Montrose, Angus.—At 10.10 on the night of the 25th of December, 1952, the Usan coastguard telephoned that a vessel five miles east-south-east of Montrose had wirelessed a distress signal, and at 10.35 the life-boat The Good Hope was launched. There was a strong south-south-east wind blow- ing with a rough sea. The life-boat found the collier Moorlands, of Methil, with a crew of ten, five miles south- east-by-east of Scurdyness. She had broken down, but was in no immediate danger, and the life-boat stood by until another collier arrived. The life-boat then passed a line to the second collier from the Moorlands, but it parted in the bad weather. The skipper asked the coxswain to remain until a tug arrived, and one reached the position early the next morning.

The tug took the Moorlands in tow, made for Aberdeen, and was escorted by the life-boat for an hour. As the skipper then said that he did not need the life-boat any longer, she returned to her station, arriving at 9.40 the next morning. The skipper expressed his thanks.—Rewards, £32 11s..