THE Stromness Motor Life-boat has already shown on more than one occa- sion what a Motor Life-boat can do in the way of long-distance services. One of these was described in The Life-Boat for February this year. On that occa- sion she travelled fifty miles, rescuing two of the crew of the steam trawler Freesia in the nick of time, and in November, 1920, she travelled seventy miles.

Both these achievements, so far as distance is concerned, have been easily surpassed by her latest service, on 22nd September last, in which she travelled 114 miles. The service lasted just under fourteen hours, and it is a notable feature of it that the engine ran for the whole time without stopping and gave no trouble at all—splendid proof of the care taken of it.

The call came just after half-past one in the morning; news was received at Stromness that a trawler, The Cornet of Aberdeen, had run ashore on Holm of Aire, which lies off the north-west point of Sanday, one of the north- easterly islands of the Orkneys. At 2.15 the Boat was launched. A strong S.W. by W. breeze was blowing, with thick rain and a heavy sea, and the Life-boat was compelled to face the full force of the wind and sea, taking the long route round the West and North of Mainland, because at night Holm Sound, to the South-East, is unsafe for navigation owing to the block ships placed there by the Admiralty during the War. The stranded trawler was reached at 7.45 in the morning, five and a half hours after the Life-boat set out, and the nine men on board her were rescued and landed on the island of Sanday. By this time the wind had increased to a gale, and the Coxswain decided not to attempt to return to Stromness in face of it, but to make for Stronsay. The Life-boat, however, had not gone far before the wind suddenly shifted to North-West, and the Coxswain made for home, where the Life-boat arrived at four in the afternoon. The Committee of Management showed their appreciation of this fine service by making an extra monetary award to Coxswain and Crew..