the
vessel go, and she went on the rocks. A few minutes had barely passed
when another vessel was descried, a brig, which made for the harbour,
missed it, and was driven on the same fatal rocks a few yards south of
the barque. The alarm-gun was fired, and the members of the Tynemouth
_Volunteer Life Brigade_ were quickly at the scene of disaster. The
rocket apparatus was fired, and a line passed over one of the vessels;
but other anxious eyes had been on the look-out that night, and soon the
salvage boat _William_ was launched at North Shields, and the South
Shields men launched the Tynemouth lifeboat. The _Constant_ lifeboat
also put off to the rescue. It was getting dark by that time, so that
those on shore could not see the boats after they had engaged in strife
with the raging sea. Meanwhile part of the crew of the barque were
saved by the rocket apparatus, but those of the brig did not know how to
use it, and they would certainly have perished had not the _William_ got
alongside and rescued them all. While this was going on a third vessel
was driven ashore on the Battery Rock. The South Shields lifeboat made
towards her, succeeded in getting alongside, and rescued the crew.

A mile west of Folkestone Harbour a brigantine, laden with rum and
sugar, went ashore, broadside-on, near Sandgate Castle. The ever-ready
coastguardsmen turned out. A Sandgate fisherman first passed a small
grapnel on board, then the coastguard sent out a small line with a
lifebuoy attached and one by one the crew were all saved--the men of the
coastguard with ropes round their waists, standing in the surf as deep
as they dared to venture, catching the men who dropped, and holding
their heads above water until they were safe. But the gallant
coastguardsmen had other work cut out for them that night. Besides
saving life, it was their duty to protect property. The cargo was a
tempting one to many roughs who had assembled. When the tide receded,
these attempted to get on board the wreck and regale themselves. The
cutlasses of the coastguard, however, compelled them to respect the
rights of private property, and taught them the majesty of the law!

Elsewhere along the coast many vessels were wrecked, and many lives were
lost that night, while many more were saved by the gallant lifeboat
crews, the details of which, if written, would thrill many a sympathetic
breast from John o' Groat's to the Land's End; but passing by these we
tur