The Express.
London, England, 1855-02-02 00:00:00

PRESERVATION OF LIFE FROM

Yesterday i meeting of the general committee of
the Royal National Life Boat (late Shipwreck) Institution
was held at the Society's offices, John-street, Adelphi •
THOMAS CULPMAN, But., F.R.S. in the chair. We also
observed present Lord Henry Cholmondeley, M.P., Admiral
Bente C. Cater, Captain Ellerhy, the Rev. C. B. Gribble.
M Edward Harry, Req., Captain eHardy, R.N., Captain
Lambert Perron, Captain Shepherd, 11.0.8., Deputy Master
of the Trinity House, Francis Wilson, Req., and Captain
Ward, R.N., Inspector et Lifeboats to the Institution.
Mr. Lewis, the secretary, having read the minutes of
the previous meeting, the following rewards, amongst othus,
were ordered to be made:
A reward of 101. was voted to nine plot men of Arran-
more Island, Donegal, in testimony of their very laudable
and persevering services with a rope to the Crew of the ship
Marchioneu of Clydesdale, which was wrecked ea Os pia
coast of that place on the night of the 21st December lam
while blowing bard from the westward, with a heavy see,
very thick weather, and rain. It appeared that the ship
was from Quebec, with timber, bound to Glasgow, and had
not made land since her departure from America, nor
sighted the sun for several days previously. She struck late
in the evening,on the south end of the islead. Sseiag signals
of distress, the fishermen and islanders hastened to the re-
lief of the distressed crew,who were surrounded by breakers,
their vessel being in the midst of a heavy surf, and break-
ing up rapidly on • lee shore. Being • very dark night,
the crew were not in • position to save themselves
unaided by assistance frem the shore. This was promptly
and ably given by the poor fishermen, who, at the immi-
I nent risk of their lives, approached the vessel through the
surf, and though repeatedly washed off the rocks by its vio-
lence, they persevered in securing and bolding on the haw-
ser on which they hauled and veered as the vessel rolled in
the swell, and, aided by a traveller and hauling lines, ulti-
mately succeeded in bringing the entire crew of 18 men
safely on shore. The vessel broke up into small pieces im-
mediately after. In this affair, which reflects the highest
credit on all the parties, each exerting himself to the utmost
and victim with one another, as to who should be foremost
in saving life, Michael Rogers, as a leading man and direc-
tor of the others, appeared to have particularly distinguished
himself on the occasion.
A grant of 101. was voted in aid of • local subscription,
amounting to about 501., in acknowledgment of the gallant
service' rendered by four boats' crews on the occasion of
two recent cases of shipwreck near St. Ives, Cornwall. It'
seemed that early on the morning of the 20th December
last two schooners were seen approaching the port of St.
Ives in • severe gale of wind from the north. One of them,
the Swift of Exeter, laden with iron, ran aground near the
entrance of the harbour, in a heavy breach of the sea. The'
vessel speedily filled, and the crew betook themselves to
the rigging. In less than half an hour afterwards the other
vessel, the Concord, of Plymouth, coal laden, ran ashore
about 300 yards outside the Swift, and in a much heavier
breech of the sea. She also rapidly filled and sank, the
sea making a complete breach over her. The crew of this
vessel also took to the rigging, four men to the fore,
and • fifth to the main. Immediately after the Swift struck,,
the pilots, fishermen, and sailors launched a pilot gig, and •
large boat, used in the pilchard fishery, and nobly exerted
themselves, at the imminent risk of their own lives, to save
these of the shipwrecked and helpless crew. After several
dangerous unsuccessful attempts by both these boats, two of
the crew of the Swift were taken off and safely landed by
the gig. With the greatest courage and perseverance the
fish boat also rushed the vessel and rescued the remaining
four of the crew. It was now thought by most of the spec-
tators that there would be too great a danger for the men to
attempt to approach the Concord, over which the sea was
making a continued and heavy breach, but the brave
fellows, nothing daunted, but rather encouraged, and
spirited by the success of their previous efforts, and seeing
the poor sailors clinging to a precarious refuge,
which aught at any moment fail them, boldly addressed
themselves to their hazardous task. Two other boats of the
same description as the two former were now launched, and
manned by willing crews, eager to second the efforts of 1
their comrades, or to give them succour in cue of need,
all four went boldly to sea, but there was the greatest possi-
ble difficulty in bringing the boats near the vessel. At
length, after repeated unsuccessful trials, followed by re-
newed endeavours on the part of each boat's crew, the tow-
boat that took off four of the Swift's crew got under tins
bowsprit, was made fast to a rape connected with
it, and held on is a heavy surf until the men in
the rigging descended from the mast over the jib stay,
and dropped into the arms of their deliverers.
It was impossible to lay the tow-boat alongside
the vessel, and the captain had, therefore, to attempt to
cross from mast to mast over the jumper stay, in order that
he might descend as his crew had done into the boat below.
I Though greatly exhausted and benumbed, the poor man
bad nearly reached the fore cross-trees, when he unfortu-
nately took hold of • rope that was not made fast, which
failed him, and he fell into the surge and was swept away in
a moment.