At 1.10 A.M. on the 30th December a telephone message was received from the Coastguard at Shingle Street, stating that a vessel to the southward was burning big flares.

In response the steam Life-boat City of Glasgow was sent out. The Coxswain sighted the flares as soon as he had cleared the harbour, and made for the vessel. The barge Agnes and Constance, of Rochester, bound from Yarmouth to London, was found in a leaking condition, having been in collision with another vessel. The master stated that he did not wish to abandon his barge, and, at his re- quest, the Life-boat took the barge and her crew of three hands into safety..