ON 20th August the Runswick motor life-boat, Robert Patton—The Always Ready, rescued a man whose yacht was in distress in Runswick Bay. The account of that service appears on page 364. Here is another account of the same service—by the man who was rescued.

"It is very difficult indeed to write this letter when it is almost certain that I owe my life to the Institution and the men who manned the life-boat. It seems silly to say that my appreciation of your work has increased enormously, but I had no idea of the perfection of your, organization. But perhaps you would most like to hear of the way in which the life-boat was handled by the crew.

" When Ariel, the small yacht in which I was sailing, became unman- ageable off Runswick Bay on Monday, 20th August, I had very little hope that I would live. The storm jib, the only sail that it was possible to hoist in such a gale, had blown out, and the yacht was lying broadside on to the wind and sea and was rapidly drifting away from the land. I knew that there was a life-boat at Whitby but it did not occur to me that there was also one at Runswick Bay, so that the only hope I had was that someone might see me from the shore and send out the A* Whitby life-boat. Whitby was a long way away and I did not expect that the yacht would live until the boat came.

" When I saw the life-boat coming out of Runswick Bay I could not believe that it was true. How the crew saw a little yacht like Ariel three or four miles out at sea, in all that welter of spray and sea, I do not know, but see her they did. To manoeuvre the boat beside the yacht was very difficult indeed in such a wind and sea, but after circling round they managed to place her alongside in such a way that I was able to jump on board.

That this in itself was a feat of seaman- ship, considering that a full gale was blowing, you will readily understand.

" The crew were extraordinarily kind to me and did everything in their power to help me, both while I was at Runs- wick Bay and while I was on board the boat. They are amongst the finest and most independent lot of fellows I have ever met.

" I have suffered considerable finan- cial loss through the sinking of the Ariel and cannot send you as large a subscription as I would like to, but I am enclosing a cheque for £3 3s. for the time being, and if you will forward a bankers draft I will complete this so that you will have a regular subscrip- tion from me.".