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

GALLANT LIFEBOAT SERVICES.

A gentleman writing from Ardmore, on the
coast of Waterford, thus details the gallant ser-
vices of the lifeboat at that place, belonging to
the National Lifeboat Institution :
" Ardmore, Dec. 26.
" I beg to communicate a circumstance, which
I am sure will afford all supporters of the Royal
National Lifeboat Institution sincere pleasure ;
the lifeboat of its branch here being, under Di-
vine Providence, the means of saving from a wreck
that occurred in the bay this morning, seven men
of the schooner Diana, William Mathreich, captain,
from Bordeaux, laden with wheat and brandy,
struck on a low reef of rocks in this bay, about
600 yards fl.om high-water mark; the wind blow-
ing a whole gale ,from the south-east. Between
10 and 11 o'clock a.m., the tide being full out at
the time, the coast-guard, under the superinten-
dence of chief boatman Halse, promptly fired off
rockets to the vessel, but unfortunately they fell
short of her.
" The lifeboat was then called for, when, the two
first men who volunteered to go in her were Mi-
chael Twiney and James Fletcher. Mr. John
Roderick, a young gentleman on a visit here, anal
nephew of S. Bagge, Esq., also came forward im-
mediately, and in a short time a volunteer crew,
composed of the following men, had the boat
launched and went in her :—Mr. Roderick Halse,
chief boatirvAn ; Sheppard, boatman ; Stewart,
commissioned boatman, coast; guard ; Michael
Twiney, James 'Fletcher, Garret Keane, Corbert,
coxswain of the life-boat. They proceeded to the
wreck: wider the management of the coxswain,
Corbe-ct, and nothing could exceed the steady cool-
ness, daring intrepidity, and utter abnegation of
self, that actuated this crew in the performance of
what they considered a sacred duty, and heroically
they went forward in the face of a sea that might
'nave daunted many a 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 clear over the wreck. After
having me.de several attempts to near the •fessel,
they 'found it utterly impracticable to reach her
with any hope of saving life. In the meantime
they ohs) 3rved that the crew had attached a rope to
their ow n small boat, and had cast it adrift so as to
reach th e 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 hmiled her in. Then the lifeboat returned,
brought back, with skill and judgment, through a
surf and sea that I have scarcely seen equalled after
a resider ice of 22 years. The warp of the rocket
apparat us was then got to attach it to the rope
from tt Le vessel (here it was that the skill and
,judgme. nt of chief boatman Halse, and commis-
sioned boatman Stewart, were apparent). The
ropes rere then made fast and secured to the
lifeboat , and at a given signal from the shore
to the.iivreck, the crew of the latter hauled away
at the rope, and the life-boat was directed to
the eck, he men on shore bolding steadily
their rope. Never was beheld anything more fee-
ful than the attempt of the unfortunate cr- ..r-
-drop into the lifeboat when she got to ft
the sea running mountains high, and ' -Lie
ing in fast; one by
one,were
r eno in t
hfreoal lifeboat,a
fall
literal) y were tumbled into he- _anent risk, they
,-elvsel ;
to
ir • the tide corn-
r-
got a s evere contusion of :a ,
and one poor fellow
into th 9 boat. Seven r- ,no shoulder w
the ret naining mar en v
tirnidik y on his 4 was left behind, whether from
being ;; a the . own part, or the lives of the rest
.4
not b eel , balance, for I do believe, had the rope
woe' Cut by them at the moment it was,
they ?lave been lost, the boat was so fearfulelyy
ilanc4,e ! been
by the sea, striking the vessel every
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 heart-
felt satisfaction of beholding seven men rescued
from a watery grave.
" The tide coming in fast, and the sea, if possible,
greater, the wreck, after a little while, drifted in
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 endeavoured to
reach• the shore, which he happily did, by the
assistance of two men, who deserve the especial
notice of the 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. When all composing the crew I have
named evinced such 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 con-
duct of coxswain Corbert, chief boatman Halse,
commissioned boatman 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 admiration of the lifeboat, and expressed
the greatest confidence in her."
FILEY, NEAR YORK, Dec. 30.—During a heavy
gale of wind this morning the brig Gloucester, of
South Shields, coal laden, from Shields to South-
ampton, ran ashore in this bay. The lifeboat of
the Royal National Lifeboat Institution was imme-
diately manned and launched. She soon reached
the wreck, and took from her, to their great joy,
the crew of seven 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 completely. About six weeks since this valu-
able 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.
FOWEY, CORNWALL, Dec. 29.—We to-day, for
the first time, practically tested the utility of our
new lifeboat, the Catherine Rashleigh, belonging
to the National Lifeboat Institution. She behaved
most admirably in one of the severest gales we
have had on our coast for a long time past. Early
this morning the Coastguard discovered a schooner
at anchor in the middle of St. Austell Bay, the
wind blowing a perfect gale from S.S.E. making
all the western part of the bay a lee shore, and
without the possibility of the vessel running any-
where within the bay for shelter, or attempting to
weather the Gribbon so as to reach Fowey Har-
bour. She laboured heavily at her anchors. The
gale continuing to increase, the sea running high,
and the vessel pitched still more heavily, we
decided to launch the lifeboat, which, amid the
• cheers of the villagers, dashed over the foams
crested waves in gallant style. Her progress was
watched with great anxiety as she stretched across
the bay in the teeth of the gale and piercing
showers of sleet, until, the dusk prevented any fur-
ther observation. The lifeboat, after great diffi-
culty, reached the vessel about 5 p.m. She proved
to be the Liege, of Goole, in ballast, bound for
Charlestown, in the bay. The poor fellows were
glad to see the lifeboat, but declined then to aban-
don their ship. The boat returned to the shore at
6.30 p.m., when she was again put on her carriage
and made all ready, and the crew remained in the
boat-house during the night. This morning (Sun_
day), the wind having changed, the vessel was
found to bo out of danger.