Plymouth, Devon.—At5.5 on the morn- ing of the 23rd of March, 1955, the Longroom signal station telephoned that the motor vessel Venus, of Bergen, waiting to embark passengers for Madeira, had wirelessed that she was dragging her anchor in Plymouth Sound and needed a pilot and a tug.

The Venus ran hard aground near Mount Batten breakwater, but no lives were in danger, and two tugs put off about 6.45. At 7.14 the life-boat Thomas Forehead and Mary Rowse put out in a rough sea, with a moderate south-westerly gale blowing and an ebbing tide. She found three naval tugs and the two other tugs trying to refloat the Venus, which remained fast.

The refloating operations were called off at 9.10, and the life-boat returned to her station, arriving at 9.30. At 4.5 in the afternoon the life-boat put to sea again and stood by while another attempt to pull the vessel clear was made. This was also unsuccessful, and the life-boat returned to her station, arriving at 6.35. The Venus was refloated by three tugs on the morning of the 26th.—Rewards: 1st service, £8 15s.; 2nd service, £8 15*. The master of the Venus thanked the mem- bers of the life-boat crew and gave the proceeds of a seasonal collection in his ship to the Institution..