IT is just fifty years since the barque Indian Chief, outward bound from Middlesbrough to Yokohama, was wrecked on the Long Sand, off the mouth of the Thames, and the twelve survivors of her crew of twenty-nine men were rescued by the Ramsgate Life-boat, City of Bradford, with the help of the Ramsgate tug A id—as fine a piece of rescue work as has ever been recorded.

It must not be forgotten, however, that there are very many stories of endurance and heroism of our Life- boatmen that do not actually result in life-saving, but are none the less worthy of recognition. It is fitting that just fifty years after the event one such story should now be told in full for the first time—the story of the part played by the Aldeburgh Life-boat in that memorable shipwreck in 1881.

The Indian Cnief was wrecked at 2.30 in the morning of 6th January, but her plight was not known to the Life-boat authorities at Ramsgate till nearly noon, the information being brought by an inward bound smack which had sighted the ill-fated vessel ashore. The weather prevailing at the time was a typical easterly gale, with frequent snow squalls and the temperature below freezing point. I do not propose to deal here with the particulars of the wreck and rescue, which have been so well described elsewhere,* but should like to place on record what the Aldeburgh Life-boat, George Hounsfield, did in this historic gale.

The fiis; information of the wreck of the Indian Chief, received at Aldeburgh, was in a telegram from Gravesend to the effect that a vessel was ashore on the Long Sand. It appears that a steamer, bound for the Thames, when proceeding up Swin had sighted her on the Sand, between the snow squalls, and had given the information on her arrival at Graves- end. The telegram was received in * In The Lifeboat for February and May, 1881, and August, 1915, and in Britain's Life-boats.

Aldeburgh about 9 o'clock in the morn- ing of 6th January, and the assembly signal was immediately fired. A crew was collected, but, owing to the terrible sea running, it was considered almost impossible to launch the boat. After consultation it was decided to make an attempt and a crew volunteered. The Coxswain was Rodney Pallant, with Charles Ward, Second Coxswain, while the Crew included such other well-known, life-savers as James Cable, Tom Ward, Harry Pallant, Fred Fisher, B. Kersey, E. Markham, John Green, George Burrell, Tom Cable and W. Mann. One volunteer named Jim Hurrey should be mentioned, as he was not a regular Life-boatman, but volunteered on this occasion. Two other members of the Crew were skippers of Aldeburgh cod smacks, who happened to be at home at the time.

A Difficult Launch.

A launch was eventually effected at 11 a.m. after great difficulty. It was impossible to get across the long line of breaking water on the shoals opposite the town, so the boat, under sail, reached alongshore between the shoals and the breakers for about two miles before she could edge off into deeper water. She was fitted with dipping foresail and standing mizzen, and both the storm sails were close-reefed, but, in spite of this, the wind was such that the boat was full of water to leeward between the drum heads, and the crew were soon soaked through. Conditions were slightly better when they managed to fetch under the lee of the Shipwash Sands.

Heavy snow squalls were continually experienced, but they managed to pick up the Sunk Light Vessel. From here, in the light of the westering sun, which now broke through the snow, the seas could be seen breaking on to the Long Sand and shooting up mast-head high.

Soon the mast of the Indian Chief was seen through driving snow, with the seas breaking over the foretop. Only one mast was standing, the main and mizzen having been carried away during the previous night. Just at this time, as the sun was about setting, the boat fetched up under the lee of the wreck close enough to ascertain that there were no living souls on board. The Cox- swain having satisfied himself on this point, the Life-boat was put about and headed for the Sunk Light Vessel in order to find out if it had any informa- tion of any other Life-boat having been in communication with the wreck. How- ever, it was impossible to get in touch with the crew of the Light Vessel. It was known later the Ramsgate Life-boat had rescued the survivors at dawn that same day, some hours before the Aide- burgh Life-boat received the news of the wreck.

Running Before the Gale.

It was not possible to take the boat back to Aldeburgh to land there, so it was decided to run to Harwich, and the Coxswain put his helm hard up and bore away. Terrific seas were running across the shoal water outside the entrance to Harwich Harbour. At times the boat seemed to be becalmed between the racing seas and at other times she felt the full force of the gale and tore along on the backs of the breaking combers. By marvellous helmsmanship the boat was kept well before the wind.

Had she broached to nothing whatever could have saved a capsize. Harwich was eventually reached shortly after 8 P.M., where the men were looking forward to some dry clothes and some food.

The Honorary Secretary at Harwich was immediately on the spot to receive the men. He reported that the Harwich Life-boat was away after a wreck on the Pye Sands, that the Clacton Life- boat had also had a call and was away on service, and that there was another wreck on the Maplin Sands and he had no boat to send. He had tried to get in touch by telegram with the Honorary Secretary at Aldeburgh, the late Mr.

James Osborne, but he had been unable to do so. He besought the Coxswain and Crew to set out again for the wreck on the Maplins. They had not had time to change or even to get any food, but they mustered again immediately, and, with the exception of one man who was too exhausted, Jim Hurrey, referred to above, who was not a regular Life-boat- man, they all responded to the call.

Hurrey's place in the boat was taken by Bob Wilson, an Aldeburgh man who was stationed at Harwich as a pilot.

A Night at Sea.

The wind was still blowing gale force from the eastward. There was no tug available, so they had to beat out of the Harbour. Once clear they managed to fetch to windward to the Naze, thence across the lower end of the Gunfle et to- the Swin Middle Light Vessel. On getting into communication with the crew of the Light Vessel they ascer- tained that the vessel was ashore on the Maplins, but they could not get the bearings, and no flares or signals had been shown for two hours past. The search could not be continued in the darkness and snow, so the Coxswain let go his anchors between the Swin Middle Light Vessel and the Maplin Pile Light to wait till daylight. It was blowing hard, snowing and freezing all that night. At daybreak the conditions had somewhat improved, so they got their anchors up and ran down to the Maplin Sands, where they sighted the wreck.

She was a large foreign barque in ballast, driven well up on to the Sand. The Life-boat ran down within a quarter of a mile of her and then saw the Clacton Life-boat'-draw out from under the lee of the wreck. She ran down and her Coxswain spoke the Coxswain of the Clacton Boat, who reported that all were safe, and that he was proceeding to Clacton.

The George Hounsfield then reached off into the Swin, under the lee of the Barrow Sand, where she spoke a Ger- man steamboat, bound down, and asked for a tow. The German, however, took no notice. There were three steamboats riding with two anchors down in the Swin, waiting for the snow to clear before proceeding. The Life-boat managed to get within speaking distance of one of them, the Paradox, of Goole, hailed the bridge, and found that she was bound north. The snow clearing, the Paradox got her anchors and took the Life-boat in tow up to abreast of the Aldeburgh Napes. The tow was slipped about two miles off shore, and the wind being still easterly the Coxswain up foresail and bore away for the home Station. It was just coming dark, about 4 p.m., and he was warned off by signals, as the seas were very heavy on the shore and it was considered too rough for a safe landing.

However, the Crew were by this time utterly exhausted and could not have carried on to Harwich; so, in spite of the warning, the Coxswain put his drogue overboard and ran for the shore, where, after all, he managed safely to beach the boat.

120 Sea Miles.

It was now the evening of 7th Janu- ary. The George Hounsfield had been away from her Station on this work for thirty hours.* For the whole of that * The Ramsgate Life-boat was out for 26 hours.

time—except for the hour or so ashore at Harwich—her Crew had been in an open Pulling and Sailing Life-boat, in an easterly gale, with snow squalls.

During that time the George Houns- field had travelled 25 sea miles to the Long Sand, and 21 back to Harwich.

On leaving Harwich, in search of the second wreck, she travelled 24 miles to the Swin Middle Light Vessel, where she had tried to get the bearings of the wreck, and from there to the Maplin, near which she had lain all night, and home to Aldeburgh, was another 50 sea miles.

Altogether, in those thirty hours, she had travelled 120 sea miles.

There are still alive from this original crew Charles Ward (Second Coxswain), Tom Ward, Tom Cable, Harry Pallant and Jim Hurrey. Only last year two others, James Cable and John Green, passed away.f t Of the Ramsgate Crew the only survivor is Charles Verrion..