A MESSAGE was received at St. Mary's, Scillies, through the St. Ives coast- guard, shortly after half-past one in the afternoon of 28th November, that the schooner Mynonie R. Kirby, of London, bound for the South Seas, was drifting towards the shore, five miles to the south-east of the Scillies, She had been in tow of a Dutch tug, but the tow-rope had parted. A strong gale was blow- ing from the south-east with squalls ; the sea was heavy ; visibility was very poor. The motor life-boat Cunard was launched at once in the hope of find- ing the vessel before night came on.

Both the coxswain and second cox- swain were away in England owing to the dangerous illness of their father,1 and the life-boat was in charge of the bowman, Harry Barrett. She got away at two o'clock. A few minutes later an urgent message from the tug was received through the coastguard at St. Ives. She was unable to launch a boat and asked for the immediate help of the life-boat. The life-boat was 1 He died on 1st January. (See Obituary. Coxswain Lethbridge.) not out of sight when a third message came, this time from the coastguard at St. Agnes. The tug could be seen, bearing S.E. by E., about five miles away. The message was semaphored to the life-boat and she altered course accordingly.

The distance which she had to travel was about ten miles, against a head- wind and in confused seas, for the heavy swell which the gale was bring- ing up from the south-east met a heavy swell from the west. The journey took two hours, and the life-boat arrived to find that the schooner was water-logged and that both her masts had gone. She was drifting with a mast and its rigging hanging over each side, and the capstan, which had been ripped out by the tug, hanging over the bow with the anchor and cable. Owing to this mass of wreckage it was impossible for the life-boat to get alongside and a line was fired over the wreck by the line-throwing gun.

In this way a buoy was got across to her.

The actual work of rescue, in the heavy and confused seas, was very difficult. It was found impossible to fasten the tail-block to the wreck, so that an endless whip could not be used.

Instead a single line, with the buoy in the middle, had to be hauled backwards and forwards. The wreck was drifting, so that the life-boat could not anchor, and the engine had to be worked first ahead and then astern the whole time, which called for very prompt action on the part of the mechanic.

Night was coming on and the search- light had to be used. Just before the last man was rescued the line fouled the schooner's foreyard, and it was found very hard to free it again.

In spite of these difficulties, the six men on board the schooner and their dog were rescued, the acting coxswain handling the life-boat with great skill.

One man was injured during the work of rescue—Robert Ellis, the acting second- coxswain, who hurt his left hand. He then took the wheel. The life-boat reached her station again at 6.30 P.M.

She had been out for four and a half hours.

Next day she put out again to make certain that the wreck was not a danger to shipping, but no trace of her, not even any wreckage, could be found.

For this fine service the Institution has made the following awards : To ACTING COXSWAIN HARRY BARRETT, who was in charge of the life-boat for the first time, its bronze medal, and its thanks inscribed on vellum, signed by H.R.H. the Prince of Wales, K.G., as president of the Institution.

To J.H.ROKAHR, the motor mechanic, its thanks inscribed on vellum.

To each of the six other members of the crew a framed letter of thanks.

To each of the crew a money award for the two launches of £2 7*. 6d..