JANUARY 4TH. - FOWEY, CORNWALL.

At 3.10 A.M. a message was received that distress signals were being fired from a vessel off Chapel Point, near Mevagissey. A fresh E.S.E. wind was blowing, with a very heavy sea. The weather was very misty. At 3.45 A.M. the motor life-boat C.D.E.C. was launched and found the S.S. Ardangorm, of Glasgow, of 5,000 tons, ashore on the Gwineas Rocks, with heavy seas breaking over her.

The coxswain told the captain that he would be quite safe until daybreak, but that if he wished the life-boat could rescue him and his crew by breeches buoy. The captain decided to remain on the steamer and asked the coxswain to stand by. This he did and at daybreak the life-boat went alongside and rescued eleven of the steamer’s crew. Then, after making sure that the twenty-five men remaining on board were in no danger, she landed them at Fowey. She asked that two tugs should be sent out to the steamer, returned to her, and stood by until 2.30 P.M.

An Admiralty tug had arrived and, after discussion, it was decided to abandon the steamer, as there seemed no hope of saving her. The life-boat took off the remaining 25 men and returned to her station at 4.18 P.M. A letter of appreciation was sent to the coxswain and crew, and an increase in the usual money awards on the standard scale was made to each member of the crew. - Standard rewards to crew, £19 15s. 6d. ; additional rewards to crew, £16 ; total rewards, £35 15s. 6d..