Southend-on-Sea, Essex.—At 6.5 in the evening of the 17th of October, 1948, the coastguard telephoned that a ship had reported two small vessels in distress and signalling for help, one and a half miles north-east of Blacktail Spit Buoy, and the motor life-boat Greater London, Civil Service No. 3, was launched at 6.25. A strong south- westerly breeze was blowing, with a rough sea. The life-boat found an ex- naval assault boat broken down with another in tow. Two men and a boy were in the boats, but although they were cold and hungry they would not leave them, so the life-boat towed both boats to the pier, arranged for refresh- ments for the men and the boy, and arrived back at her station at 9.30 that night.-—Property Salvage Case..