Whitby, Runswick, Redcar and Tees- mouth, Yorkshire.—On the afternoon of the 27th October the Italian steamer Comitas, of Genoa, left the Tees to go to Hartlepool for cargo. A strong north-westerly gale was blowing, with a very heavy sea, and snow showers, and she soon got into difficulties. She had run short of fuel, but refused help from tugs, and dropped anchor. The Redcar and Teesmouth life-boat crews were assembled at 2 P.M. in readiness to launch, but the life-boats were not then needed and both crews were dismissed at 5 P.M. Later the Comitas began to drag her anchors and at 12.20 A.M. on the 28th she wirelessed for help, giving her position as five miles east of Staithes. The Runswick motor life-boat Always Ready and the Whitby motor life-boat Margaret Harker Smith were launched at 12.50 A.M. The Runswick boat went to the position given and saw a vessel some distance off. After losing sight of her in a very heavy snow shower she found, when the snow cleared, that this was not the Comitas.

She then made a further unsuccessful search and returned to her station at 7.55 A.M. The Whitby life-boat made her way through extremely heavy seas and found the Comitas about four miles off Robin Hood's Bay. She had very little coal, her engines were stopped, and she was dragging her one remaining anchor before the gale. The life-boat stood by all night and by 7 A.M. they were about five miles off Scarborough.

At the master's request the life-boat put in there for towing help, and three trawlers put out and took the steamer in tow to Immingham. After the life- boat crew had made a change of cloth- ing and had had a meal at Scarborough, the life-boat made for home. The wind had changed to N.E. and the boat had to drive through the heavy seas and the gale. Thousands of people watched her come into harbour at 3 P.M. and gave the crew a great reception. The life-boat had been out altogether for over fourteen hours.—Rewards, Red- car, £1 16,5.; Teesmo th, £2 12s. ; Whitby, £28 12s. 6d. (For Runswick rewards see opposite page.).