On the 16th October the HOD. Secretary of this branch received a telegram from the Coastguard Station north of Montrose that a vessel was standing for the harbour with a signal of distress flying. It was then Wowing hard from S.E., with a heavy sea on.

The No. 1 Life-boat Hinting Lane was at once ordered out, and proceeded to row- down to the river bar in readiness to board the distressed vessel when she ap- proached : this was at 4 o'clock. At 4.30 it was observed from the lighthouse con- tiguous to the Life-boat Station that the vessel was waiting off for assistance, afraid to approach nearer—a circumstance that the coxswain of the Life-boat could not observe—at the same time it was con- sidered that the crew appeared very much exhausted. The second Life-boat, the Roman Governor of Caer Hun, was there- fore launched, and she took orders to the No. 1 Life-boat to push out, if possible, and board the distressed vessel, while the No. 2 boat remained on the bar ready for any eventuality. After a severe struggle the No. 1 boat got alongside what proved to be the Russian three-masted schooner Emilia, bound from Cronstadt to Mont- rose. The vessel was so overladen with a deck load of timber that the crew were unable to properly navigate their vessel in such heavy weather, and bad no re- source, being then on a lee shore, but to run for a port with which they had no acquaintance. Hence the signal of dis- tress.

The Mincing Lane broke all the oars on one side and sustained other damage in boarding the Emilia,, which vessel was then wore off shore till the tide served, and finally run for the bar about 11 p.sr., and, notwithstanding the heavy sea, got safely into the river, her movements closely attended to the last by the No. 2 Life-boat. The Emilia had a crew of 9 men.