Stromness, Orkneys.—At 5.15 A.M. on the 16th March the Kirkwall coastguard telephoned that Wick Radio had reported a vessel ashore on Hoy. She was the steam trawler Siberite, of Hull, homeward bound from the fishing grounds, with a crew of eleven. A moderate west breeze was blowing, with a rough sea, and the weather was thick, with rain. The motor life-boat J.J.K.S.W. was launched at 5.35 A.M., and, searching round the coast, found the Siberite ashore on Rora Head in a most dangerous position. Her boat had been smashed, and she was rolling and bumping badly. There was no time to lose. Skilfully the life-boat was taken alongside three times, until the eleven men had jumped into the lifeboat.

The Siberite by this time was full of water and her decks had burst. The life-boat herself struck the rocks, and sustained some damage, but she got safely back to Stromness with the rescued men, arriving at 8 A.M. In recognition of this fine rescue a framed letter of thanks was presented to Coxswain William Linklater, and an increase on the usual rewards on the standard scale was granted to him and to each member of the crew. The owners of the Siberite, the Kingston Steam Trawling Co., Ltd., gave £50 to the life-boat crew. A formal investigation was held by the Board of Trade into the loss of the Siberite and the following is an extract from the findings of the court: " Owing to the speedy action of the Stromness life-boat's crew in answer to the Siberite's SOS, all the crew were saved on a very dangerous coast. The Court wish to place their commendation of this excellently performed work of rescue on record." — Rewards, £18 19s. 9