FEBRUARY 6TH. - ST. ABBS, BERWICKSHIRE.

Just after 11 P.M. information wasreceived from the coastguard that a vessel was ashore west of Fast Castle Point. The motor life-boat Annie Ronald and Isabella Forrest was launched at 11.30. A moderate S.E. wind was blowing, with a choppy sea.

There was dense fog, and it was two-and-ahalf hours before the life-boat found the vessel. She was the S.S. Verbormilia, of London, a steamer of 3,275 tons, bound in ballast from Dundee to Newcastle. She had a crew of 31, and the boatswain’s wife was also on board. She had gone ashore at the foot of the cliffs, but the coastguard life-saving apparatus could not get near her owing to the heavy snowdrifts. The life-boat stood by for a time, and then, as conditions got worse, took, off 24 of the crew and the boatswain’s wife. The officers remained on board.

She landed them at 6.40 A.M. and returned to the Verbormilia. Conditions were now worse, so she took off six officers and landed them at 10.40 A.M. The captain, however, still refused to leave the ship. He had wirelessed to the salvage department of the Admiralty, and when two Admiralty salvage officers arrived at St. Abbs, the life-boat put to sea again with them. The weather had now got still worse. Heavy seas were breaking over the steamer, and she was filling with water.

Nothing could be done to save her. The lifeboat rescued the captain and returned to her station, arriving at 5.30 P.M. on the 7th - Rewards, £25 17s..