Signals of distress called out the Life- boat Forster Fawsett at 4.40 A.M. on the 16th February. She found the steamer Chr. Ghristensen, of Copenhagen, ashore on the south end of the Longstone Island, where she had stranded whilst bound to the Tyne to load with coal for New York. The crew refused to leave the vessel, and at the request of the captain the Life-boat stood by until the next tide, when an attempt was made to refloat the vessel with the assistance of two tugs. These efforts proved unsuccessful and, as the weather was getting worse, the crew, nineteen in number, were saved by the Life-boat.

At the time of the service a strong S. gale was blowing with a very rough sea.