JANUARY 4TH. - GALWAY BAY. During the morning news was received from Valentia Radio that the S.S. Barrister, of Liverpool, was ashore off Skird Rocks. The crew were called out at once and were on board the life-boat about ten o’clock, but unfor-tunately the engines could not be started.

It was not until 11.30 that the starboard engine was working, and not until after one o’clock that the port engine was working.

The life-boat got away about 1.30 in the afternoon. Meanwhile a message had been received to say that the ship was not on Skird Rocks, but was on Inishshark. A moderate wind was blowing from the S.S.E., and the sea was smooth. After passing the Skird Rocks, the coxswain decided to go to Roundstone Bay, as he thought that it would be dark when he got to Inishshark. On arriving at Roundstone he learned from the local guard that the ship was being abandoned.

Meanwhile the news of the Barrister had reached the auxiliary rescue station at Inishbofin at noon and the auxiliary rescue motor boat had put out, manned by a crew of five. A moderate wind was blowing from the S.W., with a rough sea. She found the Barrister with her crew of 73 abandoning her, and stood by while they got into the ship’s boats. Then, with another motor boat, she helped to tow the ship’s boats ashore. She returned to her station at 7.30 in the evening.

The Galway Bay crew remained at Roundstone for the night and put out to the wreck at nine next morning, January 5th, with the second coxswain in command. She found no one on board the wreck, and put in to Cleggan for petrol. It could not be obtained at once, and the life-boat did not leave for her station until noon on January 6th, arriving there at six in the evening.

In view of the delay in launching and the coxswain’s action in putting in to Roundstone and remaining there for the night, instead of going direct to the wreck, an enquiry was held by the district inspector.

After this enquiry both the coxswain and second coxswain resigned, and their resignations were accepted by the Institution. - Rewards : Galway Bay, £42 11s. 8d. ; Inishbofin auxiliary rescue-boat, £18 10s. 8d.

(See Inishbofin, “ Services by Auxiliary Rescue-boats,” page 68.).