70 F. 398 | E.D.N.Y | 1895
This is an action brought by the owners of the steamship Werkendain against the steamship Dania, to recover salvage compensation for services rendered to the Dania in June last, under the following circumstances: The steamship Dania, owned by the Hamburg-American Packet Company, hound on a voyage to New York, having on hoard 402 passengers, and valued, with cargo and freight, at $420,000, when she arrived at a point some 8(50 miles from Sandy Hook, in Long. 66 03, Lat. 4111, stopped to take on hoard a pilot. When she at) empted to start again, it was found impossible to move her propeller, and examination showed that the shaft was broken in the nut outside the hull. When the shaft broke is not known, hut it appears that the propeller revolved under the action of the engine until the engine stopped; and, when the engine stopped, the propeller dropped away from the shaft, and it was impossible to move it or to repair the shaft, the break being outside the hull. The steamer became absolutely helpless. Her hull, however, was sound and staunch. As soon as the break of the shaft was discovered, the pilot boat, which had not passed out of sight, was hailed; and, when her boat returned to the steamer, the request: was made that any steamer that might be fallen in with by the pilot boat should be notified of the position and situation of the Dania; and danger signals were given to the pilot boat in order to enable her to stop any vessel she might meet. This was about 7 o’clock p. m. The weather was fair, and the sea smooth. At this time the Dania was about 70 miles southeasterly from George’s Shoal, and, as subsequent observation shows, she was slowly drifting towards that shoal. No vessel was then in sight. About 3:30 of the next morning, the pilot boat sighted the Werkendam, bound for New York, being some 10 miles distant from the Dania, but not visible to her on the horizon. The Werkendam, upon being informed by the pilot boat of the position and the danger of the Dania, changed her course, and, after about an hour’s steaming, approached the Dania. At that time the Dania was showing three lights in the forerigging, and flags, indicating a desire to he taken in tow. The Werkendam undertook to render her that service, and, at a little after 7 o’clock a. m., made a hawser fast to her, and started for New York, where she arrived with the Dania at 9 o’clock on Saturday morning.
The voyage of the Werkendam with the Dania in tow was an eventful. The weather was fine, and no hawser .was broken. The
Taking all the circumstances of this case into consideration, I am of the opinion that $17,500 is a proper sum to be awarded as salvage compensation. I include in this the $700 expenses of the Werken-dam; this sum is first to be paid to the owners of the Werkendam, and the remainder distributed among the owners, master, and crew.