Court Opinion

ID: 9301511
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2022-12-02 17:07:52.770465+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:13:42.050535
License: Public Domain

WASHINGTON, Circuit Justice
(charging jury). The question is, whether the calling at St. Bartholomew’s amounted to a deviation. It is admitted, that if an accident had befallen the* vessel on her voyage, the deviation, with a view to repair the loss, would have justified the act; but it is contended, by the counsel for the defendants, that if the accident happen before the inception of the voyage, it exposes the vessel to the objection of want of seaworthiness, if she break ground in that situation. The rule seems to be, that if the accident happen whilst the property is at the risk of the underwriters, and cannot be repaired at the port of her departure, she may, without prejudice to the insurance, go to the nearest port where the damage may be repaired; and that, in doing so, she stands in the same situation as if she had repaired at the place of departure'. This principle is laid down in the case of Motteux v. London Assur. Co. [1 Atk. 544], and seems to be perfectly reasonable. If the vessel is injured in port, (being insured at and from that port, as in this case,) and she cannot be repaired there, to say that she should not be at liberty to go to the nearest port where she can be repaired, is to say that the voyage never shall commence; or, if it do, that the underwriters shall be discharged, although the accident happened whilst she was protected by the policy. It is for the benefit of all concerned, that the steps should be taken. But, in all these cases, it should appear fully to the satisfaction of the jury, that the measure was necessary; and this it is incumbent on the plaintiff to show, if he would excuse the deviation. The only witness. as to this part of the subject is, the captain, who states, that he went to St. Bartholomew's because he thought it more likely that he should complete his crew there, and that the port charges were lower. But he does not state, that he could not have got his crew at another port; and as to the port charges, this was no concern of the defendants, and therefore no excuse. Being asked, if he could not as well have got them at St Kitt’s, he answers that it was not in his power to determine the question, because, as the wind was, he could not have gone to St. Kitt's, if he had been so disposed. If he refers to the state of the wind when he left St. Lucia, he might have waited till it was more favourable; if he means, when he was off St. Kitt’s, the observation would not apply. But one thing is obvious, that whether he could or could not have got to St. Kitt’s, he never, from the moment he broke ground, intended to go there. It is unfortunate that the map offered in evidence by the defendants’ counsel in his summing up, (and which, to preserve regularity in trials, we thought it improper to introduce at that stage of the cause,) had not been sooner offered. However, it is not incumbent on the defendants to show that the vessel did not go to the nearest place to get a crew; the plaintiff should satisfy you that St. Bartholomew’s was the nearest port at which his wants could be supplied; and unless you can be thus satisfied, you ought to find for the defendants.
The jury could not agree, and the parties consented to withdraw one, and continue the cause.