DECEMBER 17TH. - EXMOUTH, DEVON.

At 4.20 in the afternoon a call was received from a vessel in distress off Beer Head. A strong south-south-west wind was blowing, with a rough sea. The motor life-boat Catherine Harriet Eaton was launched, with the help of a naval party, at 4.40, and two hours later found the Dutch motor ship Ooster Haven one mile south-south-east of Beer Head. She was at anchor on a lee shore with her propeller disabled. In addition to her crew, she had on board eleven survivors from another vessel whom she had picked up in the English Channel. A tug was expected and the life-boat stood by. At 7.30 a destroyer with an escort vessel arrived, and the lifeboat took a doctor from the destroyer to the Ooster Haven, to attend to injured men among the rescued. Later she took him back to the destroyer. A trawler arrived at eight o’clock and an attempt was made to tow the motor vessel, but the wire parted and the life-boat helped to pass a new wire. At 10.30 the expected tug arrived and an hour later she had the Ooster Haven in tow. The lifeboat remained with them until 12.40 next morning. Then, as the Ooster Haven was out of danger, she returned to Exmouth, arriving at 3.20. - Rewards, £29 16s. 6d..