— On the 27th October the s.s. Gardepee, bound from Middlesborough to Nantes with a cargo of iron rails, stranded on the Holm Sands. As the Life-boatmen thought they would be able to save the vessel they obtained permission to launch the Life-boat Kentwell, and pro- ceeded to her assistance. An anchor was laid out, but all attempts that day failed to move the vessel, and during the afternoon the boat returned ashore.

The same evening she again put off to the ship and stood by until 3 A.M., when the men returned to harbour to get food. They went back again to the steamer at 8.30 A.M., but soon after they reached her a heavy gale, with a very rough sea, sprang up from the south- ward. As the steamer's position was then a very dangerous one, sixteen of the crew decided to leave her and were taken into the boat. The captain and five officers, however, remained on board in spite of every effort on the part of Coxswain Swan to dissuade them from doing so. At about 9.30 P.M. the same evening signals of distress were observed from the ship and once again the Cox- swain launched the Life-boat to the help of the men on board. When the boat arrived at the steamer it was found that the heavy seas had turned her com- pletely round, and some of the Life- boatmen were placed on board. A rope was then passed by the boat to a tug which was in attendance, and after she had towed for a short time the steamer was successfully refloated and taken into safety with those men who had remained on board..