The Express.
London, England, 1861-01-01 00:00:00

WRECK OF AN AMERICAN SHIP.

LIVERPOOL, Tcsso,ti.
The screw steamship Great Britain, Captain
Gray, from Melbourne, was reported off Voel Nant,
at 8 o'clock this morning.
The American ship Golden Star, from Mobile
for Liverpool, has been totally lust on the coast
near Wexford.

The captain, his wife and servant, and 15 hands
were drowned. The mate and 6 hands were
saved.

The cargo consisted of upwards of 3,700 bales
of cotton.

TEE PENINSULAR MAILS.

SOUTHAMPTON, MONDAY EvzwTNo.

The Peninsular and Oriental bompany's steamer
Tagus, with the above mails, has arrived. She brings 12
pamengers, 3,430/. in specie, 2701. in precious stones, and a
genera cargo.
The Tagus experienced strong westerly gales, heavy sea,
and innemant rain, throughout the voyage. She brings the
crew of the Cygnet, of Glasgow, which was lost at sea on
the 11th December, 400 miles northward of the Western
Islands.

At Lisbon her Majesty's ship Centurion, and several other
vessels lying in the Tagus, received considerable damage
during the heavy gale on the Kith December, by running
foul of each other.

At Lisbon, on the 27th December, exchange on London
was quoted 541; on Paris, 527 ; Amsterdam, 424; Ham•
burg, 48 ; Genoa, 526 ; Three per Cent. Rents; 474 ; ditto
Deferred, 374 ; Coupons, 464 ; Bank of Lisbon, 562 milreis;
the Commercial Bank of Oporto, 260 milusis ; the Mercan•
tile Bank of Oporto, 260 milreis.

THE BRAZIL MAILS.

LISBON, Ditc. 30.

The Royal Mail Company's steamer Magdalena,
with the above mails, arrived here this morning, en route
for Southampton.
She brings advices from Rio de Janeiro to the Bth inst.
Exchange on London wee quoted 27.

Total exports of coffee since the departure of the last
mail, 291,775 bags, of which 29,700 bap were for the
ChanneL Stock, 70,000 bap. Price of good first, 5,500 reis.
Freights to England, 50s. to 80a.
BAHL.—Exchange on London was quoted 24
Price of cotton, 7,800 xis.
PIERNAIIIIDCO. —Exchange on London was quoted 26g.
Price of sugar, 4,850 reis.
The Magdalena will leave for Southampton at 2 p.m.,
with 43 passengers and 27,7261. in specie.

GALLANT LIFEBOAT SERVICES.

A gentleman writing from Ardmore, on tile
eceat of Waterford, thus details the pliant memo's of the
lifeboat at that place, belonging to the National Lifeboat
Institution :

"Ardmore Dec. 26.
" I beg to communicate a circumrtance, which I am sure
will afford all supporters of the Royal National Lifeboat
Iratitutlon sincere pleasure • the lifeboat of its breach here
being, under Divine Provide;ce, the means of saving front
a wreck that occurred in the bay this morning, seven men
of the schooner Diana, William Mathreich, captain, from
Bordeaux, laden with wheat and
ibrrindid , struck on • low
reef of rooks in thelottkabout 600 from high-water
mark ; the wind a whole from the south-mat.
Between 10 and 11 o'cloc a.m., the tide being full out at
the time, the coast guard, under the superintendence of
chief boatman Halm, promptly and off rockets to the
I vessel, but unfortunately they fell short of her.
" The lifeboat was then called for, when the two fast men
who volunteered to go in her were Michael Twine and
James Fletcher. lir. John Roderick, • young gentlemen
on • elan here, and nephew of S. Beggs, Req., also came
forward immediately, and in a short time a volunteer crew,
composed of the following men, had the boat launched and
went In her. : —Mr. Roderick ale, chief boatman; Shop-
paid, boatman ; Stewart, commissioned boatman, coast
guard •, Michael Tenney, James Fletcher, Garret Keane,
Corbett, coxswain of the lifeboat. They proceeded to the
wreck under the management of the coxswain Goebert,
and nothing could emceed the steady molars, daring
intrepidity? and utter abnegation of self, that ac-
tuated this crew in the pedal:ones of what they eon-
' sidered a sacred duty, and heroically they went forward
in the face of • sea that might have daunted many
• stout heart.. The boat twice filled with water, but soon
emptied herself, such being the force and fury of the waves,
which broke at the same time plea over the wreck. After
having made pc:ttempts to near the vessel, they found
it utterly ice ble to reach her with any hope of
saving life. the meantime they observed that the crew
had attached a rope to their own smell boat, and had ant it
adrift so as to reach the shore. This small boat swamped
before it reached the shore, but three or four men rushed
out in the surf to their necks and caught the rope and
hauled her in. Then the lifeboat returned, brought
back, with skill and judgment, through • surf and sea
that I have scarcely seen equalled after a residence of
22 years. The warp of the rocket apparatus was then got
to attach it to the rope from the vessel (here it was that
the skill and judgment of chief boatman Halm, and ocm•
tensioned boatman Stewart, were apparent). The ropes
were then made fast and secured to the lifeboat, and at a
given signal from the shore to the wreck, the crew of the
latter hauled away at their rope, and the lifeboat was di-
teed to the wrech, the men on shore holding steadily
their rope. Never was beheld anything more fearful than
the attempt of the unfortunate crew to drop into the life-
boat when she got to the vessel ; the sea running moon.
tales high, and the tide coming in fast ; one by one,
at imminent risk, they literally were tumbled into her, and
one poor fellow got a severe contusion of the shoulder from
a fall into the boat. Seven men were now in the lifeboat,
the remaining man was left behind, whether from timidity
on his own part, or the 'need the rest bent in the balance,
for 1 do believe, had the rope not been cut be them at the
moment it was, they would have been lost, the boat was so
fearfully knocked about by the sea, striking the vessel every
instant. The men from the shore, the instant they saw the
rope cut and the lifeboat free, hauled away with a will, and
in a brief space we had the heartfelt satideetion of behold-
Wei seven men rescued front a watery gram.
' The tide coming in fast, and theses, if possible, greater,
the wreck. after a little while, driftedin nearer to the beach,
and when from 200 to 300 yards distant, the remaining
man flung himself off the wreck, on a small raft, and en-
deavoured to reach the shore, which he happily did, by
the assistance of two men, who deserve the especial notice
of the National Lifeboat Institution. The poor sailor was
evidently exhausted, being tossed by the surf in his anxiety
to retain his raft, when two men, commissioned boatman
Stewart, followed by the coxswain of the lifeboat Corbert,
rushed into the surf, caught hold of him, and brought him
in safe ; a third man, named Foley, also aided in bringing
him in. Where all composing the crew I have named
evinced suoh skill, forethought, steadiness, and humanity,
it would be invidious indeed to make any selection,
or draw comparisons' but I cannot help particularising on
this occasion, where there was such evident risk of life, the
clear thoughtfulness, prompt decision, and intrepid conduct
of coxswain Corbert, chief boatman Balm commissioned
boatmen Stewart, and Mr. John Roderick, as deserving of
all praise. I should remark that the Rev. Mr. Wale, the
Roman catholic clergyman of the parish, exerted himself
particularly, and afforded valuable aid in making the people
on shore render themselves useful. All spoke in Ramie.
Bono f the lifeboat, and expressed the greatest confidence in
her.

Fiter, NEAR Your, Dec. 30.—During a heavy gale
of wind this morning the brig Gloucester, of South
Shields, coal-laden, from Shields to Southampton, ran
ashore in this bay. The lifeboat of the Royal National
Lifeboat Institution was immediately manned and
launched. She soon reached the wreck, and took from
her, to their great joy, the crew of 11011113 men, who
were afterwards safely brought on shore. The lifeboat
behaved very well on the occasion ; and her transporting
carriage, sent here by the institution about a week ago,
answered admirably. The vessel had since broken up com-
pletely. About six weeks since this valuable lifeboat was
also instrumental in saving the crew of six men, of the brig
Flying Fish, of Whitby, which was totally wrecked during
a heavy gale of wind, in this bay.—Fowir, Coa.rwm.t.
DEC. 20.—We to-day, for the first tbs., practically tested
the utility of our new lifeboat, the Catherine
Reshleigh, belonging to the National Lifeboat In.
stitution. She behaved most admirably in one of
the severest gales we have had on our coast fora long time
past. Early this morning the Coast Guard discovered a
schooner at anchor in the middle of St. Austell Bay, the
wind blowing • perfect gale from S.S.E., making all the
western part of the bay • lee shore, and without the possi-
bility of the vessel running anywhere within the bay fur
shelter, or attempting to weather the °ribbon so an to reach
Fo•wey Harbour. She laboured heavily at her anchors. The
gale °motioning to increase, the sea running high, and the
reseal pitched still more heavily, we decided to launch the
lifeboat, which, amid the cheers of the villagers, dashed
over the foam-creeted waves in gallant style. Her progress
was watched with great anxiety as she stretched acmes the
Icy in the teeth of the gale and piercing showers of sleet,
until the dusk prevented any further observation. The life-
boat, after great difeaulty„ reached the vessel about 5 p.m.
She proved to be the Lel" of Goole, in ballast, bound for
Charlestown, in the bay. The poor fellows were glad to see
the lifeboat, but declined thee to abandon their ship. The
beat returned to the shore at 6.30 p.m*, when ~he was &glen
put on her carriage and made all ready, and the crew r..•
rnained in the boat-house during the night. This morning
(Sunday), the wind having changed, the vessel was found to
be out of danger.

The Royal Mail ateatuer Avon left Southatupt,,n
on Friday hat to convey troops from the West Coast of
Afriea to the West Indies, and to effect rehab on the West
India atatiuh.