DECEMBER 22ND. - WEYMOUTH, DORSET.

At 4.55 in the afternoon the Portland Bill coastguard telephoned that a red distress signal had been seen a mile north of the Shambles Light-vessel. A strong southsouth- west wind was blowing, with a rough sea. The motor life-boat William and Clara Ryland was launched at 5.18 with the secondcoxswain in charge. A few minutes later the Wyke Regis coastguard reported the Admiralty L.C.T.711 making for Portland harbour in tow of a naval tug. This landing craft had made the distress signal. She did not now need help, but she signalled the life-boat that her consort, L.C.T.723, from which she had parted company about an hour earlier, was somewhere about and probably in difficulties.

The life-boat went to look for the second vessel, and found her about one mile off White Nose, on the north side of Weymouth Bay. She had broken down and was drifting on to a lee shore. She had not shown any distress signals as she was not aware that she was in danger of going ashore and breaking up on the rocks. She had eleven on board.

The life-boat passed a tow rope to her. She was an unwieldy craft, but after careful manoeuvring the life-boat got her under control and towed her into Portland harbour, where a naval tug took charge of her at 7.45 that evening. The naval authorities and the coastguard expressed their admiration of the prompt and seamanlike way in which the life-boat had carried out the rescue.- Property salvage case..