Southend-on-Sea, Essex.—At 9.10 in the morning of the 1st of March, 1949, the look-out at Warden Point reported that a barge was making signals of distress three miles east-north-east of the point. The motor life-boat Greater London, Civil Service No. 3 was launched at half-past nine in a north-north-west gale with a very rough sea. She found the sailing barge Asphodel, of London, carrying a crew of two and laden with sand. She was sinking and completely under water. At the second attempt the life-boat took off the crew, but her stem was damaged. She reached her station again at 12.45 in the afternoon and handed the men over to the Ship- wrecked Mariners' Society.

A few minutes after the life-boat returned information came that another barge was driving before the gale close to the Nore Sands, with her sails in ribbons, and at one o'clock the life-boat put out again. She found the barge Kitty, of Harwich, half a mile north of West Nore Buoy. She was deeply laden with a cargo of potash, and the heavy seas were making a clean sweep over her. She was making a lot of water and her crew of two were anxious to leave. The life-boat took them off and landed them at Southend Pier at 1.55.

As the Kitty had been abandoned in the shipping channel it was decided to bring her in if possible, and at half-past two the life-boat put out for the third time. Aided by what sails the barge had left, she towed her to a safe anchorage at Southend, and was finally re-housed at 6.15.—Rewards: first ser- vice, £14 8s.; second service, £11 5s.; third service, property salvage case..