Pwllheli, Caernarvonshire, and Barmouth, Merionethshire.—The Abersoch coastguards reported to the Pwllheli lifeboat station at 12.10 in the morning of the 4th October, 1938, that a vessel was dragging her anchors in St. Tudwalls Roads. A westerly gale was blowing, with a very rough sea and showers of rain and hail. The coxswain was warned, and the honorary secretary went to the beach to keep watch, as the land obscured the vessel from the lookout, but he was forced to go back by the driving sand. Watch was then kept from the boat-house, and at 1.45 A.M.

flares were seen. The motor life-boat William MacPherson was launched at 2.15 A.M. and searched along the supposed track of the vessel, but she could not find her, and returned toharbour at 7.45 A.M. At 8.45 A.M.

news from Criccieth reported the vessel —she was the s.s. River Humber, of Bristol—to be off Mochras Point.

Putting out again at 9.30 A.M., the lifeboat found the vessel steaming backwards and forwards, trailing her anchor and cable, which she could not heave in, as her windlass was out of order.

Escorted by the life-boat, the River Humber reached St. Tudwalls Roads at 1.40 P.M. and the life-boat returned to harbour at 2.30 P.M.At Barmouth information about the River Humber was received at about eight in the morning, when the coastguard look-out reported that a small steamer was ashore in Mochras Bay.

The gale had brought down the telephone lines, and it was impossible to get news from Pwllheli. The pulling and sailing life-boat Jones-Gibb put out at 8.40 A.M. and reached Mochras Bay at noon. She could find no trace of the steamer, and returned to her station at 3 P.M.

A letter of thanks was sent to the honorary secretary at Pwllheli, Mr.

B. V. HoweU, and to the Pwllheli coxswain and crew. — Rewards, £27 Os. 6d.

In view of the long and arduous search made by the Barmouth pulling and sailing life-boat, in a gale reported to be one of the most severe in living memory, a letter of thanks was sent to the coxswain and crew and an increase in the usual money award on the standard scale was granted to each member of the crew.—Standard rewards to the crew, £14 5s.; additional rewards to the crew, £18 15s. Total rewards, £35 2s. 6d..