At about 3 P.M. on the 9th March the Coastguard reported that a fishing coble was ap- parently disabled and in difficulties about five miles to the east of Whitby.

The wind was blowing strongly from the W.N.W., and as darkness would soon be setting in and increase the difficulty of finding the distressed boat, it was decided to launch the No. 1 Life-boat Robert and Mary Ellis. In about an hour's time she reached the fishing-boat, which proved to be the Eliza Jane, of Whitby, with three men on board. The boat's rudder was broken and she was drifting on the strong flood tide. As her occupants were very much exhausted the boat was taken in tow, and after three and a half hours' tacking the Life- boat succeeded in getting the boat and the three men in safety to Whitby.

During the service the wind increased to a strong gale, and during the greater part of the time that the Life-boat was returning home she was sailing gunwale under. Great excitement prevailed on shore, as the men would certainly have been drowned had the Life-boat not gone to their rescue, and a large crowd had collected by the time they reached Whitby..