At 10 P.M. on the 3rd March the Coastguard received a telephone message from the Kentish Knock Light-vessel stating that a vessel was making distress signals on the Kentish Knock Sands. Within a quarter of an hour the No. 1 Life-boat Eliza Harriet was launched and on her journey—a distance of nearly twenty miles. At daylight they saw a large steamer and made for her; the Life- boatmen were at once engaged to try and salve her. They started to jettison the cargo of iron ore, and after working until 2 P.M. succeeded in getting her afloat. They then returned to Margate, arriving at 8.30 P.M. The steamer was the King- ford, of Newcastle-on-Tyne, and was bound from Malaga to West Hartlepool.

She carried a crew of twenty-two hands..