February Meeting.

Arklow, Co. Wicklow At about 7 P.M. on the 15th December, 1935, five men in the 30-feet motor boat St.

Brendan were engaged hauling their nets when cries for help were heard from three men in the rowing fishing boat Mistical Rose. In trying to get back into harbour the men had broken two out of their three oars, and were being swept past the entrance by a very strong N.W. breeze, and a strong ebb tide. The sea was moderate.

The crew of the motor boat towed the rowing boat to safety, and then returned to their nets, which they fouled and damaged in the darkness.— Rewards, £2 10s., and 4s. for fuel used.

Beer, Devon.—On the 1st January, 1936, the coastguard reported the ketch Radiance, of Brixham, to be disabled about six miles east of Lyme Regis.

She had seven persons on board, all foreigners of various countries. The weather had been very severe, but had moderated to a strong southerly breeze.

At considerable risk, owing to the heavy sea breaking on the beach, four fisher- men launched the open 24-feet motor boat Traveller. The Weymouth life- boat also launched, and the Exmouth life-boat crew assembled, but the boat from Beer reached the ketch first.

The ketch's sails had been damaged, her engine had broken down, and her crew were exhausted. Taking the Radiance in tow, the rescuers went to Lyme Regis, but were unable to get in until high water at 11 P.M., and it was 2 A.M.—fourteen hours after they set out—before the ketch had been made secure. With the help of the fisher- men the ketch was reconditioned, and for this work they received payment from the owner, who then went on his way to the Mediterranean.—Rewards, £8.March Meeting.

Garlieston, Kirkcudbrightshire. — At about 5 P.M. on the 5th January, 1936, the schooner Fanny Crossfield, which had been driven off her course while bound from Strangford Lough to Workington, ran aground in the entrance to Garlieston harbour. A strong S.E. gale was blowing, with a heavy sea. At great risk four men put out in a 14-feet rowing boat, and for nearly two hours tried, without success, to render help. The crew of the schooner were taken ashore by the Board of Trade life-saving rocket apparatus. The Kirkcudbright life- boat crew assembled, but did not launch.—Rewards, £4, 155. for damage to clothing and 10s. for the loss of an oar.

Lerwick, Shetlands. — At about 11 P.M. on the 27th January red flares were reported in Colgrave Sound, between the islands of Fetlar and Has- cosay. A moderate S.S.E. gale was blowing, with a rough sea and hail showers. The Lerwick motor life-boat was launched, but as she had some thirty miles to travel, a motor boat put out, at the request of the coast- guard, from Uyeasound to help in the search. She was out from 12.30 A.M.

until 5.40 A.M. on the 28th. No vessel in distress was found, and it was thought that the reported flares might have been the headlights of a car at Brough Lodge, Fetlar.— Expenses of motor boat, £5 7s. 6d.

Peterhead, Aberdeenshire. — During a strong southerly gale with a heavy sea, the motor fishing boat Needle E'ee, with a crew of three, got into difficulties on the morning of the 6th February, while engaged on pilot work. Her engine had broken down, and she was dragging her anchor towards the rocks in South Bay. Signals of distress were made, and the 35-feet motor fishing boat Recruit, manned by three men, put out at 11.45 A.M., and towed the fishing boat into harbour.—Rewards, £l 10s., and 3s. for fuel used.

Amble, Northumberland.—A coble fly- ing distress signals was seen at about 8 A.M. on 20th February, 1936, about four miles from Coquet Island, by five men who, in two motor cobles, were making for Amble. A very strong south-westerly breeze was blowing, with a very rough sea. The disabled coble was found to be the Lea Rig, with three men on board, helpless owing to an engine breakdown. At great risk to the rescuers, she was towed into Amble by the two other cobles.—Rewards, £3 15s., and 4s. for fuel used.

Redcar, Yorkshire.—Five men put out from Redcar in the 19-feet motor boat May Queen, after a flare had been seen on Saltscar Rocks at 8 P.M. on the 21st February, 1936. A moderate S.W. breeze was blowing, with a strong ground swell. The motor fishing boat Sceptre, of Scarborough, was found stranded with a crew of four. After standing by for a time, the May Queen brought ashore two of the crew at 9.20 P.M. She then returned to the Sceptre, and remained with her until she refloated at about 11 P.M. The Redcar motor life-boat was also launched, but her services were not required.—Rewards, £2 10s., and Is. 6d.

for fuel used.

April Meeting.

Southend - on - Sea, Essex. — On the evening of the 3rd April, 1936, the motor boat Britannia, with two men on board, was adrift, about one and a half miles west of the pier, disabled by the breakdown of her engine. A moderate N.E. gale was blowing, with a very rough sea. The life-boat was being overhauled and the coxswain and seven men put out in the motor boat Dreadnought. The Britannia was towed safely ashore.—Rewards, £6 15s., and 15s. for use of boat.

New Brighton, Cheshire.—At 1.45 P.M.

on the 10th April, 1936, the life- boat coxswain, and permanent paid motor mechanic, put out in the life- boat boarding boat, the coastguard having reported that a small boat with a boy in her was in difficulties near buoy C.I 4, in the Crosby Channel.

A moderate E. breeze was blowing, with a moderate sea. A search lasting nearly two hours was made without result.—Rewards, 7s. 6d. to the coxswain.Eyemouth, Berwickshire.—On the fore- noon of the 4th February the steam drifter Jacob George, of Great Yar- mouth, when attempting to make the harbour, ran ashore on the south side of the entrance. She had a crew of ten on board. The wind was light, blowing offshore, but a very heavy breaking sea was running in the bay.

The pulling and sailing life-boat was called out, but it was decided not to attempt a rescue, on account of the great risk, unless the coastguard's life-saving rocket apparatus failed.

The Eyemouth fishing boat Spes Bona, a 44-feet motor boat, put out, manned by her owner and a crew of four. She backed down to the drifter, got a line aboard, and attempted to tow her off, but the line parted. This courageous effort to tow the drifter into safety had failed. The drifter was then washed closer in and her crew were rescued by the life-saving apparatus.— Rewards, silver watch, suitably inscribed, to William J. Patterson, skipper of the Spes Bona, £2 each to him and to the four members of his crew, and 5s. for fuel used.

London—On the 23rd February, when the Norwegian steamer Hafnia was in the Thames off Blackwall, a racing skiff became submerged.

Her crew of five were in the water, clinging to her and calling for help.

Within five minutes a boat had left the Hafnia, manned by the chief officer and three seamen, and four minutes later the men had been rescued.—Reward, a letter of thanks.

May Meeting.

Poole, Dorset.—On the 28th March the motor barge Associated was leaving harbour at 3.30 P.M. when the captain fell overboard, striking his head on the taffrail and becoming unconscious.

The life-boat coxswain, who had just returned to harbour in his fishing boat, saw what happened and very promptly launched his small boat. He picked up the captain and brought him to the quayside.—Reward, Letter of thanks.

Newhaven, Sussex.—At 1.35 P.M. on the 12th April the coastguard tele- phoned the life-boat station that two people had been cut off by the tide beyond Splash Point, Seaford Head.

A light northerly wind was blowing, but the sea was smooth. It was considered that a small boat would be more suitable than the life-boat, on account of the rocks, and the pilot on watch was asked whether he would go in his motor boat. He succeeded in taking the two men off and landed them on Seaford beach at 3 P.M.—Rewards, 10s.; and 2s. 6d. for fuel used.

Lowestoft, Suffolk.—At about 10.30 A.M. on the 19th April the life-boat coxswain, with his son, was putting out to sea in his motor boat. An incoming fishing boat informed him that a sailing dinghy was in difficulties. A strong ebb tide was running, the sea was breaking on the shoals, and there was a strong N.W. wind. The offshore wind carried the dinghy, which had one man on board, nearly to the Newcombe Sands. There the coxswain picked her up. He found the man exhausted by rowing, and towed the dinghy into harbour.—Rewards, £l; and 2s. 6d. for fuel used.

Portrush, Co. Antrim.—At midday on the 23rd April the motor fishing boat Princess got into difficulties when about a quarter of a mile N.N.E. of Ramore Head. A fresh to strong southerly wind was blowing, with a rough sea.

The boat's propeller was fouled by a rope and she began to drift. A motor boat, manned by four men, went out, took the Princess in tow, and brought her into harbour.—Rewards, £2 ; and 125. 6d. for fuel used.

June Meeting.

Port Stewart, Co. Londonderry. —• The open boat Teresa, with a crew of three, left the River Bann at 8.30 P.M.

on the 15th April with ballast for Port Stewart. At the mouth of the river her engine broke down. A small sail was hoisted, but this was inadequate, and as the wind was increasing from the N.E.

and the sea was rough, the crew endeavoured to anchor with two small pieces of iron, and burnt flares. These flares were not seen, but as the boat did not return, search-parties were sent along the shore, and about 4 A.M.found the boat in the breakers at the mouth of the Bann. They telephoned Port Stewart and a fishing boat was sent to the rescue. She put two men into the Teresa, as the crew were exhausted, and towed her back to Port Stewart.—Rewards, £3 ; with 55. for fuel used, and letters of thanks to the four members of one of the search- parties.

Clovelly, Devon.—On the afternoon of the 3rd May the life-boat winchman was told that two men were stranded one hundred feet up on the cliffs west of Clovelly pier, unable to get up or down. The winchman and the second coxswain went out in a boat to show the position, as the men could not be seen from above, on account of the over- hanging cliffs, and the coxswain, motor mechanic and bowman, with a naval telegraphist on leave, and an hotel porter, went to the top of the cliff with ropes.

The motor mechanic, C. E. Shackson, went down on a rope as far as possible, threw the men another, and they were hauled up the cliff, both very ex- hausted.—Rewards, £4.

Portrush, Co. Antrim.—About 11 P.M. on the 9th May the coastguard saw red and white flares about five miles N.W. of Ramore Head, and informed the life-boat station. A motor boat put out and answered the flares by flashing a light. The coastguard also flashed lights in the direction of the flares. The motor boat searched for three hours, and rinding nothing, returned to harbour. The vessel in question had evidently been fishing inside the prohibited line, and on seeing the boat, steamed away.—Rewards, £2 ; and 17s. for fuel used.

July Meeting.

Rousay, Orkneys.—Two members of the coast life-saving service went to the scene of the wreck of the steam trawler Morvina, of Grimsby, on the 13th May, but their services were not required.—Granted £2 for the use of the boats.

(For a full account see page 134.) Beer, Devon.—At about 4.50 P.M. on the 20th May two men fishing saw a canoe with one man on board approach- ing from the east. A gentle breeze was blowing, with moderate swell. The fishing boat remained near until the canoe should enter smoother Water, saw her capsize, throwing the man into the water, and rescued him from the upturned canoe, taking him and the canoe ashore. One of the rescuers stated that he was laid up for a week through getting wet at the rescue. A sum of £1 has been given by the rescued man.—Rewards, £1.

Scarborough, Yorkshire.—At about 3 P.M. on the 6th June a small sailing boat, with four young men on board.

was blown about three miles off the land in a fresh westerly breeze, and was in danger of being swamped. Two men went to their help in a motor coble, and towed the boat back into the harbour. No risk was run.—• Rewards, 12s.; also Ss. 6d. for fuel used.

Felixstowe, Suffolk.—At about 2.45 P.M. on the 14th June a small sailing boat with three young men in it capsized about a quarter of a mile from the shore. Three men put off in a speed-boat and rescued them from the water.—Rewards, £l 10s. for loss of trade.

Ilfracombe, Devon.—At about 10.40 A.M. on the 14th June the coxswain saw the small boat Grace, with one man, sailing into a dangerous position. The honorary secretary was informed, and sent out the coxswain and three other men in a motor boat. They took the sailing boat in tow and brought it to harbour about 1 P.M.—Rewards, £2 ; also 105. 6d. for fuel and use of boat.

New Brighton, Cheshire. -At about 8.30 P.M. on the 17th June the motor mechanic received information from the Mersey Dock Board that a small boat with two men in it had left Fonnby at 6 P.M. and a boat resembling it was seen turned over near Fonnby beach. The coxswain went out in his own motor fishing boat. After he had left, information was received from the coastguard that the two men were safe, and the boat was recalled.— Rewards, £2 ; also Is. 6d. for fuel used.Port Stewart, Co. Londonderry.—At about 5.30 P.M. on the 21st June the Port Stewart motor pilot boat put a pilot on board s.s. Ben Vooar, of Ramsey, to take her up the River Bann to Coleraine. Two men remained in the pilot boat to accompany the vessel over the bar. A moderate easterly breeze was blowing, with a moderate swell. The steamer was carried on to the rocks by the westerly set of the tide and efforts to get her off failed.

She was badly holed and making water, and the swell caused seas to be taken inboard. At 7 P.M. the master decided to abandon ship, and the pilot boat took off the crew of six and the pilot.— Rewards, £1 5*.; also £1 5s. 6d. for fuel used and a rope lost.

Cullercoats, Northumberland. — At about 6 P.M. on the 21st June a small boat with a man and his wife on board capsized near the Bear's Back Shoal.

Two men in a motor coble already at sea went to their help and rescued them. The woman was in a state of collapse. No risk was run, but both lives would have been lost unless prompt action had been taken by the rescuers.—Rewards, 15*.; also Is. for fuel used..