By Commander STOPFORD C. DOUGLAS, R.N., Inspector for the Irish District.

THE passage of this boat from Cowes to Kingstown gave her a. test to which Life-boats are not often subjected.

Many'encounter much worse weather for short periods; few have had to con- tend •with the severe gales-which for,, a period of tien days followed in our wake.

I use the words "followed in our wake " advisedly. If they had been head winds, apart from the great delays involved, what was mere discomfort for officers and men would have speedily developed into abject misery.

It speaks well for the machinery and hull that I have not a single mishap to chronicle, and not once during the •whole time at sea -were the engines stopped to make good defects—a thing which might* reasonably be expected in a new boat. For this full credit must be given to Mr. Grant, Assistant Surveyor of Machinery. Assisted by Motor Mechanic Garner for part of the passage, and Motor Mechanic Magee for the remainder, his careful nursing of the engines achieved this striking success. For the rest Coxswain " Dan " Murphy handled the boat -with the skill one would expect from so fine a type of Irish seaman, and was ably supported by a very excellent crew of five men belonging to Kingstown.

The total distance covered was just short of 500 miles, and the actual hours at sea 67, giving an average speed of 7 '3 knots for the voyage.

~ The speed would have been greater but for the high seas and, more often than not, an adverse tide, with which we had to contend. A short winter's day—for the undesirability of navigation by night in a boat of this nature is obvious — does not permit of regulating one's departure to suit the tides. I therefore found it best practically to ignore them, and to confine myself to an ecstatic murmur of, " Glory be to Allah !" if the tide was in our favour, and a subdued " Kismet ! " if otherwise. This worked very well, and enabled one to keep cheerful under all conditions.

Our first day out from Cowes will live in my memory if only for the fact that it is the first time that I have seen an entire crew content — or, at 'any rate, resigned — to pass a whole day without eating. For myself, I fasted /also, though I carried things a bit farther, v for whereas the crew had a plus handicap of one breakfast, I had a minus handicap of the same as soon as we tasted the first of the gale ! One'a p$n is really inadequate to do- full justice to the discomforts of a trip in an open boat with practically no cover, no means of cooking food, and fewer opportunities of eating it even if it could.be cooked ;- and with, further, no space in which to take even the most restricted exercise. This latter made us feel the cold very much.

None the less, the experience was a most valuable one, and in & few months I shall possibly bring myself to believe that I enjoyed it. Never for one instant did the confidence of officers and men waver in the abilities of their boat, and the value of this can scarcely be over- estimated when one realizes that these same men are liable at any moment to be called out on an errand of mercy in equally bad, if not worse, weather.

A more detailed account of the cruise is appended hereto.

Wednesday, 10th December.

At 9 A.M. we cast off from the Pontoon Pier, West Cowes, and pro- ceeded into the Solent for adjustment ofThis was completed in. under an hour, and .the compass adjusters having been landed, we sailed at '10.30 A.M. The weather in the Solent was fine (though it looked threatening), and we made good progress under sail and motor.

One of H.M. destroyers overhauling us at slow speed the following signals were exchanged:— Dunleary.—Are you bound west. If so, we should be very grateful for a tow towards Weymbuth.

T.B.D.—Much regret I am anchoring at Yarmouth.

Dunleafy.—Thank you. We are bound Ireland. "Would you like to change jobs? T.B.D.—Nothing would please me better, I don't think.

As we cleared the Needles the wind was increasing rapidly, and'in less than an hour we had a shrieking S.E.

gale on our quarter. All other small vessels had run for shelter, but we decided to stand on for Weymouth—a decision which was the more easily arrived at through there being no shelter to run for nearer than Poole.

Off St. Alban's Head w? got un- accountably mixed up in the race, and for an hour or two the waves were washing right over the boat. It repeatedly filled and, happily, as repeatedly emptied through the reliev- ing ports, but every now and then we were standing up to1 our knees in water.

The boat, however, behaved magnifi- cently, and we won our way to Wey- mquth, arriving much bedraggled and very sorry for ourselves at 4.15 P.M.—a very quick run under the circumstances.

Distance run, 42 miles. Average speed, 7-3 knots.

Thursday, llth December.

The gale showed no signs of diminish- ing, so we stayed in the harbour. The ' needs of the men for board and lodging were attended to by the indefatigable Mr. Biggs, Manager of the Missions to Seamen, a staunch friend of the Life- boat. The crew left this excellent Home very little the poorer in pocket, and each man the richer for a pair of warm socks or gloves. No praise is high enough for the admirable way in which the Mission at this and other ports looked after our men, and the crew always made for them in preference to hotels or lodging-houses.

Friday, 12th December.

8.40 A.M.—Sailed. Wind S., force 4 to 6 (23 to 34 miles an hour), moderat- ing considerably towards the afternoon, but leaving a heavy swell. Under sail throughout the passage to Dartmouth, which we reached at 4.20 P.M. Distance run, 52 miles. Average speed, 6 • 5 knots.

An adverse tide.

Saturday, 13th December.

8.40 A.M.—Sailed. A- head wind until past Start Point, when we 'made sail, the wind having by then shifted to S.W. and commenced to blow half a gale. Sea very rough, and passing showers of rain. However, we made good progress, and secured in the G.W.R. Docks, Plymouth, at 1.40 P.M.

Distance run, 38 miles. Average speed, 7-6 knots.

Sunday, 14th December.

Spent an unsabbatical forenoon en- deavouring to run 96 gallons of petrol to earth without success. A local dealer, however, came to our rescue, and by noon we had filled our tanks and were en route to Fowey. We again en- countered a strong S.W. wind, which, however, counteracted an adverse tide, and we made harbour at 3 P.M. Dis- tance run,' 22 miles. Average speed, 7-3 knots.

Monday, 15th December.

The day broke fine, and enabled us to set out for Newlyn at 8 A.M. The wind had decreased to a force of about 3 (18 miles an hour), and a heavy swell was all that remained of the gale of the preceding day. Onr enthusiasm was, however, considerably damped by a steady drizzle and a thick mist, which obscured the land and made our where- abouts a matter of conjecture. Happily it lifted in time to prevent us bumping the Manacles Buoy—the result of the combat would have been uncertain, with the betting slightly in favour of the Life-boat—-and the rest of the run was completed without incident. Newlyn was reached at 3 P.M., and here Captain Bennetts, the local Honorary Secretary, Tiad 96 gallqns of petrol waiting for us.

Distance run, 50 miles. Average speed, 7-1 knots.

Tuesday, 16th December.

The trip round Land's End was the one to which we had looked.forward with the least anticipation.

Visions of the naval motor launches at the mercy of the elements off Long- ships a few weeks previously would persist in obtruding themselves. One of the said visions materialised in the shape of a glimpse of a pathetic mass of matchwood as we passed out of Newlyn— all that remained of _the "movie" launch, which had once been the pride and glory of a Lieutenant R.N.V.R.

However, "blessed is he who ex- pecteth little," for the passage to Pad- stow was one of the best we did. A warm sun and light S.W. wind che'ered us up more than a little, though, as on previous days, the heavy swell was very uncomfortable.

Leaving Newlyn at 8 A.M., we made Padstow at 3.45 P.M., and were skil- fully piloted up its tortuous channels by the Coxswain of the Padstow Life- boat. Distance run, 60 miles. Average speed, 7 • 5 knots.

Wednesday, 17th December.

Sailed at 7 A.M. in a thick mist and drizzle. Wind S.W., force 4 to 5 (23 to 28 miles an hour). Sea somewhat rough. "We shaped course direct for 'Milford, and were thus out of sight of land during the run.

However, we were lucky in making a good landfall, picking up St. Govans Lightship at about 3 P.M. 4.30 P.M.

saw us safely moored off the little village of Angle, in Milford Haven.

Distance run, 70 miles. Average speed, 7'7 knots.

Thursday, 18th December.

1 Got under way at 10 A.M., and proceeded to Pembroke Dockyard, where we embarked a fresh supply of petrol.

By the time this was done it was too late to make a start, so we returned to .Angle in readiness for-an early morning start. The wind' was, however, inereas- ing rapidly, and by dark a strong •W. gale was raging—a bad augury for the next day.

Friday, 19th December.

Our worst fears were realised when we woke up and observed immediately that the golden weathercock of the village church (which faced our hotel front) had blown down. Not that we needed it to discover from what direction the wind was blowing! A walk out to the cliffs overlooking St. Ann's Head satisfied us as to our wisdom in remaining in harbour ; it was scarcely possible to stand upright.

We therefore resigned ourselves - to the inevitable, and as Angle in winter time is not exactly the place in which one would elect to spend even 24 hours, we made up our minds to leave the moment there was a lull. Officers and men lived together,in the only hotel the village boasts; and it was fortunate that this particular day was the one day in the week that the local butcher opened his shop, otherwise the food situation would have become desperate instead of merely giving one cause for grave anxiety. The local Honorary Secretary, Mr. Gutch, came to the rescue of the officers, and we much appreciated his hospitality.

Saturday, 20th December.

We were all called at 5.30 A.M., and, after a hearty breakfast, had a de- pressing walk of about a mile, in pitch darkness, through muddy roads, along a muddy beach, and two muddy fields, before we came to the Life-boat house, off which our boat was lying. Various trifles delayed us, andxit was 7 A.M.

before we finally slipped our moorings and stood out to sea. We had a strong W.S.W.'wind to flog against as far as Skomer Island, when we were able to haul off sufficiently to make sail and set course for Tuskar Bock. The high sea' and strong wind moderated considerably as we closed the Irish coast, and after sighting Tuskar we got a good lee, completing the rest of the run to Wexford under ideal conditions.

Off Rosslare Point we were met by the -Coxswain1 of the Wexford boat with a fresh supply of petrol; having em- barked which we were piloted up to Wexford and secured for the night.

Distance run, 70 miles. Average speed, 7 knots.

Sunday, 21 »t December.

Sailed from-Wexford at 8.30 A.M. and ran up tbe Irish coast with a favour- able tide and the inevitable W. wind, which now became our friend—for a while. As we drew near "Wicklow Head, however, it had increased to a gale, and the last hour and a hajf of our run was only equalled by the trip -to Weymouth for 'discomfort.

Rounding the head we were face to face with a furious gale and short choppy seas which swept right over the boat, soaking us to the skin. No sail could be carried, and it took us an hour to do the two short miles from Wicklow Head to Wieklow. Sightseers ashore informed us that the boat was only occasionally visible in the spray which swept over her as high as the masthead.

But all's well that ends well, and we tied up for the night in Wicklow at 3.30 P.M. Distance run, 50 miles.

Average speed, 1'1 knots.

Monday, 22nd December.

Our last day's run- was commenced at 8.30 A.M., and ended at 11 A.M. in Kingstown. The wind had dropped considerably and rain took its place.

The short run of 22 miles was completed in two and a half hours at an average speed of 8-8 knots.* Rounding the breakwater at 11 A.M. we made an unassum'ing entry into Kingstown har- bour, there to be welcomed by Mr.

Hargrave, our indefatigable Honorary Secretary. • 'Thus came to a successful conclusion an interesting if rather arduous trip.

Curiously enough, about two hours after our arrival, notice was brought that a small boat containing a man and a boy was in danger.

The crew had gone to a well-earned dinner, but at once returned and pro- ceeded to man the boat. , A few minutes later, however, it was'reported' that the boats had been rescued by an Irish Lights steam launch, so that an opportunity of inaugurating our arrival by performing a useful service was denied to us.

, *As Mi. Grant remarked to me, "Th« old bus seems to realise she's nearly home." The more matter-of-fact Dan Murphy muttered something about the tide being in our favour, but personally I like to share the former's view..