THE following are some extracts from the report of the Irish District Inspector on the voyage which the new Wexford Motor Life-boat made to her Station, under her own power, as soon as her trials at Cowes had been completed.

She was in charge of the District In- spector, who had with him the District Assistant Surveyor of Machinery for the South - Western District, the Wexford Coxswain, the Motor Mechanic, and three members of the Wexford crew.

The new Boat is a sister Boat to the Dunleary,* at Kingstown, and the Shamrock, at Baltimore, being of the Watson type, 45 feet by 12 feet 6 inches.

She is fitted with a Tylor engine of 60 b.h.p., and is capable of taking ninety people on board.

Five out of the twenty-six Irish Stations are now provided with Motor Life-boats, and for yet another, Dun- more East, a Motor Life-boat is under construction.

The Wexford Boat made her voyage of 408 miles in six days, being actually at sea for fifty-four hours, which gives an average speed for the whole voyage of 7-3 knots.

Sunday, 14th August.

10.10 A.M. Left West Cowes pontoon and proceeded to Portland. Weather fine; sea smooth; westerly breeze.

11.35A.M. Shingle buoys abeam; wind increased to fresh breeze ; sea rough.

3.40 P.M. Made Portland Harbour and ran alongside H.M.S. Tiger in order to give my crew an opportunity of seeing over a powerful and comparatively modern battle cruiser. 5.0 P.M. Picked up moorings off Life-boat Station at Weymouth. Distance run, 48 miles.

Time, 6 hours. Average speed, 8 knots.

Monday, 15th August.

6.0 A.M. Slipped from Weymouth and proceeded to Plymouth. Weather cloudy; sea choppy; wind, a gentle * An account of the Dunleary''s very successful voyage appeared in The Life-Boat for February, 1920.—ED.

westerly breeze. 2.30 P.M. Made sail and reduced to 550 revolutions, as the petrol was reported to be scarce.

4.40 P.M. Made fast close to Plymouth Life-boat Station. The Nyria and White Heather raced from Weymouth Bay to Plymouth, leaving at 8 A.M. and arriving Plymouth at 7.30 P.M., so un- fortunately we were unable to watch the race. Distance, 84 miles. Time lOf hours. Average speed, 7-8 knots.

Tuesday, 16th August.

Left Plymouth 6.15 A.M. and pro- ceeded to Penzance. Sky overcast and misty; sea calm ; light airs from W.S.W. 10.30. Fog came down, lifting for short intervals periodically. 1 P.M.

Wind shifted to N.W. by N., and in- creased to a fresh breeze, with a rough sea. 1.15 P.M. Lizard abeam ; made sail. 3.30 P.M. Made fast in Penzance Harbour. St. Michael's Mount only just visible when abeam. Distance run, 69 miles. Time, 9J hours. Average speed, 7'5 knots.

Wednesday, 17th August.

Left Penzance 7.15A.M., and pro- ceeded to Padstow. Weather fine ; sea calm ; light airs. 8.25 A.M. Off Eunnel- stone ; very heavy W.N.W. swell, and light north-easterly airs, with rain squalls. 3.30 P.M. Made fast to schooner in Padstow Harbour. Distance, 63 miles.

Time, 8J hours. Average speed, 7-6 knots.

Thursday, 18th August.

6.40 A.M. Left Padstow (we were piloted in and out of Padstow by Cox- swain of Padstow Life-boat) and pro- ceeded to Angle. Moderate wind from N.E.; confused sea; weather fine.

NOON. Lundy Island abeam. Made sail, but wind backed to N.N.B. and dropped, so an hour later we reduced sail. Sea calm; light airs. 5.15 P.M. Made Angle.

5.45 P.M. Came to moorings. Distance run, 77 miles. Time, lOf hours. Average speed, 7'1 knots. The Coxswain of the Angle Life-boat informed us that it hadbeen blowing a gale, and that a large tramp steamer, anchored in Angle Bay, had parted her cable. This was very curious, as we had had light airs from noon onwards.

Friday, 19th August.

5.30 A.M. Slipped and proceeded to Wexford. Weather fine ; light airs from N.E. by N. ; sea calm. 6.30 A.M.

Skokham Island abeam ; shaped course between Bishop and Smalls. 7.15 A.M.

Thick fog. Visibility about 100 yards or less. Wind backed to N. and become fresh ; sea getting very rough. 11.30 A.M.

Visibility increased to about 2 miles ; sea grew calmer. 1 P.M. Made sail.

Blackwater Bank on starboard bow, a few miles to the N. of Kosslare Point.

2.30 P.M. Made fast off Rosslare Point to Old Wexford Life-boat. Distance, 68 miles. Time, 9 hours. Average speed, 7-6 knots.

I was informed on arrival at Wexford that the Fishguard-Rosslare steamer was five hours late in making her passage on account of the weather conditions, but I cannot vouch for the truth of this.

The remainder of the crew at the Wex- ford Life-boat Station were veiy sur- prised to see us in so early. They in- formed us that a steamer, anchored off the Point, had dragged during the fore- noon with two anchors out.

Generally speaking, we had a good passage round. The Coxswain and crew were very pleased with the way in which the Boat behaved in all states of sea, particularly whilst off Land's End, when we had a very heavy swell on the quarter.

Of course, the Boat was very wet, but that was to be expected. The engine ran exceptionally well all the time, and developed no defects. The only adjust- ments made at all were cleaning and easing the ignition plug on No. 4 cylinder, which occasionally missed, but only for short periods of time. We made very good landfalls, particularly so as we had fog to deal with ; and I con- sider this is due to the comparative ease and comfort with which one can steer a compass course with the centre line compass. We were very unlucky with our winds, as wherever we went the wind headed us.

The conduct of the crew ashore and afloat was all that could possibly be desired. I think they enjoyed their trip considerably, and were most interested in what they saw of the South of England, as they had not seen that coast 'before. Cowes was of particular interest, as there were some 23, 19 and 6 metre boats about, also the Britannia and the Quest.

On entering Wexford we found a rat in the fore part of the Boat; it had eaten the best * part of one oilskin jacket, and I was afraid it might have begun on the cable, but owing to the prompt action of the crew, armed with the lead cane and sundry axes and hammers, the rat was slain.

* This statement caused much interest among the experts of the Institution, who had been of opinion that every part of an oil-skin, except the buttons, would taste exactly the same, and have the same food value. The matter still remains in doubt, the rat being dead (without having expressed any opinion), and the experts, so far, refusing to verify their opinion by personal experi- ment, in spite of the Secretary's warm appeal to their public spirit.—ED..