DECEMBER 25TH. - STORNOWAY, ISLAND OF LEWIS. At nine in the morning the coastguard reported that an SOS had been received from a vessel ashore on Fladdachuain Island off the north of Skye, but that another vessel was standing by. A south-south-west gale was blowing, with a choppy sea. A further message came that help was needed, for the vessel was pounding heavily with seas washing over her. The motor life-boat William and Harriot was launched at 10.30 and reached the position at 2.40 in the afternoon. She found the American steamer Frederick Bortholde, with a crew of seventy-five on board, and went alongside, but the crew were reluctant to leave by a ladder over the side. Owing to the heavy motion of the steamer and the parting of her own mooring ropes the life-boat stood off.

Later H.M. trawlers landed a party on the lee side of the island. They were able to get ropes to the steamer and brought ashore 70 of her men. Most of them were transferred to the trawlers by the life-boat, but a few remained to start salvage work when the weather eased. Five men had remained on the steamer. The life-boat was no longer needed and arrived back at her station at 12.45 next morning. - Rewards, £14 2s. 6d..