LIFEBOAT MAGAZINE ARCHIVE

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The Steamers Matje and Dunvegan

Other Launches on the Night of the 28th.

On the opposite side of Anglesey to Moelfre and Beaumaris. the two Holyhead Life-boats were also out for the greater part of the night, the Steam Life-boat being launched twice, the second time in search of the Pulling and Sailing Life-boat. No lives, however, were rescued. In one case the vessel only required a pilot, while the crew of the other vessel, which had driven ashore in shallow water, were able to land unaided.

Meanwhile, at Porthdinllaen, on the other side of Carnarvon Bay, two steamers in the bay were seen to be making signals of distress, shortly after ten at night. They were found later to be the Matje of Hull and the Dunvegan of Preston. The wind was so violent that the Honorary Secretary and the Coxswain had to crawl part of the way to the Boathouse for fear of being blown right over the cliff. The tide was high and the sea was running right into the Boathouse. It had even torn some of the rollers on the slipway out of their sockets and washed them away. To launch in such circumstances would have been dangerous if not impossible, and it was decided to wait until the tide had ebbed a little, especially as it cou2d be seen that the steamers were dragging out to sea, and were in no immediate peril. Ihe Life-boat waited until midnight, and was then launched, the Honorary Secretary, Captain Owen Evans, going with her, as he frequently does.Both steamers were found to be holding their own, but the Life-boat followed them to be ready in case of need. About three in the morning the wind took off, the sea moderated, and both steamers were able to get back into the roads, one anchoring there, while the other, having lost her anchor, steamed right on to the sandy beach. The Life-boat kept with them until they were safe, and it was not until eight in the morning that she was once more inside the breakwater.

Extra monetary awards have been made to the Coxswain and Crew, and Letters of Appreciation have been sent to the Honorary Secretary, and to Mr.

T. Hoopt-r, the foreman in charge of certain shore Engineering work now being carried out at the Station, who also went out as a member of the Crew.

This is not the first occasion on which he has done tfiis, and on the last he was presented with an inscribed barometer.

A Letter of Thanks has been received from the Captain of the S.S. Matju.

Farther north, on the Cumberland coast, the Maryport Life-boat was launched to an unknown vessel, reported to be drifting in the Solway Firth. A whole gale was blowing here from the W.N.W., bringing so heavy a sea right into the harbour that the Honorary Secretary doubted if it would be possible to go, but the Coxswain replied at once, " I'm going." The Life-boat made the most gallant attempts to clear the harbour, but was finally blown against the North Pier and slightly damaged. As there was no definite news of the vessel, the Life-boat was recalled and the Crew stood by in readiness. An extra monetary award was made for this launch..