LIFEBOAT MAGAZINE ARCHIVE

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Queen of the Fleet

On the afternoon of the 13th January a ketch was seen to anchor off Southsea -Castle and close to broken water, and as she was near to the shore and possibly bumping it, the coxswain of the Life-boat Heyland was informed, the crew were summoned and the vessel was watched. A gale was blowing from W.S.W., the weather was thick, with rain at intervals, and there was a heavysea. A little while afterwards she signalled for assistance, and at 5.50 the Life-boat was launched, and on reaching the vessel found she was the Queen of the Fleet, of Portsmouth, bound from Plymouth for Leith, with a cargo of china clay. Her sails had been blown away, she had lost her main boom, and she had sustained other damage. She was striking the ground, and as she was leaking badly, the master requested that some of the Life-boat men should board her and assist at the pumps. This was done, a tug was signalled for, and with her help the vessel was taken into the Camber, arriving at 10.45 P.M..