JANUARY 9TH . - LERWICK, SHETLANDS.

At 11 P.M. a message was received from the senior naval officer that a Greek steamer was sinking north of Unst, and that the life-boat should go to Balta Sound and await further instructions. Then came a second message that the steamer was ashore somewhere between Fetlar and the north end of Unst, and that the life-boat should search the coast. A fresh S.W. wind was blowing, with a moderate sea, and it was very dark, and the visibility was poor, when, at midnight, the motor life-boat Lady Jane and Martha Ryland was launched. At 8 A.M. the next morning she found the S.S. Tonis Chandris, of Piraeus, with a crew of twentytwo, stranded on the Vere Reef, two and a half miles from Balta Isle Light. She was making water. She stood by until noon, when she put into Balta Sound for her crew to get a meal, and to report to the senior naval officer. While she was there news came that a tug would arrive the next morning at day-break, and the life-boat was asked to stand by the steamer through the night.

Instead of at daybreak it was not until noon next day that the tug St. Mellons arrived and took the steamer in tow. The life-boat stood by until 2 P.M. and then returned to her station, arriving at 6.45 P.M. on the 11th.

She had been on service nearly 43 hours.

The next day the tug arrived at Lerwick.

She had the crew of the steamer on board, but the steamer had had to be abandoned.

- Rewards, £40 9s. 4d.