— At 8.35 A.M. on the 12th March a telegram was received from Milford - on - Sea, stating that a small vessel was labour- ing heavily in a dismasted condition, and displaying signals of distress. The crew of the Life-boat Robert Fleming were at once assembled and the boat was launched. She proceeded to Mil- ford Bay where she found the cutter yacht Coo, of Southampton, with one man on board, in a very bad position.

The Life-boat took the yacht in tow and proceeded towards Yarmouth, but meeting the full force of the strong ebb-tide she made hardly any progress.

Subsequently the Government boat Crystal took the Life-boat in tow to Yarmouth, where the Coo was left. The Life-boat then returned to Totland Bay.

It was eventually ascertained that the Coo had been in tow of another vessel but broke adrift when near the Needles, and the towing vessel saw no more of her. At the time of this service there was a strong southerly wind blowing, with a rough sea..