Margate, Kent.—At 11.6 on the morn- ing of the 19th of April, 1954, the coastguard rang up to say that a cabin cruiser had broken down in Kingsgate Bay, but had made no distress signals.

Watch was kept on her, and at 11.53 the coastguard reported that she was in difficulties. At 12.5 the life-boat North Foreland, Civil Service No. XI was launched in a very rough sea with a strong north-easterly breeze blow- ing. She found the auxiliary yacht Merlin, of Maldon, with three men on board. The yacht had lost her anchors, her skiff had been washed away, and the men had only been able to set her fore-sail. She was being driven to- wards the shore. With difficulty the life-boat passed a wire rope to her and towed her to Margate, arriving at 3.30.—Rewards, £18 10*..