AT ten o'clock on the night of 18th October two vessels were seen to be aground and showing signals of distress on the sandbanks, in the mouth of the Humber, known as The Binks, and the Spurn Motor Life-boat was launched. A strong wind was blowing with squalls, the night was very cold, and a very heavy sea was running. The first of the two vessels in distress was a fishing smack. She had sunk, and only her mast was above water. The crew were in the rigging, and as the Life-boat approached their shouts could be heard.

A terrific sea was breaking over the sandbanks—the worst, in the opinion of the Life-boat Crew, that they had ever seen on The Binks—and every now and then the sunken smack was lifted above the water and then crashed down on the sands again. The crew of the vessel were hailed and told to get ready to jump, and the Life-boat was manreuvred as near as possible. Then she was caught by a heavy sea and struck the wreck. The next wave carried her clean over the submerged hull—but the crew made no attempt to jump, and it is surmised that they had lashed them- selves in the rigging. The Life-boat was now right over the sandbank, in the very heavy broken sea, and in great danger. She was continuously full of water, and her Crew had to cling to the masts and thwarts to prevent them- selves from being washed overboard.

Before the Coxswain had got her turned round, with the intention of approaching the wreck from leeward, the mast of the wreck and all the men on it had dis- appeared. The Boat cruised about, but no sign of the men, nor even any wreckage, could be seen.

The Life-boat then made for the second wreck, which was found to be the steam trawler Mafeking, of Hull.

She also had sunk and the sea was breaking over her funnel, but the crew had taken to their boats as soon as she struck, and had been picked up by a Pilot-cutter. The Life-boat returned to her Station just after two in the morning, and at daybreak again put out and searched the scene of the first wreck, but no trace of the crew could be found. Had the mast stood only fifteen minutes longer the Cox- swain believes that the men would have been saved. How many men were lost is not known, but the smack is believed to have been a Danish vessel.

In the opinion of the Committee this was a most dangerous and difficult ser- vice, and everything that was possible was done to rescue the crew of the smack. They therefore awarded the Bronze Medal and the Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum to Coxswain Robert Cross, and the Vellum to each of the remaining nine members of the Crew. In addition the Coxswain and Crew have been voted an additional monetary reward..