Stromness.

About 4 on the morning of the 14th February three messengers from different houses in Invertown brought the Honorary Secretary the news that a steamer, which was found afterwards to be the trawler Carmania II., of Grimsby, had gone ashore on the Kirk Rocks, Hoy Bound, and was showing signals of distress. The Coxswain and Crew were called out immediately, and the Lifeboat, which had not been housed after a service carried out three days before, owing to the stormy weather, left the harbour at 4.35. A strong breeze was blowing from the S.W., with a very heavy sea running, and the weather was bitterly cold. When the call came soft, blinding snow was falling. This ceased about the time when the Life-boat put out.

She reached the neighbourhood of the rocks about five o'clock, and the Lifesaving Apparatus arrived at the same time, but neither could give the trawler any immediate help. She was too far from the shore for it to be possible for the Apparatus to get a line to her, and too far in for it to be possible for the Life-boat to get near in the darkness and the breaking seas. There was no hope of approaching her from seaward, as the seas were breaking 100 to 150 yards before they reached her, while between the wreck and the shore were reefs and shallow water, where the Lifeboat could not go until the tide rose.

The Coxswain waited.

By this time the trawler was lying with a very heavy list, and was rolling heavily. About an hour after the Lifeboat arrived a huge wave lifted her as if she had been a cork, swung her completely round, and threw her right on top of the reef. Her lights were then burning, but gradually grew dimmer and eventually went out. About this time the tide turned, and the seas grew heavier and heavier.

The Coxswain stood by for another two hours and then decided to attempt a rescue. He manoeuvred the LifeboatLifeboat through the breakers, and dropped anchor. The first attempt to establish communication by means of the Line- Throwing Gun failed, but the second and third shots succeeded, and two lines were secured on board the trawler. A lifebuoy was then sent to the wreck, and the Life-boat herself was veered in through the surf, nearer and nearer as the tide rose. She was thrown high in the air by every sea and then disappeared in the trough, but, watching for their opportunity when a lull came in the breaking seas, the Life-boatmen got the trawler's crew oft, man by man, until five were safely on board the Lifeboat.

All had gone well up to this point, but then a tremendous wave caught the Life-boat nearly broadside on, the wire cable snapped and the boat reeled to leeward. She was in imminent danger herself, but the Coxswain showed perfect judgment and seamanship and rushed the boat ahead among the reefs and breakers until he was under the lee of the wreck, with which he was still in communication by the ropes.

Just before this happened the trawler's small boat had been swept overboard, and was floating under her lee. The Coxswain shouted to the men wrho were still on board to get into the small boat and he would haul them to the Life-boat. This was done, and five more men of the trawler's crew were rescued. Then the painter parted, and the small boat was swept away with two men in her, but the Life-boat, passing again between the wreck and the shore, rescued the two men. Thus the whole of the trawler's crew were saved.

It was then nearly 9.30, five hours since the Life-boat had left harbour, and an hour and a half since the work of rescue had started.

The Honorary Secretary had watched the rescue from the shore, and reported that the Coxswain and Crew deserved the highest praise for their judgment and skill in circumstances of great peri!, where success was only possible to men who knew every part of the reefs and the run of the tide.

Coxswain William Johnston has been awarded a Second Service Clasp to the Bronze Medal which he already holds,and he and each member of the Cretan extra monetary award.

Many people do not know that the Institution has at Poplar, London, a Storeyard where there is a Reserve Fleet of Life-boats, and where all stores and spare parts required for the equipment of Life-boats and their engines are kept, ready for immediate despatch to the coast. As showing the efficiency of the Storeyard, it deserves to be recorded that the Honorary Secretary at Stromness reported the loss of the anchor and wire cable by telegraph on the 14th February, that the new anchor and cable were at once sent by passenger train, and that when the Honorary Secretary wrote two days later, giving details of the service, he acknowledged their receipt, and was able to report that the Life-boat was again in full commission..