Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1820-01-24
SALVAGE CASE.

In Glasgow paper of the 9Th Of
November we lind the following salvage
case.
A case of interest to passengers and
owners of ships, was this week tried at
the Cove Of Cork, before Col. Holder
and Savage French, Esq.
t appears that the American shin
Richmond, $40 tons register, left Ii.
yerpool on the 18th August, for phiIa.
delphia with cargo Of 500 tons of salt,
90 tons Of Goals, 100 crates, few
casks of plated goods, pig iron, &c. and
l2 passengers, men, women and chill.
drcn that, previous to tie pilot leaving
her, he gave it as his opinion that she
made more water than was safe for any
vessel to proceed on such voyage
that the water continued to increase,
and that Mr.. Spalding teacher of eIo-
cution) on the alst represented to the
captain. IAN inexperienced young uan)
the necessity of exercising the passen-
gers at the pumps, in order that, when
their aid might be necessary, it might
also be bencicial-that on the 95th The
water still increasing, Mr.. Spalding
assembled the passengers, convinced
them that it was necessary. ..thatit Was
their duty, to assist the crew--that the
safety of the vessel depended Oh their
eXertions, that the crew being already
greatly exhausted complaining, and
declaring that they would leave the
vessel the first opportunity and that
he Mr.. S. had no doubt of procuring
and would see that they were recon-
rensed for their er' Iccs--'hat w,lve Of
the passengers we're formed into three
watches that the vessel had been a.
bout half passage on the I'd SeptembeE
when it was discovered, by accident 5
that the silt had dissolved abaft that f
the skin Was so close that the dissolyiDs +
salt could not penetrate to the pumps, I
whilst every pitch or heave the vessel
gave was throwing down the salt in
hundred weights and tons, and inCreas- [
ing the danger; that previous to this,
about 20 tons of salt had been thrown
O, erboard: and, that, in short, by
Tightening. bailihg, and pumping du-
ring 81 days AID nights, the vessel was
brought intu Cork harbor 14th Sep
tember.
The passengers claimed twenty one
guineas each, for personal labor and
services, aud Counsel we're employed
on both sides. 1t appeared from the
p!eadmgs. that persons claiming sal
wage must be able to prove that the
vessel was in danger of running Oh
shore or being stranded, and that The
law had pr vided NOTHING for such who
only saved vessel from simply sink
ing in the ocean--that passengers "eIF
obliged t assist when called on, with
out ha ing a'y claim for such service
that the captain had never called up B
on the passengers to assist him -.tha
they were moi under his direction, D"
solely undcr the command and dlreC'
ton of Mr.. S. and his friend Mr.. Is.
TN the part of the claimants, it was
pleaded that if the motive and in!en'
ton of the salvage acts we're for mo- &
ment considered, it would be Impossible
for any one to conceive that tieyS'
rluded persons from claiming salvage
who had been Instrumental in SAVING
the vessel from sinking; that in inc
ease of a vessel running ashore, or De-
irg stranded, the owners might only
be subject to a partial loss lin the O. &
Their total loss was the consequence
that although the passengers were b0uDu
to assist the vessel in distress, yet ina!
when al opportunity presented Itseis
of leaving The vessel, they had rlgnI
to do so; but if they remained, the!
were from that moment entitled to claim s
several OF the passengers