Gilkey v. The Beta
Gilkey v. The Beta
Opinion of the Court
1. When, in consequence of collision and repair, a new rating and certificate have to be procured in place of the former rating and certificate in order to obtain insurance on the vessel, considering that marine insurance is not merely universal, but practically necessary for the support of maritime commerce, I think the expense of such a new lilting, which is an expense necessary to put the vessel into her previ
2. The advance on allotment notes to the crew was rightly excluded, because the allowances for freight and demurrage covered such charges in another form.
3. The numerous items in regard to the damage to the vessel, cargo, and effects, and the charges and expense attending the raising and repair, as well as the value of the vessel herself, have been carefully considered by the commissioner, and to most of them I do not find in the evidence sufficient warrant for any material change in his findings, except as connected with the upsetting of the vessel, and the liberal allowances for personal effects.
4. Considerable damage, as the commissioner states, was no doubt caused by the capsizing of the schooner while being towed from Fortress Monroe to Norfolk. The collision happened at sea, off Cape Hatteras, two or three days previous. On the day after the collision she was towed in from sea to Fortress Monroe by the Beta, wrhere she was left in charge of her master. On the following day a tug rvas employed by him to tow her to Norfolk, a trip of an hour or two only, and on the way she capsized. The captain Avas asked to explain why she capsized and ansAvered that he could not do so. No further evidence was given on the subjeot. The schooner, through damage by the collision, (The Beta, 40 Fed. Rep. 899,) at once partly filled with water, but, as her cargo consisted of empty hogsheads and tierces, she did not sink, and was toAved in that condition to Fortress Monroe. She had floated for two days, and had been towed this long distance at.sea, and yet, on the short trip from Fortress Monroe to Norfolk, without any change in her condition suggested, and under far less difficulties of towing, capsized. The claimants Avere not present or represented. They have no means of ascertaining the cause of capsizing, and the libelant’s captain says he cannot give any explanation, Avhich is equivalent to saying that he knew of no change in her condition, and no reason why she should' be upset. The fair inference, as it seems to me, under such circumstances, in the absence of explanation, is that she upset through the lack of proper management in tow'ing, and, if so, the damage caused by upsetting is not a proximate result of the collision, but chargeable to the subsequent fault. It is doubtless extremely unsatisfactory to adjust such an item of damage upon evidence and presumption of such a kind, and in the absence of fuller, appropriate testi
5. Demurrage. No reasonable objection can be made to the rate of de-murrage allowed by the commissioner. The time allowed is liberal in any event, and disallowing the damages from upsetting the time must be reduced by at least 21 days, amounting to §672. With the foregoing deductions the damages will aggregate the sum of §14,701.48, for which sum, with interest from March 26,1889, amounting in all to §16,-110.36, a decree may be entered, with costs.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Gilkey v. The Beta, Etc.
- Status
- Published