Court Opinion

ID: 8635079
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2022-11-24 19:43:53.110231+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T16:55:54.124466
License: Public Domain

BETTS, District Judge.
There is evidently a wide-spread misapprehension as to the relative liabilities and privileges of steamboats and sailing vessels, in cases of collision between them. In actions prosecuted against steamers, this court has repeatedly upheld the rule to be, that sailing vessels are bound to exculpate themselves from blame, and employ all reasonable precaution for their own protection, as well as to avoid injury to steamboats; and that they are in no way entitled to hold their own positions and courses under all circumstances, and rely upon steamers for a full guarantee when navigating in proximity to them. Tyler v. The South America [Case No. 14,311].
In the case of The William Young [Case No. 17,760], a collision occurred between a sloop and a steam vessel, running in opposite directions upon the North river, in consequence of an abrupt variation of the sloop’s course. The court declared that it was not to be assumed that the fault was with the steamer; but the burden of proof was upon the libellant .to show her in the wrong; that although a higher degree of responsibility was cast upon steamers, yet a sailing vessel could not be justified in an improper movement on her part, because of an apprehension of encountering an approaching steamer, unless the latter was crowding so much upon her track as to create an imminent danger of collision.
In the case of The New Jersey [Case No. 10,161], it was held that the laws of navigation imposed no peculiar general duties or liabilities on steamboats, in relation to collisions with sailing vessels; but the sailing vessel is bound to use, with reasonable promptitude and skill, all the means in her power to avoid a threatened collision; that it was only because the means at command by steam vessels are so much more efficacious and ready than those possessed by sailing vessels, and because the consequences of an omission to apply such means are so immediately destructive, that vessels propelled by steam are required to use the more watchful precautions; and the rule was there maintained, that the vessel UDder canvas must contribute to the common security so far as within her power; and that the owners of steamboats were by no means to be made insurers against the negligence, ignorance, or misconduct of persons in charge of sailing vessels.
In the case of The Neptune [Case No. 10,120], the declaration was reiterated, that steam vessels are not burdened with the sole risks and responsibilities of encounters with sailing vessels. It was stated that the rule is reciprocal, and places both classes of vessels under a common liability and privilege; that a sailing vessel under way was bound to exculpate herself from all negligence or misconduct leading to a collision, before she could claim damages against a steamboat for injuries received from her; and it is believed this is the spirit and policy of the marine law.
In each of these cases the proof was. that the collision was occasioned by an improper change of her course, on the part of the sailing vessel, unexpectedly to the steamer, bringing the former suddenly in the track of the latter. There is, however, no doctrine of the law which limits the duty and liability of the sailing vessel to cases of that description alone. It does not rest upon any specific kind of blame occurring in her management; but the general principles of law governing the navigation of vessels nearing each other have their full effect over her, with the exception that she has the privilege to hold her own course, unless it be palpable that she will endanger a collision with the steamer by so doing. Those principles are, that every vessel, however propelled, is bound to exert herself to avoid injury to others in the vicinity of which she is moving, and can found no claim to damages resulting solely from her own culpable want of care, or which are caused by her misconduct. To be entitled even to a contribution to her loss by collision, it must be made to appear there was at least a concurrent fault in the conduct of the other vessel, conducing to produce the collision. The qualification to these obligations is no more than that a steamer is not entitled, as against a vessel under sail, to keep a particular course, but must leave the latter to hold her own when it can be done with safety.
The libellant in this case must prove the steamer was in fault, and must show that his vessel was managed in a prudent and skilful manner, and interposed no needless impediments in the way of the steamer, and was not herself the cause of her own misfortune. Smith v. Condray, 1 How. [42 U. S.] 28; Waring v. Clark, 5 How. [46 U. S.] 501; The Ligo, 2 Hagg. Adm. 356; The Alexander Wise, 2 W. Rob. Adm. 66; The Woodrop-Sims, 2 Dod. 83.
The sloop, on the occasion, was running close in under the shadows of the city, in a dark night, without showing any lights, and took a course crossing the track of the steamer, at so small a distance that it must be palpable to her that if she were not seen from the steamer and avoided by her, a col*47lision would be extremely probable. She approached the steamer at the time the latter, as her lights would indicate, was working round to get into her slip. When a steamer is in the act of coming about, she cannot command her movements so promptly as under direct headway, and thus the reason for holding her to an extraordinary responsibility is, for the time being, in a measure suspended, as well as the privilege of a sailing vessel in respect to her own course, and this would be so especially in this instance, as the sloop was violating the duty imposed by law upon vessels in port, of showing lights in the night to steamboats coming in, &e. Her master must have been conscious that in so doing, the steamer was exposed to the hazard of coming upon her without warning of her position. 2 W. Rob. Adm. 1, 347. I think, upon the evidence, the collision was caused by. the inattention and mismanagement of those on board the sloop, and not from any fault on the part of the steamer. The sloop was before the wind, running against a strong ebb fide; and the evidence is clear, that she might, with the greatest facility, have avoided the steamer, had she ported her helm, and that she had sufficient warning that she was in a situation where the steamer must inevitably come in conflict with her. She, however, needlessly and rashly passed into the narrow passage between the wharves and steamer, and thus placed herself within the range the Champion must take in- swinging around to her berth. This was a gross act of remissness on the part of the sloop, and she has no Tight to charge the steamer with the consequences of it.
[See Case No. 6,919a.]
Libel dismissed with costs.