Eastbourne, Sussex.—At 3.29 on the afternoon of the 26th of April, 1955, the S.S. Germania, or Piraeus, wire- lessed that she had been in collision with the S.S. Maro, of Panama, four miles south of Beachy Head, but that no help was needed. The Germania tried to anchor so that the damage done to her might be examined, but she ran aground half a mile cast of Beachy Head lighthouse. At 4.30 the coastguard informed the life-boat station. Fifteen minutes later the life-boat Beryl Tollemache was launch- ed in a moderate sea, with a fresh south-westerly breeze blowing and dense fog. The tide was half ebb.

The life-boat found the Germania, a vessel of 3,000 tons with a general cargo, on the eastern side of Beachy Head ledge. She went through rocks to reach her, and then, just as she did reach her, the Germania broke her back. The life-boat took on board her entire crew of twenty-six, but later put the master, chief mate and a seaman back in their ship. The life-boat landed the twenty-three men and then returned to the Germania and stood by her.

She remained with her all night, and at 9.5 on the morning of the 27th she landed the mate, so that he could communicate with the owners, and took ashore the crew's personal be- longings. The life-boat then remained at her station until 11.15, when she put out again to stand bv the steamer.

She went alongside her, and during the afternoon helped the coastguard Life-Saving Apparatus Company pass a hawser to her. The life-boat re- mained with the Germania until 6.40 in the evening and then returned to her station, arriving at 7.30. The Germania was completely abandoned the next evening. The Maro was only slightly damaged and went to South- ampton for temporary repairs.—Re- wards to the crew, £49 12,5.; rewards to the helpers on shore, £35..