DURING the south-westerly gales of ex- traordinary violence, which burst over the south-west and south of England in the second week of July, and lasted for two or three days, eight Life-boats along the south coast were launched, and three of these launches, from St. Mary's (Isles of Scilly), Penlee, and Totland Bay, although no services were performed, were so long and arduous, and showed so notably the fine quality both of the Crews and the Boats that special awards were voted by the Committee in each case.

At 3.21 in the afternoon of 8th July a telephone message was received at St.

Mary's (Isles of Scilly), from the wireless operator that the s.s. Concordia, an Italian vessel, had broken her main shaft and was in need of immediate help three miles south-west of the Wolf Rock lighthouse, which is about twenty miles east of St. Mary's. Fourteen minutes later the Motor Life-boat was launched in a sea which the Honorary Secretary reported as being so heavy that " experienced boatmen were of opinion that the Boat would not live in it." She lived in it for many hours, but did not succeed in reaching the vessel in distress, for after she had been running for three hours, continually swept by heavy seas, her engine stopped. The cause of the stoppage was dirt and water which had accumulated, in the petrol tank, and, finding its way to the filter, had cut off the supply of petrol from the engine. This, however, was not dis- covered until later as, in such a sea, it was impossible to open the hatches. As every effort to restart the engine failed, sail was made and the Coxswain decided to run for Falmouth, forty miles away. Falmouth was reached at six the following morning, fourteen and a half hours after the Life-boat was launched, and during the whole of that time Coxswain Lethbridge remained at the wheel.

Meanwhile the Penlee station had also received news of the Concordia's distress, and the Boat was launched at the same time as the St. Mary's Boat.

She started under single-reef canvas foreand aft, but very soon was obliged to take in two more reefs. The Wolf Rock lighthouse is about fifteen miles from Penlee, and it was seven o'clock when the Life-boat, which had both wind and tide against her, reached the Concordia. She found the Usk Mouth, a steamer from Newport, standing by.

This vessel tad managed to get a rope on board the Concordia, but it very soon parted. On the advice of the Cox- swain, the captain of the Concordia anchored. As the anchors appeared to hold, and the wind had become more westerly, and as messages had already been sent out for tugs, her captain decided that the Life-boat was not needed. She, therefore, returned, reach- ing Mousehole, where she was to be stationed during alterations to the Penlee slipway, at 10.45 P.M. Later on the Concordia was brought into Falmouth by the Usfc Mouth and tugs.

During the day the wireless station at St. Mary's, which had continued to receive messages, had learnt that a Life-boat was standing by the Concordia, and then that the Life-boat had left her. As it was supposed that this was the St.

Mary's Boat, great anxiety was felt when she did not return. Wireless messages were sent to Penzance and other stations on the coast asking if she had been seen, but none of the stations could give any news. Mr. Addison, the Honorary Secretary of the Branch, was engaged practically the whole night trying to get into touch with the Life- boat or watching on the pier, and the postmistress and wireless operator also remained at their posts for the same purpose the greater part of the night.

It was not until the morning of the next day, 9th July, that the news was re- ceived of the Life-boat's safe arrival at Falmouth.

She set out again from Falmouth at 8.30 A.M. on 10th July, but as further trouble was experienced with the engine, she put into Penzance for repairs, and it was not until midnight on the same day that she reached St. Mary's, over fifty- six hours after she had been launched.

In recognition of the seamanship and endurance of Coxswain Lethbridge, and the endurance of the whole Crew of the St. Mary's Boat, the Committee voted the Coxswain the Thanks of the Insti- tution inscribed on Vellum and an extra monetary award to each member of the Crew. Special Letters of Appreciation were sent to the Honorary Secretary, Mr. W. B. Addison, to the postmistress, Miss Knowles, and to the wireless operator, Mr. R. D. Bell. The attention of the Secretary of the General Post Office was drawn to the services of the two last-named. In the case of the Penlee Life-boat a Letter of Appre- ciation for his skilful handling of the Boat was sent to Coxswain Blewett, and extra monetary awards were voted to him and all the Crew.

During the same fierce gale, on 9th July, the Life-boat at Totland Bay was called out. Shortly after midnight the Brooke Station reported that its Boat was being launched, and at 1.35 another message was received that a vessel three or four miles off Brooke was making signals of distress, but that it was found impossible, as yet, to launch the Brooke Boat. It was decided to launch the Totland Bay Boat alone, but such was the force of the wind that only a few of the Crew heard the signal fired, and the rest had to be summoned by messenger. The Boat was afloat just after three, but no trace of the vessel could be found. Nor, so fierce was the gale, did the Coxswain think that it would be possible to beat back to Tot- land Bay in face of it. Instead, he decided to take the Boat right round the island, a distance of over sixty miles.

This was successfully done, Totland Bay being kept informed by the various places round the coast at which the Boat was sighted, and eventually reached her station again at five in the evening, having been afloat in a whole gale for fourteen hours. In recognition of the fact that it was a long and arduous service the Committee voted the Cox- swain and each member of the Crew an additional monetary award..