FEBRUARY 3RD. - SOUTHEND - ON - SEA, ESSEX. At 4.5 in the morning the naval control at Southend reported that H.M.

drifter Silver Seas had been abandoned and was adrift to the west side of Southend pier.

A strong southerly wind was blowing, with a rough sea and squalls of sleet. The motor life-boat Greater London (Civil Service No. 3) was launched at 4.30 and twenty minutes later reached the drifter. She was on the sands, without anchor or moorings, about one hundred feet from the pier and driving on to it. It was impossible to take the Silver Seas in tow in such weather. The life-boat dropped its main anchor and, paying out seventy fathoms of cable, steamed near enough to the drifter for three life-boatmen to jump aboard her. They did it at considerable risk to themselves. Then, with a heaving line, the life-boat got her cable on board the drifter, which the three men made fast, so that the drifter was now held by the life-boat’s main anchor and stopped by it from smashing through the pier. About 5.10 the tug T.I.D.7 came on the scene and the life-boat secured her tow rope to the drifter and made with it towards the tug. While she was trying to get this tow-rope on board the tug, the tug came astern and damaged her. The tug was of shallow draught and had much difficulty in getting into position in that strong wind. Eventually she picked up the tow rope, but while she was trying to get in to position to tow, the rope wound round her propeller.

She was then too close to the pier to anchor, but went alongside the drifter. The life-boat’s cable and anchor were now holding both the drifter and the tug from driving into the pier.

Going alongside the drifter the life-boat passed her spare cable and her spare anchor to her, which held her until, with the tide falling, she grounded. This was about 6.45.

The life-boat then returned to her station.

When the tide was out the life-boat coxswain went to the drifter and found a great deal of rope round the propeller. This was cleared away and the anchor which had held the drifter was taken farther out.

At four in the afternoon the life-boat went out again to the two vessels. Three lifeboatmen were put on the drifter and one on the tug. Under the direction of the lifeboat’s coxswain the tug made fast her tow rope to the drifter. The life-boat then put her tow rope aboard the tug, and they both took the weight. After they had pulled awhile without result, the position of the tow rope on the drifter was altered and the tug and life-boat pulled her head round. They continued to pull until she refloated and towed her to a safe anchorage. The life-boat returned to her station at seven that evening.

- Property salvage case.