Margate, Kent.—The S.S. Generton, of Newcastle, a vessel of nearly 5,000 tons bound from South Africa to London was ashore -on the Girdler Sands, twelve miles to the north-west of Margate. Tugs had tried several times to refloat her, but by the 28th of November, 1950, the weather had got worse and it was decided that the life- boat should put out. At 10.50 that morning, then, The Lord Southbarough, Civil Service No. 1 was launched in a very rough sea with a south-westerly gale blowing. The Generton had forty people on board. The master and a salvage officer asked the life-boat to stand by, while a tug tried once more to refloat her at 3.30 that afternoon.

It failed, and the life-boat was asked to help at the next tide. By midnight a strong gale was blowing and a veryheavy sea was breaking on the sands.

There were heavy rain squalls. The life-boat, still standing by, passed messages between tugs and the Generton.

At last the seas made the steamer move, and by 3.0 next morning the tugs pulled her clear. She had foul anchors, but at dawn she had cleared them and made for Gravesend. The life-boat returned to her station, arriving at 10.20, nearly twenty-four hours after putting out.—Property Salvage Case..