Clacton-on-Sea, Essex.—At 12.31 in the afternoon of the 9th of December, 1951, the coastguard telephoned that the West Mersea police had reported a fishing boat drifting towards Colne, and at 12.48 the life-boat Edward Z.

Dresden was launched. The sea was rough, with a strong west-south-west breeze blowing. The life-boat found the smack Iris, of Colchester, between the Bar and Fairway Buoys, but no one was on board. The life-boat towed her to Brightlingsea, arriving at 4.30, but the weather was too bad for her to be rehoused so she remained at Brightlingsea for the night and was taken back to her station next morn- ing.—Property Salvage Case..