Cromer, Norfolk.—About 6.30 in the evening of the 20th of December, 1948, the coastguard telephoned that the motor vessel Bosphorus, of Oslo, of 2,111 tons, bound for Hull from Palestine, with a cargo of oranges and thirty-seven on board, had wirelessed that she was on the Haisborough Sands, and the No. 1 motor life-boat Henry Blogg was launched at 6.40. A fresh east-north-east breeze was blowing, with a rough sea. The life-boat found the vessel two miles north by west of South Middle Buoy. Her captain asked the life-boat to stand by, and she anchored off the west side of the bank.

There she stayed until 7.45 the next morning. Two Dutch tugs then ar- rived. The life-boat passed a rope to them from the Bosphorus and until 2.30 in the afternoon they tried to refloat her, but failed. The life-boat and tugs anchored for the night, and at ten o'clock on the morning of the 22nd, the life-boat again passed a rope to one of the tugs. She tried for three hours to pull the Bosphorus clear but the rope parted and fouled her propeller. The life-boat then passed a rope to the other tug. She too tried without suc- cess until the falling tide compelled her to give up the attempt. The cap- tain of the Bosphorus then asked the life-boat to land his only passenger, and in going alongside the life-boat grounded and was damaged, but she refloated, took off the passenger and landed him at Great Yarmouth at 7.30 that even- ing.

The coxswain sent to Cromer for dry clothes and food, and decided to remain at Yarmouth for the night.

At 5.30 next morning, the 23rd, the life-boat returned to the Haisborough Sands, and at 11 o'clock passed ropes across from one of the Dutch tugs and a tug from Hull. Again the Bosphorus would not refloat. The attempts were renewed on that night's tide and this time the vessel was slightly moved, but she still remained fast. Next morning, the 24th, more tugs arrived.

There were now seven and they moved the Bosphorus about seventy-five yards.

At two o'clock that afternoon the cap- tain asked the life-boat to get stores for him, and she went to Yarmouth for them, returning to the Sands at mid- night in time for a fresh attempt at towing. This moved the Bosphorus a few more yards. Next day, Christmas Day, the weather was better, and the life-boat was able to lie alongside the Bosphorus and put the stores on board.

The captain thanked the life-boat and said that, as the weather was now fine, he thought that she might return to her station, and he would send for her if she were needed. The cox- swain replied that he would not wait for the message, but would come out again at once if the weather got worse.

The life-boat then left for Cromer, arriving at 5.45 that evening. Three days later, in the morning of the 28th, the barometer began to fall, and at 12.45 in the afternoon the life-boat set out again, and reached the Bosphorus about 4 o'clock. During the evening the wind increased, and by 9 o'clock almost a whole gale was blowing from the south-west. At 3 o'clock next morn- ing, the 29th, the tugs began to tow again, and at 5.15 the Bosphorus re- floated. The life-boat continued to stand by until daybreak. The captain then signalled that all was well, and at 7 o'clock the life-boat left for Cromer, arriving at 9.30. She had spent 142 hours at sea in the nine days.

—Property salvage case..