Walton and Frinton, Essex.—At 11.57 on the night of the 6th of November, 1952, the life-boat E.M.E.D. left Har- wich for her station, after towing in the motor fishing vessel Binny Stewart.

But shortly afterwards, at 12.22, the Walton-on-the-Naze coastguard tele- phoned the honorary secretary that a vessel had been seen to burn flares about three miles south-south-west of Walton pier. This information was wirelessed to the life-boat, which immediately made for the position in a very rough sea and north-westerly gale. She found the motor barge Sway, of London, with a crew of three, bound in ballast from Blackwall to Fingringhoe. The barge had engine trouble and was unmanageable. The skipper said he had tried to make Harwich, but had been blown off his course towards the Gunfleet Sands.

He asked to be towed to safety, and with difficulty, the life-boatmen passed a tow rope across and towed the Stfiay to Harwich, arriving at 4.15.—Pro- perty Salvage Case..