IT does not often happen that the same Life-boat goes out to the help of the same j vessel twice over within, a short time, but this has happened recently in the case of four vessels.

On 29th December of last year the, steam trawler Arctic Prince, of South Shields, was anchored off Tenby, in South "Wales. A heavy S.S.W. gale was blowing, with a rough sea ; the trawler's anchors were dragging; and at ten at night she signalled for help. The Tenby Motor Life-boat went out, and, as the trawler was in danger of going ashore, took off the ten men of her crew.

Fortunately the trawler did not go ashore; the weather moderated; and her crew went aboard again. But the weather got worse, and rose to a whole gale from the S.W. with a very rough sea, and again the trawler's anchors began to drag. This was on 1st January, three days after the first service, and once more, about eight in the evening, the crew made signals of distress. The Life-boat went out, but this time, owing to the rough sea, she had great difficulty in taking off the crew, and one of the men had his foot crushed between the trawler and the Life-boat. Except for this accident all ten men were once again brought safely ashore.

On the same day that the first rescue of the crew of the Arctic Prince took place, the ketch Millam Castle, of Barrow, was seen making signals for help in St.

Tudwal's Outer Roads, Cardigan Bay.

She was on a voyage from Kinsale, in Ireland, to Bideford, and had been driven north into Cardigan Bay by a southerly gale. Her steering gear had broken down and she had taken shelter in the outer roads and anchored. A very heavy sea was running. The Abersoch Life-boat went out to her early in the afternoon, found her crew ex- hausted by their struggle, and took them off, but owing to the very low tide and the heavy sea on the beach she was unable to return ashore until 8.30 in the evening. After the ketch was aban- doned her anchor started, she drifted towards Pwllheli, and was salved. Her crew then went aboard her again.

A fortnight later, on 13th January, the Millom Castle, bound from Portmadoc to Bideford with a load of slates, was again caught by heavy weather off Abersoch. A whole S.S.E. gale was blowing, with a very heavy sea, and the ketch had anchored, but she was in a dangerous position, and was kept under observation from the shore. Shortly before ten o'clock that night she was seen burning flares, and the Life-boat put out in a sea which her crew said was one of the worst that they had ever experienced. The crew of the ketch were taken off, but she rode out the storm, and they were able to go aboard again.

On the evening of 9th January, 1924, the fishing smack Irene, of Lowestoft, ran ashore near the South Pier in a rough sea when homeward bound from the fishing-grounds with a load of fish. The Motor Life-boat went out and, with some j difficulty, took off the five men of the crew and the ship's cat. Next day the Irene was refloated and brought into ' harbour.

1 Eighteen months later, on 27th June of this year, the Irene was leaving the harbour on her way to the fishing ground, in a strong N.N.E. wind with a heavy sea, when, in tacking, she was thrown on to the North Beach. Her position was dangerous, and at three in : the afternoon the Life-boat was launched.

j The four men on board the smack would not leave her at first, but as by four o'clock she was full of water, they were taken off, the service being witnessed by crowds of people on the shore. This time the Irene was less fortunate. She could not be refloated and became a total wreck.

In the fourth case the interval between the two services was rather longer. On 17th April, 1922, the cutter Dukebella, of Westcliff, with six people on board, ran aground on the Maplin Sands in a strong N.N.E. gale with a heavy sea.

The Clacton Motor Life boat- Lowestoft Motor Cro was launched to her help early in the afternoon, and found the yacht, in great difficulties, badly knocked about, and with her dinghey smashed. The part,on board, of whom two were ladies, was taken into the Life-boat and landed at Southend, while a small crew was put on board the yacht, and she was taken to Westcliff.

On 26th September of this year the Dulcebella, with two men on board, again ran aground on the M a p l i n Sands, in a strong N.W. gale with a r o u g h sea and heavy rain. The Clacton Boat went out, found the yacht in great difficulties and put two men on board her. As the tide rose she floated off, and was towed into Clacton.