Yarmouth, Isle of Wight.—At 12.10 early on the morning of the 24th of De- cember, 1952, the Needles coastguard telephoned that the S.S. Virginia, of Panama, had run ashore one mile west of Atherfield but had not made any distress signals. The sea was rough, with a strong south-south-west breeze, and it was foggy, and at 12.30 the life-boat S.G.E. was launched. The Virginia wirelessed that she only needed tugs, and the life-boat was recalled to her station, which she reached at 2.10. At 2.45 the coast- guard reported that the Virginia's No. 4 hold was full of water and that she had asked for a tug and the life- boat. So at 3.10 a.m. the life-boat was launched again. She went along- side the steamer and remained there for four hours. The master then decided to abandon ship, and the life- boat took on board the crews' clothes and personal belongings, but the master changed his mind, and he and his crew of twenty-two stayed on board. The life-boat landed a man and a stewardess, put the clothes and personal belongings back aboard the steamer, and returned to her moor- ings, arriving at 12.45.—Rewards: 1st service, £7 8*.; 2nd service, £24 17s. 6d..