A Disaster at Arbroath.

EAELY on 30th November last, two fishing yawls, the Restless Ocean and the Dutiful, put out from Arbroath, the weather being fine and the sea smooth.

About seven in the morning the wind shifted, and by 9.30 it was blowing a strong gale, with a heavy sea on the harbour bar. At 10 o'clock the Life-boat was launched and went out to escort the yawls in to safety. The Restless Ocean crossed the Bar without mishap, and the Life-boat then put to sea again to stand by the Dutiful. The Coxswain of the Life-boat passed three life-belts on board the yawl, and told her skipper that the Life-boat would go well ahead, so that she might be in position in case of accident. The weather had become worse, with a very heavy sea, and the danger of the Bar was increased by the state of the tide, which was at- threequarter ebb, and by a heavy spate of water from the river.

As soon as the Life-boat had crossed the Bar she hove to. The yawl followed her, but as she was crossing she shipped a sea which stopped her engine, and she fell rapidly to leeward. The Life-boat went alongside and passed her a rope to take her in tow. It was this attempt to save the fishing-boat, as well as her crew, which led to disaster. Both Life-boat and yawl drifted towards the breakwater. The tow-line was cut, but immediately afterwards, first the Lifeboat and then the yawl struck the breakwater, and were carried along it towards the shore. There were five men In the yawl, and two of them, the skippsr and his son, jumped for the breakwater, but they failed to get on to it, and evidently ! were seriously injured, for both were drowned.

Between the end of the breakwater and the shore there is always a strong eddy into the harbour, but not enough water to float a boat. But when the Life-boat and the yawl reached the end of it, instead of grounding they were both miraculously carried round the end of the breakwater into the harbour by heavy seas which struck them and lifted them in just at the right moment.

Crowds were waiting in the harbour, and did what they could to help. Both the Life-boat and the yawl were carried on to the beach, and the Life-boat's Crew at once jumped overboard to go to the help of the two men who had jumped for the breakwater and, like the boats, had been washed round the end of it into the harbour. The Pilot Motor-boat was also sent off to help, and picked up the body of the yawl's skipper, but her motor broke down, and she, too, was driven ashore and damaged.

Although events showed that it was an error to try to take the yawl in tow, instead of taking off the crew, the Coxswain and Crew of the Life-boat did everthing possible under the circumstances, and the Institution has made special monetary awards to them as well as to the two men who manned the Pilot-boat. Both the two menwho were drowned, the skipper of the yawl and his son, were members of the Life-boat's Crew.

The Life-boat herself was damaged beyond repair. The keel was started and twisted fore and aft. The stem and forepart on and below the water line had almost disappeared, and all the planking forward was opened up.

Another Life-boat was sent out at once to the Station from the Reserve Fleet at the storeyard at Poplar..