THE gales at the end of December reached their worst on the 27th, on the which day ten launches took place round the coast, From the Isle of Wight it was reported that "the damage ashore was not so great as in November, but at sea condi- tions of almost unprecedented violence how existed," and both the Motor Life-boats represent a now stationed in the Isle of Wight were called out, the self-righting Motor Life- boat which has been at Bembridge since 1922, and the Boat of the New Watson ; the cabin type which had been stationed at, Yarmouth less than three months j before. The first of this type was completed in the summer of 1923.

In both cases the steamers to which they were called, got over their diffi- culties, and no services were performed but the graphic account of their adven- tures, which appeared in the County Press, deserves to be read if only be- cause it shows to what an exceptionally, severe test these new Life-boats were put, and how magnificently they stood it.

The Yarmouth Boat.

" The guns assembling the Life-boat, Crew were discharged just before '•• 11.30 A.M., and Coxswain Walter Cotton i and his Crew were quickly aboard the ' Motor Life-boat in the harbour, and j were just about to leave when the l ' Stand-by ' message was received. The second message, telling the Boat to put to sea, was received at about 12.40,- and j within a few minutes the Life-boat was ' out of the harbour. She passed out of; sight through the Hurst Channel at j about 1 o'clock, and nothing more was ; heard of her until about 6 P.M., when a ! message came that she was returning via Spithead and the Solent. In such I weather this news was a big relief to the I Committee and relatives of the Crew, j At about 10.30 P.M. her lights were seen I coming down the Solent, and she swept j into the harbour at about 10.40 P.M. A1 crowd of about 200 people awaited her j on the quay, and they raised lusty j concheers for the Crew as they neared their fidence moorings, the Crew giving answering cheers. I" On coming ashore the Coxswain said the conditions in the Channel were the worst he had ever experienced in his long career of Life-boat work, but he was too full of praise for the Boat and his Crew to talk much of the trip. He described the Boat as ' wonderful' and his Crew as ' splendid." Later, how existed," ever, he told a County Press represent a now tive a thrilling story of the trip. He said that, on rounding Clifi End Fort, they met the full force of the gale, but the Boat forged ahead out to the Needles.

The seas in the Needles Channel were bad, but once the open sea was reached they were literally mountainous. So heavy were they that he dared not turn and run directly to St. Catherine's before the gale, so he steered well out into the Channel, taking the seas on the starboard bow. Many came aboard, but the Life-boat shook herself free in magnificent style, and fought her way up Channel. Passing over the bridge of the Needles was the worst experience of all. One huge sea cocked up the bow until the boat was almost perpendicular, another struck her stern whilst she was in this position and threw her clear of the water, and she fell a sheer 20 feet into the trough of the next sea, meeting the water with a crash that seemed to spell disaster, but the stout little craft was none the worse. The wind was terrific, and the heavy rain blotted out every second thing more than 50 yards or so ahead, Gradually, however, the Boat worked round and approached St. Catherine's at about five o'clock. No sign of any vessel had been seen, and, fearing that they had missed her, the Crew took their craft inshore until they were able to get the welcome flash-light signal from Niton that they could proceed home, By this time the gale had moderated a little, and the homeward journey was completed without great difficulty. The Boat will probably never have a more severe test. It was a fruitless trip, but it has served a splendid purpose by giving the Crew complete confidence in their Boat, which will enable them to meet any future call with the knowledge that they have a stout craft which can weather the worst of j storms." It is worth adding that two of the! regular members of the Crew were away,! and their places were taken by two men | chosen from a number of volunteers, and j that the Chief Mechanic, although • suffering from sea-sickness, stuck to his engines.

The Bembridge Boat

" The Bembridge Life-boat, the Langham, was launched at 1 P.M., and: proceeded around Foreland Point in | terrible weather. Watchers ashore; could see the huge waves breaking clean; over her, but she fought her way I through, and eventually passed out of j sight. An anxious wait followed until | the return of the Life-boat, just after j 5 o'clock. The Crew were drenched, and I the hot coffee provided by the local j helpers was very acceptable. Coxswain | Gawn said he had been down Channel i to somewhere off Brook, but had seen j nothing. At times the wind blew the j waves completely over the Boat, and i frequently he could not see the Bowman; I but she behaved splendidly. He considered it very fortunate that the j steamers in distress were able to get away, for he was very doubtful whether the! a Life-boat could have got alongside away,! them in such weather. Even under the | lee of the land a tremendous sea was j running, but after passing Dunnose the • conditions were such as to be almost indescribable. Again and again the Boat was buried beneath tempestuous seas- With her motors running splendidly, however, she fought her way in the teeth of the gale, while, unknown to and:the Crew, signals were being made from | the cliff top near Ventnor, in an attempt ashore; to let them know that their services were no longer required. Half blinded I by the driving spume, the Life-boatmen j saw nothing of this. Passing through | the broken water of St. Catherine's j Race, they were some three miles south I of the point within an hour and a half of the launch—a highly creditable feat | for both the Crew and their Boat. No steamers were seen, and, after cruising about until dark in appalling weather, they returned. The Coxswain spoke highly of the behaviour of both Boat I and Crew under conditions which he summed up as ' about as bad as they could be.'".