On the after- noon of 12th November, two vessels, the schooner Island Maid, of Belfast, and the brigantine Angele, of Brest, while endeavouring to enter Padstow Harbour, in a strong "W.N.W. gale accompanied by a heavy sea, struck on the Doom Bar, and became total wrecks. The Life-boat Arab was launched at 4.45 P.M. and proceeded to the schooner. She successfully rescued the crew of five men and landed them at about 5.50 P.M. While this rescue was being carried out the other un- fortunate vessel struck the bar.

As soon as the shipwrecked men from the Island Maid had been landed, the boat at once put off again with the same crew, and the Coxswain did his best to encourage the men to make an effort to reach the brigantine. But in the gathering darkness and the terrible sea which was breaking over the bar in the vicinity of the wreck, they failed in the attempt and the boat returned ashore.

As soon as he reached the land the Cox- swain called for volunteers to aid him in the noble work of rescue, the regular crew being unfit to make any further exertions. As long as there were lives in danger on the vessel the Coxswain, with a dogged determination which stamps him as a real leader in the hour of danger, resolved that, if possible, those lives should be saved. A large crowd had gathered where the Life-boat came ashore; but in spite of the call for help, little assistance was at first received from the spectators. The' fine spirit of unselfishness and the manly courage which the Coxswain showed, however, inspired some of those around him, • and on the arrival of Captain Martin, of the Institution steam-tug, and a police constable named Turner, the necessary number of men were obtained, and the Coxswain and his gallant crew of volunteers put off in the terrible sea which was running. By a desperate effort they succeeded in reaching the wreck, which by now was completely submerged, the rigging alone remaining above water.

One man only was to be seen, and he was rescued and conveyed ashore. The survivor was found to be the captain of the brigantine, the four other men constituting the crew having been washed overboard by the tremendous seas shortly after the vessel had struck ; so that no lives were actually lost owing to the failure of the first attempt to reach the ship.

The following account of the wreck appeared in the Western Morning News two days later:— " The Island Maid was bound from Llanelly to Cherbourg with 220 tons of coal, and the Angele was laden with coal and bricks from Swansea to L'Orient. The latter left Swansea on Friday, and all went well until about eleven o'clock on Sunday morning, when the vessel was off the Longships. The captain states that the sea was very heavy, and the fact that the vessel had sustained some damage prompted him to put back before the wind. The crew, however, insisted on the vessel being run for shore in some port or cove.

They refused to go up channel, and he thereupon made for Padstow. They had noticed that the Island Maid was in the same difficulty as themselves, and was also making for Padstow. The vessels struck the Doom Bar about 5.30. Half an hour from the time the lights were put up the whole of the crew of five, including the captain, were washed off the French ship by a huge wave. The skipper, however, managed to grasp a rope and pull himself back aboard his vessel. He had served out Kfe-belts to the crew some hours before, and, in addition, the members of the crew had made a raft of barrels. The captain also placed the ship's papers in a keg, and they have been washed ashore and picked up by the coastguard.

" Life-boat Coxswain's Story.

" To the Coxswain of the Arab (Life- boat) praise is due for his gallant efforts.

He lives at the Cove Station, and he told a representative of the Western Morning News yesterday that at 5 o'clock on Sunday afternoon he received a message from England, the signalman at Mawgan Porth, that a vessel, appa- rently in distress, was being driven towards Padstow. ' Of course,' he said, ' if T think anything is in distress I must go at once, whether they are flying signals of distress or not.' As soon as he received the information he fired the rocket calling the crew, and got off to the Island Maid as soon as possible.

They rescued her crew, and just at that time the Angele struck. The Arab put back and landed the rescued men—all residents of Arklow. The Arab then put out to the French vessel, but failed to get near her, and returned at 6.30 to report the unsuccessful attempt. Then, aftei; a consultation. . . . the Cox- swain. . . . fired a rocket for a voluntary crew, which was obtained. It com- prised, in addition to Baker, P.O. Turner, Messrs. W. Jermyn, J. Fuller, and C.

Brinham (fishermen), Coastguardsman Coles, Messrs. A. Mitchell, J, Pope, W..

Watson, and Joe Atkinson (of the steam- tug Helen Peele), and Messrs. F. Rey- nolds, J. Horst, and W. 5 Cook (of the Milford steam-drifter Chanticleer).

"This crew with difficulty reached the French vessel, and the captain dived into the water and swam towards the rescuers.

" The bodies of the four unfortunate men have been picked up on St. Minver sands, across the harbour from Padstow.

Three were found on Sunday night and one yesterday morning.

" Wm. Jermyn, one of the volunteer crew, told our reporter yesterday that if the skippers of the vessels had been acquainted with the harbour he thought they could easily have avoided the Doom Bar, but they were strangers, and knew little or nothing of the coast. The body of the poor fellow who was found yester- day morning was devoid of clothing, which had apparently been stripped off by the action of the waves. From the time of the completion of the volunteer crew until the rescue of the French captain was effected only forty minutes elapsed.

"Another prominent member of the volunteer crew stated that the steam Life-boat James Stevens went down with eight of the crew on the occasion of the Peace and Plenty disaster. Several of the crew of the Arab were also members of the crew of the James Stevens, and they said if they got over it would be difficult to get back. Baker then sent for volunteers, and the Milford steam- drifter offered seven men. Townsmen were forthcoming, however, and only three of the Milford crew were accepted.

The French captain jumped off and swam towards the Life-boat, and ex- plained as best he could that the other members of the crew had been washed overboard. . . . Everyone speaks highly in praise of the behaviour of the volunteer crew." The Committee of Management, at their following meeting, expressed their high appreciation of the gallant con- duct of Coxswain Baker and his volun- teer crew, and awarded him the Silver Medal of the Institution, and to each member of the crew the thanks of the Institution engrossed on vellum, in addition to a monetary reward. They also decided to bring the gallant action of Police Constable Turner to the special notice of the Chief Constable of the county of Cornwall. Also to report to the Admiral Commanding the Coast- guard and Reserves the gallant conduct of coastguard T. Coles, who formed one of the crew of this occasion..