JAN. 7TH - CLACTON-ON-SEA. AND WALTON AND FRINTON ESSEX. At about 4.38 P.M. the Clacton coastguard telephoned that a barge off Holland Sluice appeared to be in difficulties. Soon afterwards they reported that she was burning flares for help, and the Clacton motor lifeboat Edward Z. Dresden was launched at 5 P.M. A moderate south breeze was blowing, with a moderate sea, and the weather was overcast, with fog and rain. The lifeboat reached the barge abreast of Frinton.

She was the Louise, of Rochester, with two men on board, bound from London to Ipswich with a cargo of cotton seed. She had lost both anchors, her steering-gear had broken down, and she was unmanageable. The Clacton life-boat was unable to get her to a safe anchorage without help so signalled for the Walton motor life-boat E.M.E.D., which put out at 6.50 P.M. Between them the lifeboats towed the Louise to Harwich. The Walton life-boat returned to her station at 11.49 P.M., and the Clacton boat to hers at 1 A.M. - Property salvage cases..