Hartlepool, Durham, and Redcar, Yorkshire. — While bound from the River Tees to Blyth the motor vessel Oceanic, of Newport, Isle of Wight, damaged her steering gear and began to drift. At 1.45 in the morning of the 7th of July, when north-east of Heugh, she showed distress flares.

They were seen by the Hartlepool coast- guard, and the Hartlepool life-boat The Princess Royal, Civil Service, No. 7 was launched at two o'clock. A strong north-north-west breeze was blowing, with a rough sea. The life-boat found the Oceanic one and a half miles east of Skinningrove and put a rope aboard to check her drift towards land. The rope soon parted, and the life-boat stood by until 7.30. She then left to report to the Whitby coastguard, re- turned to the Oceanic, and remained with her until a tug arrived and took charge of her. The life-boat reached her station again at half-past twelve in the afternoon.

The flares were also seen by the Marske coastguard, who informed the Redcar life-boat station and the life- boat Louisa Polden was launched at 2.45 in the morning, but driven by wind and tide the vessel had quickly travelled south, and after an unsuc- cessful search the life-boat returned at 5.25.

News of the vessel in distress also reached Runswick, and the life-boat crew assembled in readiness, but they did not launch.—Rewards: Hartlepool, £23 17s. Qd.; Redcar, £10 12s..