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280 F. 402

Docket No. 217.

The Saranac

Second Circuit Court of Appeals

Decided March 6, 1922.)

Second Circuit Court of Appeals · decided 1922-03-06

Petition in admiralty for limitation of liability by the Cornell Steamboat Company, as owner of the steam tug Saranac, with separate libels by Kate Dougherty and by Oliver Gildcrsleeve & Sons, Inc., against the steamship Lampasas, of which the Mallory Steamship Company was claimant, and in which tlic steam tug Saranac, the Cornell Steamboat Company, claimant, was impleaded. From decrees holding both vessels at fault, the Cornell Steamboat Company appeals.

2 counsel of record

Affirmed · Opinion by (per_curiam) · Decided 1922-03-06

¶1Collision <@=3.82(2) — Steamship held not at fault for not going ahead full speed in emergency.

¶2Where the finding that the weather conditions required fog signals to be sounded was supported by the evidence, and neither tug nor steamship sounded such signals, so that both were at fault, and the tug was also at fault for failure to maintain a proper lookout, the steamship held not at fault for failing to go full speed ahead on sighting the tug, where the collision was imminent and probably inevitable at that time.

¶3*403Appeal from the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York.

¶4Petition in admiralty for limitation of liability by the Cornell Steamboat Company, as owner of the steam tug Saranac, with separate libels by Kate Dougherty and by Oliver Gildcrsleeve & Sons, Inc., against the steamship Lampasas, of which the Mallory Steamship Company was claimant, and in which tlic steam tug Saranac, the Cornell Steamboat Company, claimant, was impleaded. From decrees holding both vessels at fault, the Cornell Steamboat Company appeals.

¶5Affirmed.

¶6Robert S. Erskíne and Kirlin, Woolsey, Campbell, Hickox & Keat-ing, all of New York City, for appellant Cornell Steamboat Co.

¶7Burlingham, Veeder, Masten & Feary, of New York City (Chauncey I. Clark and Frederick Pennell, both of New York City, of counsel), for appellee Mallory S. S. Co.

¶8Before ROGERS, HOUGH, and MAYER, Circuit Judges.

¶9PER CURIAM.

¶10These causes grow out of a collision occurring in the North River, off Pier 25, Manhattan. The trial court found as facts: (1) That at and before collision the weather was such that fog signals should have been sounded by navigating vessels; (2) that such whistles were not sounded by either vessel; and (3) that the tug Sar-anac did not have a lookout properly stationed and attending to his duty. With these findings we agree, and they are assuredly sufficient to require affirmance of decrees holding both vessels at fault

¶11We express no opinion in respect of the alleged failure of the Sara-nac to keep her tow straight behind her, and we disapprove of the suggestion (it is hardly more) that it was a fault on the part of the steamship Lampasas not to go full speed ahead when she sighted the Saranac. When the tug and tow were seen through the fog, collision was probably inevitable; certainly a position of imminent and almost certain danger had been produced by mutual violation.of the fog rules. Such a situation having been proven, it is not profitable to speculate as to whether collision might have been avoided by taking the “last chance” of full speed ahead under a hard over wheel.

¶12Decrees affirmed, with one bill of costs.

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