Walmer, Kent.—At 12.26 early on the morning of the 4th of July, 1955, the Deal coastguard telephoned that red flares had been seen close inshore north of Deal. At 1.18 the life-boat Thomas lUarkby, on temporary duty at the station, was launched. She made a search towards Kingsdown in a calm sea, with a light west-south- west breeze blowing, but found noth- ing and arrived back at her station at four o'clock. A party of United States airmen celebrating American Independence Day had given rise to the report by setting off fireworks at Deal. On hearing the life-boat maroons, two of the airmen rushed tothe life-boat station and helped to launch the life-boat.—Rewards to the crew, £10 16s.; rewards to the helpers on shore, £9..