The Express.
London, England, 1867-12-04 00:00:00

THE HEAVY GALE.

WINTRRTON, NORFOLK, TURBDAY.
At daylight this morning (reports the Rev. Wm.
Green) a schooner, afterwards ascertained to be the Sophia,
of Colchester, laden with cement, bound for Tynemonth,
was observed stranded about a mile north of Winterton.
The Anna Mari► lifeboat, stationed at this place, belong-
ing to the National Lifebo►t Institution, was immediately
launched and succeeded in landing the two remaining
hands on board who were clinging to the rigging. The
septain's wife and a boy were lost some time before the
lifeboat was alongside the vessel. The wind has been
blowing here very heavily for the last forty-eight hours
from N. and N.N.E. We are much distressed at not
being able to render any assistance to a difunasted schooner
about two miles off. We can plainly distinguish half•s-
dozen men standing by the windlass as she rides most
heavily, nothing but a steam tug from Yarmouth can save
her.

SKEGNESS, LINCOL.NSHIEE, TUZSDAT Ninny.
Intelligence was received here yesterday (reports Wm.
Everington, Esq.) that the services of the Herbert
Ingram lifeboat of the National Lifeboat Institution
were needed at Ingoldsmell. On arriving there we found
that the Sutton lifeboat had followed the vessel there
and rendered the required assistance. The Skegness boat
wits about to return to her station when another vessel
was observed to be stranded. She was the Aunt, of
Easton, with grain for Goole, and she has become • total
wreck. The lifeboat took two men off the wreck, one of
whom is so exhausted that be is incapable of leaving here.
The lifeboat went again off to-day in • terrific sea, in ac-
cordance with signals, but she was of no avail this time.

SIITTORO, LINCOLNSHIRE, Tunnel' Mawr.
The Birmingham No. 1 lifeboat on this station has
again performed • very arduous bat successful service
(says R. Brooke, Esq.). Yesterday the lifeboat's:crew were
fortunately assembled ; the gale, which had been blowing
with great violence, was then at its height. About
noon a large brig was nen drifting along the coast
to the northward in • very distressed condition, her
mainmast gone, the whole of the remaining sails
blown to atoms and fhttiering in the wind,
signals of distress flying in the rigging. The lifeboat was
launched in the most tremendous sea that I have ever
seen off the comet. It was • long and arduous task to pull
through the surf but it brought out the good qualities of
both men and bolt in a most admirable manner. So huge
were the billows that the boat was often completely lost
to sight. At last sail was got on the boat, and
she started gallantly in pursuit of the distressed
brig. It was a most interesting and anxious
sight to see the chase—a race truly of life and
death. The ship at last struck on a jutting point of
land off Ingold Mills, about ten miles distant from Sutton,
just as the boat overtook her. A communication was then
effected between the ship and the lifeboat, ani the crew
of seven men were rescued, and brought safely ashore in
an exhausted state, and were very thankful for the help of
the lifeboat. The ship proved to be the Clarinda, of Sun-
derland, and was bound to that port from Ostend in bal-
last, and she had been overtaken by the gale on Sunday
when off Hartlepool She was thorougly disabled, and has
since broken away and driven completely oat of sight.

PORTRUSH, IRELAND, Simmer.
In the terrific gale commencing yesterday (and still
raging) the brigantine Vitrurius, of Liverpool, from Derry
to If aryport, in ballast, came to anchor in the Elkerriee
Roads, off Portrush (reports the Rev. J. Simpson) in •
dangerous position. The coxswain was called out of
church, who at once mustered the crew, and with the as-
sistance of the coastguard launched the lifeboat Zelinda,
belonging to the National Lifeboat Institution. They
had, however, not proceeded far when it was thought that
the shipwrecked crew had left their vessel, and they were
accordingly signalled to return to the shore, which they
did. The boat was launched a second time, but was
driven back by the fury of the gale. Again, a third time
she was launched, and happily succeeded in rescuing the
crew of six men, bringing them safely ashore amid great
rejoicing. We have not had such • gale for year*, and
God help our poor fellows at sea. Four of the men
rescued were married.

RAMSGATE, Turst)srirna HT.
Once more the lifeboat Bradford and steam tug Aid
have been instrumental in rendering good service to a dis-
tressed versel and her crew (states Captain Shaw). In •
fresh gale and and heavy swell, falls of snow and sleet—a
brig was observed apparently near the Goodwin Sands wi'h
• signal of distress in the main rigging, and soon afterwards
she was seen to cut away both masts. The tug and life-
boats immediately proceeded off to the vessel and on arriv-
ing there very heavy confused seas were breaking all round
her, and she was only riding by a single anchor, the other
having previously parted. The lifeboat was slipped from
the tug and made fast to the vessel, but broke adrift in
consequence of the violence of the wind and sea, and it
was only after great difEculty that the lifeboat crew were
enabled to put their tow line on board the brig. It was
then made fast, the vessel's anchor was alippQ, and she
was towed safely into Ramsgate harbour. She was
the brig Cruiser, of Hartlepool, having • crew of six
men, and was bound to that port from London in ballast.

The lifeboats of the Institution at Margate, Holy Island,
and North Sunderland (Northumberland), Withernses
(Yorkshire), Theddlethorps (Linoolushire), Blakeney, and
Yarmouth (Norfolk), Lowestoft, and Repengland (Suffolk),
Rye (Sussex), and Fiatguard (South Wiles) hays also been
out with the view of rendering assistance to the crews of
distressed vowels.

It will be observed that the lifeboats of this great and
national Institution have been incessantly ensard night
and day dories the resent heavy gales, and they have
resood nearly 900 persons from various shipwrecks.

A Naples letter of the 28th ult. says :—" Vesu-
vius k attracting thousand. of strangers from all parts of
Europe, who crowd the way up to the Hermitage. The
be.. of the mountain at night is illuminated with a multi•
trade of torch.. carried by explorers, and when viewed
from Naples prude.. a endow effect, which is increased
when the jet from the volcano launches forth dames mixed
with stones. Long observation leads to tbo belief that
this eruption will last about Qua* weeks."