THE LIZARD, CADGWITH, COVERACK, and PORTHLEVEN, CORNWALL.—A disas- ter of such magnitude as seldom occurs on the coast of the United Kingdom took place off Cornwall on the night of the 17th March. Thanks to the prompt action of the Life-boats in the neigh- bourhood and the splendid discipline maintained on board it was happily unattended by loss of life.

In a dense fog at 10.30 P.M. the 3.S. Suevio, of Liverpool, ran on to the Maenheere Reef off the Lizard. The vessel, a White Star liner of upwards of 12,000 tons, was on. her way home crom Australia with five hundred and iwenty - four persons on board and carried a general cargo. There was a strong S.W. wind and a heavy sea at the time. The signals of distress were speedily responded to by the Life- aoats at the Lizard and Cadgwith Admiral Sir George Back and Minnie Moon, and further aid was summoned by telephone from Coverack, Porthleven and Mullion. Two of the ship's boats were lowered and promptly filled with women and children, but fortunately the two Life-boats arrived before they had proceeded far from the steamer, as they were in great danger owing to the officers in charge having no knowledge of the rocks all around them. The Lizard Life-boat took one in tow to Polpear, where, putting a Life-boat man on board, they slipped the boat close to the beach and returned to the wreck. The other boat was picked up by the Cadgwith Life-boat, and the Honorary Secretary o? that branch o£ the Institution, the Rev. H. Vyvyan, being on board, he jumped into the ship's boat, and, slipping the tow rope in order to allow the Life-boat to return to the vessel, successfully piloted the boat ashore through the rocky and dangerous channel. He then attempted to return to the steamer in the boat but the ship's sailors were not strong enough and the boat was thrown upon the rocks and stove in. Happily no life was lost but the boat could not be floated. The Honorary Secretary then awaited the return of the Lizard Life-boat with another load of passengers, when he again proceeded to the wreck, where he assisted generally and superintended taking the passengers on board.

In the meantime the other Life-boats, Constance Melanie and John Francis White, from Coverack and Porthleven, had arrived upon the scene, and the work of rescue was continued throughout the night. Between 3 and 4 o'clock in the morning the weather was at its worst, but neither this nor the intense darkness hindered the Life- boat men's hazardous task, and by noon the next day everyone was in safety.

Of the passengers one hundred and sixty were women and children, sixty of the latter being infants under three years of age, and the whole of this number were saved without accident.

Two seamen, named GEORGE ANDER- SON and WILLIAM WILLIAMS, specially distinguished themselves. They carried the children down the rope-ladders, and when the Life-boats, which were surging up and down, rose on the waves, dropped them into the arms of the Life-boat men, who tended them until the mothers were lowered over the side and, steadied by the men, were also skilfully dropped into the boats.

The indomitable pluck and persever- ance displayed by all during the service was much appreciated. Owing to the skilful handling of the boats no loss of life occurred, but when the work was over the battered condi- tion of boats' wales and their damaged hulls were speaking testimony of the task which had been so meritoriously carried out.

The lives credited to the respective Life-boats are as follows :— 227 167 44 18 Cadgwith Lizard Coverack Porthleven The remainder, 68 in number, were con- veyed in the ship's boats to tugs which were in attendance.

In addition to the monetary rewards granted to the crews and helpers amounting to upwards of 4001., the Committee of Management granted the silver medal of the Institution to the Rev. H. VYVYAN, the Honorary Secre- at Cadgwith, in recognition of his gallant and arduous services. A similar honour was bestowed on E. RUTTER, Coxswain Superintendent of the Cadg- with Life-boat, W. H. MITCHELL, Coxswain Superintendent and EDWIN MITCHELL, Assistant Coxswain of the Lizard Life-boat, and special pecuniary awards were given to the crews of Coverack and Porthleven Life-boats.

To the two seamen who took such a meritorious part in the rescue the silver medal was also granted, together with a monetary reward of ten pounds..