San day, Orkney Islands, and Smerwick, Co. Kerry.

ABOUT ten at night on 24th June, 1924, a small boat, with three men on board, was capsized in a sudden and heavy squall in Otterswick Bay, at Sanday, in the Orkney Islands. Two of the men on board her were thrown clear of the boat, but the third managed to cling to her bow. Three men in a boat, about half a mile to windward, saw the accident and went at once to the rescue. The wind was high, a heavy sea was running, and the currents were strong. All this made the work of rescue both difficult and dangerous. By careful manoeuvring the rescuers managed to get the first of the three on board, after he had been in the water about twenty minutes. He was very exhausted. The second man, who had fallen clear of the capsized boat, had by this time become entangled in the boom, and with each swell he went completely under water. It was only with great difficulty that he was rescued. The most difficult and dangerous part of the work was still to be done. The third man, who was clinging to the bows, was so exhausted that he could do nothing to help his rescuers, He could not even lose his hold of the sinking boat, and it was only after repeated efforts, with the continual risk that their own boat would be stove in, that the rescuers succeeded in getting him aboard. Even then their difficulties were not over, for their boat was dangerously overloaded for the heavy sea and strong currents. In spite of these difficulties she was brought safely ashore.

To these three men, John Dearness, fisherman, Oliver Scott, farmer, and James Slater, crofter and fisherman, the rough, and a moderate gale was blowing Institution has awarded its Thanks inscribed on Vellum, and framed. It has also granted each of them a monetary award.* Smerwick, Co. Kerry.

About 8.30 in the evening of 24th September, 1924, a fishing canoe, in which were three men, was capsized in a sudden squall. The boat was riding by the stern to the nets. The sea was from the north. Hearing a cry for help three fishermen in another canoe slipped their nets and went to the rescue, but they were able to rescue only one of the three men. Of the other two, although they searched carefully, no trace could be seen. It was not until next morning I that one of the two bodies was found, entangled in the nets. The other has not been found. It was both a difficult and a dangerous service, not only because of the high sea, but because of the frailty of the boat, which, like all the local boats, was of canvas. In this case also the Institution has awarded its Thanks inscribed on Vellum, and also a monetary award, to the three rescuers, all of whom were fishermen, James Kane, Michael Bowler and Daniel Kane. The Vellums were sent to the Superintendent of the Coast Life Saving in that part j of Ireland, to be presented to the three men. In acknowledging them, he wrote : " The Vellums awarded by the Royal National Life-boat Institution have been presented by our Parish Priest, Rev. R. Browne, and I have been asked, by the receivers, to convey their sincerest thanks to that humane and honoured Institution."