Britain S. S. Co. v. J. B. King Transp. Co.

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
Britain S. S. Co. v. J. B. King Transp. Co., 131 F. 62 (2d Cir. 1904)
65 C.C.A. 300; 1904 U.S. App. LEXIS 4266

Britain S. S. Co. v. J. B. King Transp. Co.

Opinion of the Court

PER CURIAM.

The controlling question in the case is whether or not the steamer was substantially in motion. The district judge found that, although probably still forging ahead very slightly, and drifting up a little with the flood tide, she was almost, if not quite, at a standstill, preparing to anchor, and not under way. He heard some of the important witnesses, and there is no evidence presented sufficient to warrant a reversal of that finding. The witnesses for the steamer testify that she was not in motion. The respondent’s witnesses testified that when they first saw her she was apparently at anchor, and, although subsequently they state she was in motion, they yet admit that they did not see her moving through the water, and apparently infer merely that she must have been in motion because collision ensued. The steamer was practically a vessel not under way, was seen to be such by the navigators of the tug, and was so seen at a distance amply sufficient to enable the latter to avoid collision, had they not undertaken to shave too close.

The decree is affirmed, with interest and costs.

Reference

Full Case Name
BRITAIN S. S. CO. v. J. B. KING TRANSP. CO.
Cited By
7 cases
Status
Published
Syllabus
1. Collision — Steamship at Rest — Passing Ttjg with Tow. A steamship which, while not anchored, was about to anchor, and had stopped her engines, and was moving very little with the tide, if at all, had the rights of a vessel at rest with respect to passing vessels; and a tug with a tow on a long line, which saw and knew the situation of the ship, was solely in fault for a collision between her and the tow, due to the failure to allow sufficient room in passing.