The Atlantic City’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

1 federal appellate ·

Most-quoted passages

The sentences later courts lift from this opinion, ranked by how many decisions quote each — the parts of the opinion doing the work. These counts are smaller than the citation total above because most of the 2 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. ““I think, however, the weight of the testimony establishes the following facts: The ‘Sylvan Glen’ left Washington Park, below Philadelphia, about ten and a half o’clock in the evening, bound for the Arch Street Wharf, Philadelphia. She passed up the river, somewhat on the Philadelphia side of the middle of the river. When about opposite the South Street Wharf her pilot sighted the ‘Atlantic City’ coming out from her wharf at Chestnut street and turning down the river. After straightening out her course, the ‘Atlantic City’ was about in the middle of the river. Each of the vessels showed to the other her green or starboard light. When they were not over half mile apart, and while each was showing to the other her green light, each of them gave to the other a signal of two whistles, thus indicating the intention of their respective pilots to pass starboard to starboard. Neither of the pilots heard the signal of the other. Notwithstanding this fact, both of the vessels were continued at full speed without the repetition of any signal, and, on the apparent assumption that each vessel would continue to show her green light to the other, and that they would pass each other on their starboard sides. After they had reached a position of probably not more than 300 feet apart, the ‘Glen,’ as all her witnesses admit, suddenly ported her wheel and sheered across the ‘Atlantic City’s’ bow. Almost instantly it became evident that there was danger of collision, and the engines of both vesse”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. The Atlantic City

2. ““If, when steamers are approaching each other, the pilot of either vessel fails to understand the course or intention of the other, whether from signals being given or answered erroneously, or from other causes, the pilot so in doubt shall immediately signify the same by giving several short and rapid blasts of the steam whistle; and if the vessels shall have approached within half a mile of each other, both shall be immediately slowed to a speed barely sufficient for steerageway until the proper signals are given, answered, and understood, or until the vessels shall have passed each other.””

   1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. The Atlantic City

3. ““The proper observation of this rule would have prevented any collision. Neither pilot was properly discharging his duty when he continued on his course with unabated speed, after having given his signal of two blasts, without having received any response from the other vessel, and without having ascertained the intention of the other vessel.””

   1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. The Atlantic City