At 11.30 A.M. on the 15th November a tele- phone message was received stating that a barque was in a dangerous position to the south of Donaghadee, and in need of assistance. The Motor Life-boat William and Laura was promptly dispatched to the vessel's assistance, and just as she reached her the barque drove ashore on the Barkley Rocks, near Ballyferris Point. The vessel, which proved to be the barque Inverwrie, of Aberdeen, was bound from Belfast to Newcastle, New South Wales, with a cargo of rock salt, and carried a crew of twenty-two hands all told.

When the Life-boat got alongside twenty of the crew were taken off, but the master and mate refused to leave. The master, however, asked that the Life-boat should return as soon as the men then aboard had been landed. She accordingly did so, and when she again reached the vessel it was found that she had taken a heavy list to port and there was every indication that she would become a total wreck. The two officers were, therefore, promptly rescued. This service was performed in a very heavy sea and cold weather, a strong E. by S. gale prevailing at the time. As the Life-boat had to make two trips and the service was a meritorious one the Committee of Management granted the crew an additional monetary reward..