The Express.
London, England, 1862-12-22 00:00:00

LIFEBOAT SERVICES.

THIJBSO, N. 8., Dir. 19.
Last night we were visited with a very heavy
gale of wind from W.N.W. to N.W., which increased to
• violent storm. Great fears were entertained for the
safety of the shipping In Saabeter Raids, and the co:-
swain sad the crew of the Thurso lifeboat, belonging to the
National Lifeboat Institution, were on the lock out ell
night in case the ser►roes of the boat might be required.
So dreadful was the storm that the steamer Prince Consort
broke adrift in the harbour and had to steam in the bay
the whole night and day. About 1 o'clock this afternoon
signals of distress were hoisted from • schooner in
the bay. The utmost dispatch wee then used in
launching the lifeboat and in proceeding to the vessel. The
Ittihad succoaded in reaching the schooner, and took off in
safety the crew of three men, and brought them to shore.
The vessel proved to be the schooner Sisters, of Wick, laden
with stone.
The cost of this valn'.ble lifeboat, in conjunction with
two others, stationed respectively at Whitby and St. An-
drew; was presented to the National Lifeboat Institution
by A. W. Jaffrey, EN.. of St. Xildred's-eourt.

GROOM tORT, Co. DOWN, SATURDAY NIGHT.
The Rev. A. H. fd•Causland writes :—" A barque was
seen yesterday (Deo. 19) on the Antrim side of Belfast
and was observed afterwards to have petted one
anchor and dragged eight or nine miles to leeward, only
soaping the Briggs, and was nearing the Copland Island.
The Ulnae Jack was flying at the fore-top gallant mast-
head, and five flags from the mixen gaff to deck of the
vessel The lifeboat of the National Lifeboat Institution at
this place was immediately manned and succeeded in nem log
the barque, and on $ woad attempt got her second coxs-
wain slang on board through the sea. He was heard to
say afterwards that he had taken charge of the vessel and
would slip sad run south in order to as,. the barque. The
lifeboat behaved splendidly, and was ably handled by her
crew."
ST. IVES, Doc. 20.
_ .

The lifeboat of the National Lifeboat Institution went
oft from Perthnear Beach yesterday, during a strong gale
from N.W., and a sea so heavy that she would not have
been trusted in snob a position but for the wishes of the
crew, and more particularly of the coxswain, so as to prove
to the public that the boat would do her duty under the
most adverse circumstances. She shipped some heavy
seas, and at one time from ashore, where there were many
&salons gazers, she wee seen to drift about her length
macro. She swoon tared three tremendous billows, which came
rolling on, one close after the other, and which it appeared
impossible for any boat to keep ahead spinet, but no acci-
dent occurred: she went doggedly seaward, and finally
dropped around the island into the harbour. I cannot express
to you the admiration of the spectators of the boat and her
brave crew. Christmas is near, and the latter, poor men,
have been very appropri►tely rewarded by a small subscrip-
tion on the part of the committee and the public.
-

PORTHOW.;!I.2.Ihr. 20.

Last night (writes Captain Buah;o, R.N.) it blew • strong
gale from the N.W., with rain. Early this morning, still
blowing bard. a vessel was discovered at anchor to the east-
ward of the Soarweatber Sands, with mill ummt gone and
signals of distress flying. With all haste the Portheawl
lifeboat, belonging to the National Lifeboat Institution,
was launched through a heavy surf and despatched to the
rescue, and nobly did she and her crew behave, returning
in the course of two hours with the whole crew, consisting
of captain and eight men, with one passenger. The vessel was
the brigan tine Champion,timber laden, bound from Miemichi,
in North America, for Liverpool. The vessellstruck on the
Scarweather about midnight, and has received great damage,
the bottom being nearly out. And here I sincerely wish
that I could conclude, but the most melancholy part of my
communication has yet to be made—viz.:--That at the
seine time that the Champion struck, a brigantine like-
wise struck close to het, and was almost immediately
swallowed up on those fatal sands with all her crew. She
was from Quebec, and wu supposed to be grain-laden.
The cost of the Porthcawl lifeboat was presented to
the National Institution by a lady (M. A.C.S.).

A new bridge for the passage of railway carriages
over the Rhine has just been opened to the public at Nay-
ems. The length of the bridge from one aide el the river to
the other is 1,212 feet, sod it is said to have cost 3,003,000
tortes. This is the third bridge of the kind that has been
thrown o►er the Rhine within a few years. The two others
are at Cologne and Strasburg. It is said that two other
bridges are shortly to be thrown over the Rhine—one at
Mannheim, and the other at Coblente.

The body of tltudeuts at the Berlin University,
who this amnion number 1,95, intend nazi February to
celebrate the appeal to the people in the war d freedom and
foundation of the Lanclwehr by a mod torchlight proces-
sion to Brensberg and back. It may be rememband that
when the above mentioned appeal was made, awe bat erip-

plea were left to hear the !mimes at the university. The
students of that period took up arms to a man in &hum of
their country.