'At 5 P.M. on the 6th December a telephone message was received from H.M.S. Hannibal request- ing the Life-boat to proceed to the as- sistance of a vessel which had stranded on the Skerries. The Motor Life-boat John A. Hay was dispatched without loss of time, and on reaching the vessel found that she was the steam-trawler Orsina, of Hull, which was being used as a mine-sweeper. A moderate S.E. gale was blowing at the time and a very rough sea was running, and when the Life - boat arrived the weather was rapidly becoming worse. Two of the Life-boatmen were placed on board, and the Life - boat then stood by for upwards of four hours, when the vessel was successfully refloated and taken into safety. It was very dark at the time of the launch, and the service was rendered both difficult and dangerous through the lights in light- house, buoys, and beacons being ex- tinguished..