Margate, Kent. — At 1.58 on the afternoon of the llth of July, 1952, the coastguard telephoned that a vessel appeared to be drifting towards the Longsands about ten miles north of Margate. Two minutes later the life-boat North Foreland, Civil Service No. XI, was launched in a strong sea, with a fresh west-south-westerly wind blowing. The life-boat found the motor house-boat Haste Away, of Ipswich, a forty-five tons converted Thames barge, with a man and two women aboard, together with a dog and three cats, bound from Burnham for Southampton. Owing to engine difficulties the boat was under-powered, and the master asked the life-boat to standby. At 3.20 a request for a tew was received, and the second coxswain was put aboard to help. With the Haste Away in tow the life-boat made for Margate, and although the tow parted another rope was got aboard, and harbour was reached at 5.10.

With difficulty the house-boat was safely moored alongside the quay at six o'clock.—Property Salvage Case..