The Jonrney of the St. Ives Motor Life-boat to her Station.

By LIEUT.-COMMANDER H. L. WHEELER, R.N., Southern District Inspector.

WE left Cowes for St. Ives, Cornwall, at noon on the 18th March. On board were Mr. H. F. Osborne, District Engineer (South), in charge of the machinery, Coxswain Thomas Cocking, Junr., of St. Ives, the motor mechanic, and two men of the St. Ives crew.

The new boat is one of the light self- righting type, 35 feet 6 inches by 9 feet 3 inches, weighing, with the full crew of seven men and gear on board, 7 tons. She is driven by a 35 h.p. engine, and on trials at Cowes her maximum speed was just under 1 knots.

Rough weather was experienced during practically the whole of the passage, and on the second day's run after rounding Portland Bill we ran into a full westerly gale, which con- tinued until we reached Brixham just before midnight on the 19th March.

The reading from the coastguard's log at Berry Head on this day was " Force of wind, 8 " [a gale], and I think this is by no means overestimated. There were rain squalls about every twenty minutes, and at these times, together with the seas washing over the boat, the spray came over with such force that it was very difficult to keep one's eyes open to steer a compass course. From midday till about 10 p.m. heavy green seas were frequently shipped, and every- one was surprised to see how quickly the boat freed herself of this water.

The crew were wet through, and all spare clothing which was in suit-cases, which were again inside double canvas bags, and all covered by a large canvas sheet, was also wet. j The distance from Weymouth is only forty-seven miles, but it took nearly fifteen hours to do the trip, and the exposure told on everyone.

The boat behaved wonderfully, and the crew were delighted with her per- formance, and have the utmost con- fidence in her after this trip. The mizzen was hoisted during this gale, and it certainly made the steering easy.

The lug was set on the run from Brix- ham to Plymouth, running with the wind abaft the beam, and the steering was again very easy.

I cannot speak too highly of the cox- swain and crew. There was never a murmur from start to finish, and they are all pleased the boat has had such a test.

We arrived at St. Ives at two in the afternoon of the 23rd. The total dis- tance run was 236 miles. We were at sea forty-two hours and twenty minutes and the average speed for the trip was 5.6 knots.

The committee of management sent letters of appreciation to Commander Wheeler, Mr. Osborne, the coxswain and navigating party. The coxswain and navigating party also received extra pay..