Aldeburgh, Suffolk.—On the morning of the 13th December the motor vessel Excel, of Dover, left Ramsgate for London. On board were the owner, his two daughters and son. The Excel ran into bad weather, her engine broke down, and she was driven right off her course. At midday on the 14th she was drifting close to the shore near Orfordness. A whole S.S.W. gale was blowing, with a very heavy sea. The coastguard warned the life-boat station and the No. 1 motor life-boat Abdy Beauckrk was launched at 1.30 P.M.Before she could get clear heavy seas threw her back on the beach. Within a few minutes she was hauled back on to the slipway, and got away at the second attempt. When she arrived off Orfordness she received a signal that of the four people on board the Excel three were missing and one was saved.

They had jumped overboard when she neared shore. One girl had been washed on to the beach alive. The other three had been swept away and drowned. The life-boat searched until dark, but could find no trace of them.

As she would be unable to land at Aldeburgh, owing to the heavy sea and low tide, she ran for Harwich, arriving at 7 P.M. At 8 A.M. next morning she left for her station, reaching there at 11.30 A.M.

The Institution sent a letter to the station expressing appreciation of the expeditious manner in which the lifeboat was launched in difficult circumstances.

—Rewards, £44 18s. lOd..