AUGUST 5TH - 6TH. - LONGHOPE, ORKNEYS.

At 9.28 at night the Kirkwall coastguard telephoned that the naval authorities requested the services of the life-boat for a vessel reported sinking. A south-east wind was blowing, with a moderate sea and dense fog. The motor life-boat Thomas McCunn was launched at 9.45, and a few minutes later received a wireless message giving the position of the vessel as four miles north-west-north of Stroma Light. The message also advised caution as there was much shipping in the Firth. The life-boat reached the position at 10.15 and found the American steamer Charles D. McIver, of Wilmington, laden with a general cargo of war material and carrying a crew of seventy-five. She stood by until a tug arrived and then returned to her station, arriving at three o’clock next morning. She remained at anchor, and at 10.40 was called out again by the naval authorities to a vessel in distress two miles north of Dunnett Head.

The fog was still very thick when the lifeboat put out again at 10.45. She found the same steamer, the Charles D. McIver, which she had left in charge of a tug the previous night, but there was no sign of a tug. The Charles D. McIver had evidently dragged her anchors, gone out over Torness and come back to Dunnett Head with the next tide.

On board her was an Admiralty salvage officer.

He asked the life-boat to take her to a place of safety. The life-boat coxswain boarded the steamer, laid a course for Scrabster Roads, and there she arrived, accompanied by the life-boat. The life-boat reached her station again at 6.45 that evening. - Rewards, £9 11s.

and property salvage case..