Coxswain Edward WicJcham, of Wexford, Co, Wexford, who was Second Coxswain from 1886 to 1899, and Coxswain from 1899 to 1925, and who twice won the Silver Medal of the Institution for gallantry, has written the following account of his first Life-boat service in 1885.

Eeading about the meritorious ser- vices of the Kosslare Harbour Motor Life-boat in the winter of 1929-30, and the ceremony last year of naming and blessing the splendidly equipped Cabin Motor Life-boat, has recalled to my mind services rendered over forty-six years ago, at the rescue of the passengers and crew from the s.s. Slaney, wrecked on Wexford Bar on January 14th, 1885.

It was my first experience of life-saving.

The Two Life-boats at Rosslare Point.

At that time two Life-boats were maintained at Rosslare Point (better known as the Fort*), a large Life-boat, Ethel Eveleen, kept afloat moored in the coal channel near the Point, and a smaller one, Civil Service, kept in a house. Both were of the self-righting type. The Ethel Eveleen was built of oak throughout, copper sheathed, and iron ballast on keel, and had two bilge keels. The sail plan was two lugs, the fore being a dipping one, which meant when tacking that the sail had to be lowered and shifted round the mast and reset on the other side, a difficult, awkward job on a dark night in a rough sea.

It was just after sunset on January 14th that the Ethel Eveleen was got under way in response to signals of distress shown from the s.s. Slaney.

It was blowing a strong gale from the * The Fort was at the end of a promontory or spit, several miles long, which formed a natural breakwater to Wexford Harbour.

This was so badly breached by the sea in December, 1924, and January, 1925, that the Wexford Station had to be abandoned and the present Station at Rosslare Harbour was established in place of it.—Ed. The Lifeboat.

east (which meant a dead beat to wind- ward to the stranded vessel), accom- panied with heavy snow squalls and a heavy sea. The passage was made to within a short distance of the vessel, but at a point on the south side where the sand-bank jutted further into the channel than the surrounding banks, the Life-boat missed stays and as there was not room to wear round, the anchor was let go, but it failed to bring her up.

Despite the efforts of the Crew she grounded and remained fast on a falling tide, with the sea breaking over ier, pounding her on the sands and drench- ing the Crew, who were in danger of being washed overboard. The intense cold and darkness added to their plight.

This continued for about four hours, until the ebbing tide left the boat firmly on the sands. About 4 a.m. on the 15th, the rising tide lifted her suffi- ciently to enable her to float off the bank into the channel.

The Second Life-boat Called Out.

By this time the wind and sea had abated a little and it was thought advisable to return to the Station and take out the Civil Service. The Ethel Eveleen had been badly damaged, the bolts of her bilge keels being broken and her hold full of water, but her air- cases had kept her afloat.

At daybreak the Civil Service was launched—after the Crew had had a change of clothes and some food, which they needed. She proceeded to the Slaney and took off the passengers, a number of them being women and children ; then she took off the crew, and put them all—thirty-three in number— on board a waiting tug, which landed them at Wexford.

The service occupied from the evening of the 14th until the evening of the 15th.

The Slaney became a total wreck, and her remains are yet to be seen south of the present bar. Of the men who formed the Life-boat's Crew, only three are now alive..