MARCH 19TH. - CLOVELLY, AND ILFRACOMBE, DEVON. At 3.10 A.M. a message from the coastguard, Hartland Point, was received at Clovelly that a steamer was on fire six miles north of the point. A whole W.S.W. gale was blowing, with a very heavy sea. At 3.26 A.M. the motor life-boat City of Nottingham was launched and found the S.S. Albionic, of Hull, burning fiercely amidships.

Part of her crew had left in two of the ship’s boats, and the remainder intended to leave later. The life-boat then went to a trawler, City of Aberdeen, which was near by, and asked the captain to search for the ship’s boats while she herself continued to stand by the Albionic. After an hour the fire lessened and the life-boat went to another vessel, the British Intelligence, which had picked up one boat with eight of the Albionic’s crew on board. With great difficulty in the heavy seas the life-boat took them on board.

She then returned to stand by the Albionic.

The City of Aberdeen returned with five of the Albionic’s crew, whom she had picked up, including the captain. The life-boat took them on board, and continued to stand by the Albionic. Those on board her still did not wish to leave and as, in the very heavy seas, the risk of attempting to put the thirteen men in the life-boat on board the Albionic was too great, the lifeboat put them on board the City of Aberdeen which was now in the roads. She returned once more to the Albionic, and stood by for another two hours.

Those on board her still not wishing to leave, the life-boat returned to the City of Aberdeen, took off the thirteen men, and landed them.

She returned to her station at 7.15 P.M.

At 12.14 P.M. news was received at Ilfracombe from the coastguard that a ship’s boat was adrift two miles north of Widmouth Head. The Ilfracombe life-boat station communicated with the Clovelly station, and was told that two boats were adrift, one containing important ship’s papers. They were boats from the Albionic. The motor life-boat Rosabella was launched at 12.45 P.M. and found a drifting boat, waterlogged, two miles north of Hangman’s Hill. It had the ship’s papers on board. The life-boat towed the boat to Ilfracombe, and she returned to her station at 4.35 P.M. An increase in the usual money award on the standard scale was granted to the Clovelly crew. - Rewards Clovelly, standard rewards to crew, £61 1s. 6d. ; additional rewards to crew, £7 ; total, £68 1s. 6d. : Ilfracombe, £11 4s. 3d..