JUNE 9TH. - MARGATE, KENT. At 12.27 P.M. a message was received from the Margate coastguard that a vessel had been mined at the N.E. Spit Buoy. It was calm and the sea smooth. At 12.30 P.M. the motor life-boat The Lord Southborough (Civil Service No. 1 ) was launched and on her way met the motor vessel Brabant, which hailed her. She went alongside and found that the vessel which had been mined was the steamer Empire Commerce, and that seventeen survivors, three badly injured, were on boardthe Brabant. She took them on board, returned at once to Margate and landed them at 1.15 P.M. Half-an-hour later she was again on her way to the Empire Commerce, part of whose crew was still on board. She found, however, that further help by the lifeboat was not needed as the tug Plumer and two drifters were standing by. At the request of the master of the Plumer she took in tow an empty barge and brought it into Margate Roads, returning to her station at 4.30. P . M . - Rewards, £5 15s. 6d. (See Margate “ Services by Shore-boats,” pp. 146)..