JANUARY 9TH. - WELLS, NORFOLK, AND SKEGNESS LINCOLNSHIRE.

Information was received at Wells from the coastguard at about 4.48 PM. that a tug was showing flares off Scolt Head. A strong northerly wind was blowing, with a rough sea and snow squalls. The tide was low and the motor life-boat Royal Silver Jubilee 1910- 1935 had to be taken across three miles of sand before she could be launched at 6.20 P.M.

She found nothing at the position given, but she saw lights a long way off in the same direction, and found the collier S.S. Eastwood,of London. She was at anchor and leaking, and her master asked the life-boat to stand by. He also said that another life-boat had gone to the tug which was two miles E. by N.

The life-boat stood by until another tug arrived and took the steamer in tow, and then returned to her station at 3.25 A.M. At Skegness, at 4.30 in the afternoon, the coastguard reported SOS signals from a steamer eight miles S.E. by E. At 5.10 P.M. the motor life-boat Anne Allen put out. She found the tug Arcadia and the S.S. Eastwood. Both were damaged, one as the result of a mine, and neither was able to go on her way, but both crews refused to leave their vessels and said that they would stay on board until a tug came. The life-boat stood by until early morning. She then took the Arcadia in tow in an unsuccessful attempt to get her into deeper water. After 40 minutes she gave up the attempt and returned to her station, arriving at 2.40 A.M. - Rewards : Wells, £23 12s. ; Skegness, £19 17s..