Lytham-St. Anne's, Lancashire.—At about 4 P.M. on the 6th December a message was received that a steamer was in distress on the south side of the Ribble channel. She was the Helen Craig, of Belfast, bound for Preston, with a crew of eleven and a general cargo. She had lost her rudder and gone ashore, and was pounding heavily.

A moderate N.W. gale was blowing, with a rough sea. The motor life-boat J.H.W. was launched at 4.20 P.M., and found that a pilot boat was standing by the Helen Craig, but was unable to help her. The Helen Craig's master asked for a pilot, and the life-boat fetched one from the pilot boat. He did not board the steamer, however, as the tide was ebbing and the weather was likely to get worse. The life-boatran alongside, took off the crew, and landed them on Lytham pier. She returned to her station at 8.20 P.M.

The weather moderated, and next morning at 4 A.M. she took the steamer's crew out again and put them on board.

She got back to her moorings at 8 A.M.— Rewards, £16 10s. Bd..