FEBRUARY 17TH. - HARTLEPOOL, AND SEAHAM, DURHAM, AND REDCAR, AND WHITBY, YORKSHIRE. Shortly after midnight a message came to the Hartlepool honorary secretary’s house from the coastguard that the life-boat was wanted. The honorary secretary was on duty with the Observer Corps, and the coastguard at once repeated the message to him there. The coxswain was on duty in an examination vessel and the second-coxswain and crew were called out. Ten minutes later the call was cancelled. At 5 A.M. the call was repeated, and the motor life-boat The Princess Royal {Civil Service No. 7) was launched at 6.35, but a wire snapped, the starboard engine lost power, and it was found that the broken wire had got round the propeller and boss. An easterly gale was blowing, with exceptionally heavy seas on the bar, and it was thought not safe for the life-boat to go out on one engine.

Attempts to put the trouble right failed, and at daylight it was decided to put the boat back on her slipway. The engine was reversed, the wire cleared and at 10.40 she was ready again for service. The naval officer in charge was informed, and he told the life-boat to stand by for instructions.

At 11.55 she was asked to go out to the help of a vessel ashore on the Hummersea Sands.

She was the French steamer Casamance. The life-boat found her at 3.10 in the afternoon, under the cliffs at Redcliff, with heavy seas going over her. The life-boat hailed her and sounded her klaxon horn, but no reply came from the steamer. She had evidently been abandoned, and the life-boat returned to her station, arriving at 5.30 P.M.

The news that the steamer was ashore was sent also to Whitby, Seaham, Redcar and Runswick and Staithes. At Whitby, Seaham and Redcar the crews were assembled, but the life-boats did not launch. The lifeboat at Runswick was off service, but it wasknown there that the Hartlepool life-boat had launched, but about eleven in the morning nine fishermen of Staithes were taken to the point on the cliffs nearest to the wreck in a coal waggon, and immediately they were seen the crew of the Casamance launched one of the ship’s life-boats. It had on board 37 men and the wife of the mate. There was a tremendous current sweeping past the steamer, and it looked as if the men would be unable to manage their boat but, encouraged by the shouts, and guided by the signals, of the fishermen on shore, they succeeded in bringing her safely to the beach, and everyone on board was rescued. Another small boat was then launched from the steamer, with the captain and the remaining eight members of the crew on board, but the boat capsized and all nine were drowned.

The officers and men of the Casamance had left their things on board, ready packed, and next day they asked if these might be brought ashore. Confidential papers had also been left on board which the officers were anxious to have. The sea was still rough and only a life-boat could get to the steamer. The naval authorities decided to ask the Redcar life-boat to go out, and at three in the afternoon the motor life-boat Louisa Polden was launched. All the personal baggage, the ship’s papers, navigational instruments and charts were collected and brought ashore, and the lifeboat returned to her station at 6.30 P.M. - Rewards : Hartlepool, £17 14s. ; Redcar, assembly on the 17th, £6 15s,, service on the l8th, £14 12s. 3d. ; Whitby, assembly, £3 ; Seaham, assembly, £1 4s. 6d. ; the nine fishermen of Staithes were rewarded by the Ministry of Shipping.