Tempes- tuous weather was experienced on the north-east coast during the last days of September, and the Swedish barque Princess Wilhelmina of Halmstad, laden with firewood from Kemi to Dundee, became embayed off St. Andrews. Fail- ing to pick up a pilot the Master attempted to round Fifeness to get up the Firth of Forth, but owing to the heavy seas he failed. About 11 P.M. on the 30th September he let go both anchors about five miles north of St.

Andrews. A terrible N.E. gale was raging, and at about 5 A.M. on the 1st October the port anchor parted. The perilous position of the crew was realized by those on shore, and although the other anchor was holding, the crew of the Life-boat John and Sarah Hatfield were summoned, and stood by in readi- ness. No distress signals were made on board the barque, but at 8 o'clock the cable finally parted, and the vessel drove towards the rocks near St. Andrews Castle. The rocket ap- paratus was quickly on the scene, and commenced to fire rockets towards the vessel. In the meanwhile the Life-boat had been hurried to the West Sands and launched. The men gave way with a will, and the thousands of onlookers who lined the cliffs had the satisfaction of seeing how fast the boat was urged forward on her errand of rescue. Before the rocket brigade had fired their third shot the Life-boat was alongside. The vessel lay amidst rocks—the scene of the loss, in 1881, of the ill-fated Merlin and all hands—in one of the most dangerous positions in the kingdom in which to take a Life-boat; but the bravery dis- played by the Coxswain, James Chisholm, and his crew was equal to the occasion.

Chisholm, with a confidence born of absolute knowledge of the dangers with which they were surrounded, handled the boat with the greatest skill, and it was due to his coolness and judgment that all the endangered men, nine in number, were saved without mishap.

With the men on board, the Life-boat returned to the West Sands and beached there, being taken back to the boathouse on her carriage.

The behaviour of the boat in the heavy broken seas gave the liveliest satisfaction, showing, as it did, the splendid instrument of life-saving which the Institution is enabled to place at the disposal of its fine crews.

For his gallant conduct and splendid seamanship on this occasion, the Com- mittee of Management conferred the Silver Medal of the Institution on JAMES CHISHOLM, and granted him and each of the crew an additional monetary reward..