduct of SYDNEY MORTIMER and the two men who accom- panied him met with the highest com- mendation from all, and the Committee of Management awarded votes of thanks inscribed on vellum, together with pecuniary rewards, to each of them, while Mortimer's heroic conduct was especially distinguished by the award of the silver medal of the Institution.

Monetary rewards were also made to the men who went off in the other shore boat, and additional rewards were granted to the crew of the Fishguard Life-boat, .whose splendid work was performed in very severe weather.

It is very gratifying to be able to record that the St. David's Life-boatmen showed their appreciation of Mortimer's gallantry by electing him, in spite of his youth, their Coxswain Superintendent, in place of poor Stephens, who had lost his life in the performance of a noble service nobly rendered.

The cost of the Fishguard Life-boat was presented to the Institution by " Carthusians," past and present, and after the service the Coxswain, J.

Howells, received the following tele- gram :—" Well played, sailors ! Boys congratulate you.—Girdleston, Charter- house, Godalming." Mr. WALTER J. VAU«UAN, the Fish- guard Honorary Secretary, also received the following letter from the Rev. Dr.

G. H. Rendall, headmaster of Charter- house :—" Please convey to the Life- boatmen, our heartfelt appreciation of the gallantry and seamanship shown in the thrilling experience which they have just passed through. The hour of trial has come early in the boat's career, and we rejoice that the men who are asso- ciated with the name we love have exerted themselves so heroically and so successfully to cover it with new honour.

I trust that there are 110 fatalities or serious injuries to the crew of the ' Charterhouse.' The boys will be in- terested in all they can learn of the doings and welfare of the crew." WEXFORD, Co. WEXFOBD.—On the 13th October, during a strong N.E.

gale with a rough sea, signals of distress were seen at 6.30 A.M. from the smack Vivid of Wexford, which had stranded the previous day about three-quarters of a mile W.N.W. of Kosslare Point. A messenger was despatched on a bicycle to summon the crew and the Life-boat James Stevens No. 15 proceeded to her assistance. When Hearing the vessel the Life-boat took the ground and was obliged to wait until the tide made ; she then went alongside and took off the crew of four men, who were in an ex- hausted state, having had neither food nor firing all night. The men were landed, supplied with dry clothing and food, and later in the day put on board a dredger which took them to Wexford..