AN INEXPERIENCED CREW Stromness, Orkneys.—At midnight on the 15th of July, 1947, the Kirkwall coastguard telephoned that the motor boat Curlew, of Kirkwall, had left Rousay at about nine o'clock for Kirk- wall but that nothing had been heard of her since. There was dense fog, but the sea was smooth, with a moderate south-easterly breeze blowing. At 12.13 the coastguard reported that there was still no news of the boat and that she was said to be manned by an inexperienced crew. The wind was freshening, and at 12.30 the motor life-boat J.J.K.S.W. was launched.

She found the Curlew, which had been on a pleasure cruise, anchored between Odin Ness and the Taing, Gairsay.

Two persons were on board and seven others had gone ashore. The two persons doubted the seaworthiness of the boat and asked to be towed to Kirkwall. After the seven people ashore had been brought out to her by a local boat, the life-boat towed the Curlew to Kirkwall and returned to her station, arriving at 1.10 in the after- noon.—Rewards, £20 15s..