tug

Whenever the tug is under the charge of her own master and crew, and in the usual and ordinary course of her employment undertakes to transport another vessel, which for the time being has neither her master nor crew on board, from one point to another, over waters where such accessory motive power is necessary, or usually employed, she is legally responsible for the navigation of both vessels.

A steam vessel built for towing; practically synonymous with towboat. Tugs are subject to the ordinary rules of navigation touching collisions. Where a schooner was being towed by a tug lashed to her port side, the fact that the schooner bad a pilot on board did not make the tug the mere servant of the schooner, so as to exempt the tug from responsibility; The Charles Allen, 11 Fed. 319; The Atlas, 93 U. S. 302, 23 L. Ed. 863. A tug is not a common carrier or insurer, and is bound only to reasonable care and skill; The W. II. Simpson, SO Fed. 153, 25