THE Institution has presented its Thanks inscribed on Vellum to be hung on board the steam trawler Cuirass, of Grimsby, an inscribed Binocular Glass to the skipper, Mr. W. Brewster, and a monetary reward to each member of his crew for their gallant efforts to help the steam trawler Briarlyn, of Fleetwood, on 15th February last.

The Briarlyn had gone ashore, in hazy weather, on St. Kilda in the Outer Hebrides, and been badly holed. As her position was very dangerous, her dinghy was launched with four members of the crew on board, but the oars were lost in launching, and when an attempt was made to work the boat round from one side of the trawler to the other, the painter was let go and the boat drifted helplessly away. These four men were found and rescued by the Cuirass.

There were still eight men on board the wreck, and their cries could be heard in the darkness. It was impossible for the Cuirass—although her skipper took her dangerously near—to get near enough to the Briarlyn among the rocks, so the skipper manned the Briarlyn's dinghy with men of his own crew, and they made a gallant, but unsuccessful, attempt, lasting three-quarters of an hour, to reach the wreck.

Captain Brewster then recalled the dinghy, and, manning one of his own boats, made another attempt. This also failed, owing to the strength and direction of the wind and the heavy surf, and the boat had considerable difficulty in getting back to the Cuirass. Captain Brewster then stood by until daybreak, when only the mast of the wreck could be seen, and searched for the remainder of the crew, but none could be found.

He then arranged for the islanders of St. Kilda to carry out a search, and stood by until 3.30 in the afternoon, when the wind changed to a gale from the N.W. and compelled him to seek shelter.

Next morning he returned again to the wreck and continued the search, but without success, and all hope was given up of finding any of the eight men still alive.

In these repeated efforts the skipper of the Cuirass ran grave risk of losing his own vessel, and the men of his crew who manned the small boats were in great danger of losing their own lives..