Islay, Inner Hebrides.—At 12.30 in the morning of the 16th of March, 1949, the Kilchoman coastguard reported a message from McArthur's Head Lightr house that a vessel was flashing S.O.S.

signals one mile from the lighthouse, and the life-boat Charlotte Elizabeth left her moorings at one o'clock in a fresh west-north-west breeze with a moderate sea. She found the steam trawler Ben Bheula, of Fleetwood, three miles south of Port Askaig. The Ben Bheula had left Castlebay the previous week, after being helped by the Barra Island life-boat, and was now homeward bound for Fleetwood, but she was again leaking badly. The life- boat escorted her, but as the water was rising rapidly in the trawler's engine room, she took her in tow and made for Caol Ila. The trawler's pumps broke down and it was decided to beach her. This was done off CaolHa pier. The life-boat then landed ten of her crew of twenty-one, returned to the Ben Bheula and stood by until daybreak. The remainder of the crew then decided to stay on board and the life-boat returned to her station, arriving at 7.30.—Property salvage case..