DECEMBER 19TH. - FALMOUTH, CORNWALL.

At 4.50 in the morning the coastguard reported distress signals from a tug in Cross Channel in Falmouth Harbour, and the motor life-boat Crawford and Constance Conybeare, which had returned from standing by the S.S. Dunkery Beacon three hours before, was launched again at 5.10. A southerly gale was still blowing and the sea was heavy.

She found that the distress signals came from the tug Empire Aid. Earlier in the morning the tug had been preparing to go to the help of the Dunkery Beacon, but the heavy seas had washed her towing hawser overboard and it had fouled the propeller. She had dropped anchor and this had fouled the hawser. It was high water and she was near Mylor Point, drifting towards the shore. The life-boat took a message to the tug Empire Polly, which towed the Empire Aid to Falmouth docks. The life-boat arrived back at her station at 8.45 that morning. - Rewards, £10 8s. 6d..