Shortly after five o'clock on the evening of the 24th December, a schooner anchored near to the Clipera Rooks, and a few minutes afterwards signals of distress were made by those on board. The steam Life-boat Duke of Northumberland was immediately ordered out, and on reaching the schooner the Master stated that he and the crew wished to be landed. The five men and their dog were accordingly taken off and conveyed ashore. It was blowing a whole westerly gale at the time, and the vessel was dragging her anchors very fast. Shortly before 10 P.M., when the Life-boat had returned from per- forming a service to another vessel, the Master asked the Coxswain if steps could be taken to try and save his schooner. The crew of the vessel then re-embarked in the Life-boat and were placed on board together with three Life-boatmen, and a tug having been engaged, she was eventually towed into safety. The vessel was the schooner Fortuna, of Truro, bound from Liver- pool to Falmouth with a cargo of coal at the time.

At about 7 P.M., shortly after the crew of the Fortuna had been landed, the schooner Olive Branch, of Truro, was seen making her way up Holyhead Bay, and as it was seen that she was drifting towards a lee shore, the Life- boat proceeded to her assistance. On reaching the vessel, the Master requested the Coxswain to obtain the services of a tug, and this was done. The tug at once went to the schooner, and with the assistance of some of the Life-boatmen, succeeded in bringing the vessel and her crew of four men into safety..