BARGE SINKING IN THE THAMES Southend-on-Sea, Essex.—At 8 o'clock on the night of the 7th of January, 1948, the coastguard reported that a barge, from which they had rescued a woman, was drifting away from the pier and sinking, and her crew of two could be heard calling for help. At 8.20 the motor life-boat Greater London —Civil Service No. 3 was launched in a fresh westerly gale with a rough sea.

She found the barge Thelma, of Rochester, south of the pier, with her top-mast broken. It was too dangerous for the life-boat to attempt to go along- side in that sea, so the coxswain drove' her bows on to the barge and, with great difficulty hauled in the two men, who were exhausted. The life-boat reached her station again at 9 o'clock, but the pier authorities said that the barge would interfere with berthing arrangements and would damage the pier. They asked if the life-boat would tow her cle,ar, and at 9.10 she again went out, and with great diffi- culty put three life-boatmen on board the Thelma. Then a tow rope was passed to them and the life-boat towed the barge alongside the pier.

The three men remained on board her and pumped all night to keep her afloat. In the morning they signalled that she was still making water, so the life-boat again left her moorings, and towed the Thelma alongside the unloading jetty, and arrived back at her station at 10.30 in the morning.— Rewards, First Service, £9; Second Service, Property Salvage Case.