A FORTNIGHT after her Inaugural Cere- mony the new Thurso Motor Life-boat rescued her first lives.

On 28th September last, the 25,000- ton battle-ship H.M.S. Marlboroitgh was at anchor in Thurso Bay. She sent off a cutter to destroy a mine which had gone ashore, and this cutter was caught in a westerly gale with a heavy sea running. The Life-boat was called out to her help, and found her, with a crew of twenty on board, lying anchored | close inshore in the surf and unable to get clear. The cutter was nearly swamped and it was as much as the twenty men on board could do to keep her afloat.

The Coxswain dropped anchor, and veered down as near as possible to the cutter, the Life-boat herself being con- tinually swept by heavy seas. Three lines were fired from the line-throwing gun.

The first fell short, the second was not made fast by the cutter's crew, and the third broke. The Coxswain then floated a heavier rope down by means of a buoy, and this the cutter secured. The Life- boat then moved slowly ahead, with the cutter in tow, but found that her own cable was foul of the rocks. The cable was cut at the moment that a heavy sea struck the Life-boat, and the second motor mechanic was knocked clown, but the Life-boat got safely clear, and brought the cutter and her twenty men into harbour just three hours after she had been called out to the rescue.

The whole of the cutter's crew were completely exhausted, and one of the men had had all his clothes washed off.

Meanwhile, another of the Marl- borough's boats had been wrecked. A few minutes before the Life-boat her- self was launched, a steam picket-boat had been sent away from the battle- ship to look for the cutter. In a bold attempt to go alongside, this boat got broadside on to the surf, and was thrown on to a shelf of rock. Fortu- nately the boat's crew succeeded in scrambling safely ashore, although they were all cut and bruised.

This was a fine service, very promptly carried out in difficult circumstances.

The boat was most skilfully handled by Coxswain McPhail, and the Institution has awarded him its Thanks, inscribed on Vellum, as well as an extra monetary award to him and each member of the Crew. The Marlborough has also shown its appreciation of the service. The ship's company voted a donation of £20 to the Institution, and a pound to each of the eight members of the Thurso Crew " in gratitude and admira- tion for their promptitude and skill.".