Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1897-09-13
DECISIONS IN ADMIRALTY
REASONS FOR LARGE AND SMALL
AWARDS OF sALv ,GE.
importance Of Encouraging Large
Wreckiug Piants-vesseI In slight
Danger Pays Lightly.


United States will have interest
for both our courts and our ship
ping men. First, one from the
Cleveland Marine Review, upon
the case of the huge steamship st.
Paul:
Newspaper dispatches from New
York recently made brief reference
to decision in the salvage case of
the Merritt Wrecking Co. of New
York against the American line
steamship st. Paul and her freight,
which was stranded, some time
ago, at North Long Branch, and,
which, in addition to her own
value of $1,000, 1000, had a cargo on
board valued at Sl,999,l3 The
case was tried in the United States
court for the southern district of
New York, and decision in full is
now at hand. For eleven days
salvage operations, in the course
of which all the cargo was remov-
ed and transported to New York,
and the ship was finally success
fully hoated, the plaintiffs were
awarded 100000, including their
outlay of $4,000. The court held
that such an award should be
recognition of the importance of
the services of the salvors, the ne
cessities of the ship and the sue
cess achieved, so as to be an in
ducement to the maintenance in
the most efficient condition of
such wrecking companies as
were here employed, without
which large steamers when
! stranded could not be saved from
great injury and perhaps total
loss. 1t appearing that during
the first four days of the work all
cargo was removed from the yes.
sci and transported by salvors to
New York for delivery to the con-
signees, the court held that such
cargo was not liable for subse-
quent salvage in floating the ship,
and that therefore the cargo
should bear two. elevenths of the
whole award, being its proportion
for the time during which the
salvage operation was for the
common benefit. The court fur
ther held that specie on board
should contribute to the salvage
on its value in the same ratable
proportion as other parts of the
cargo.
The following is from the Com
mercial News of San Francisco,
the case being that of the Monti-
cello, heard in the Northern Dis
trict Court of California and en-
titled, "Pacifc Improvement Co.
VS.. Hatch"
l. Salvage--degree of danger
compensation. That a vessel is in
part disabled, and that the state
of the wind and sea is such as
would in time probably cause her
to drift ashore, is no ground for
greatly increasing the compensa-
ton, when it is certain that assis.
tance would in any event have
reached her before the danger be.
came imminent.
2. Salvage services-compensa-
ton. Wh,re q steamer with dis
abled boiler was proceeding under
a jib sail, and was in no danger of
going ashore before assistance sent
for would arrive, held that the tax.
ing Of her in tow by passing steam
er, in the ordinary weather of the
season, if salvage service at all
was of very low order, and, the
time consumed being some five
hours, the sum of $3.50 would be
allowed; the salving vessel being
worth with her cargo about $445,.
1000, and the salved vessel about
$12,O 900.
B. Towage compensation.-The
towage into port of a disabled ves-
sci by a freight or passenger
steamer, which is necessarily de-
layed somewhat thereby, even if
under circumstances scarcely ris.
ing to the dignity of a salvage
service, will be compensated at a
somcwhat greater rate than that of
mere towage by tugs intended for
the purpose.
4. Libel for salvage services,
Stipulated value of Monticello was
$4,000. She had no cargo or
passengers, and was out of COM