LIFEBOAT MAGAZINE ARCHIVE

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Rochfort

Shortly before midnight, on the 3rd April, in- formation reached the Coxswain of the Life-boat Eliza Avins, that a steamer was ashore on the west end of Plymouth Breakwater. The weather was fine, but it was considered advisable to send the Life-boat to her assistance. On arriving at the steamer it was found that a Government tug ;was in attend- ance. The tide was then ebbing and the master of the steamer thinking that she might take a dangerous list asked that the crew and their baggage might be transferred to the tug. The baggage was accordingly put on board together with nine of the crew, the remaining five standing by on the steamer. After this was completed the boat returned in tow of tiie tug, the portion of the vessel's crew going in the tug to the dockyard. In going alongside the steamer tho Life-boat touched the rocks, but no damage was done.- Later in the day the steamer having been lightened was floated off and came in under her own steam. The steamer was the Bochefort, of Belfast, bound from Penarth to Devonport with a cargo of coal..