Selsey, Sussex.—At 11.5 on the night of the 23rd of February, 1955, the coastguard rang up to say that the S.S.

Meta D., of New York, a Vessel of 7,212 tons laden with coal and with a crew of thirty-eight, had gone aground on the Middle Grounds, four and a half miles south of Selsey Bill. Ten minutes later the life-boat Canadian Pacific was launched in a moderate sea. There was a fresh easterly breeze and the tide was flooding. There had been a warning of a north-easterly gale, and the coxswain thought it best to land the thirty-eight men, but fourteen declined to leave their ship. The life-boat took the other twenty-four to Portsmouth and landed them there at four o'clock on the morning of the 24th. About 6.20 the life-boat left Portsmouth and stood by the Meta D., while tugs tried to refloat her. They were not success- ful. The weather moderated later in the day, and the life-boat returned to her station, arriving at four in the after- noon. The Meta D. was refloated that evening.—Rewards, £47 7*. Id..