232 F. 637 | E.D. Va. | 1916
On the night of the 2d of December, 1915, about 12 o’clock, the Begonia, a British steamship, 345 feet long, and 46 feet beam, bound for Newport News, came to anchor about a mile to the southward and eastward of Thimble Light, near Black Buoy No. 13, in 8% fathoms of water. On the morning of the 3d of December, 1915, about 3:30 o’clock, the American steamship John G. McCullough, 253 feet 4 inches long, 40 feet 2 inches beam, also bound for Newport News, collided with the Begonia thus lying at anchor, causing serious injury, and to recover which this libel was filed.
The case turns upon the propriety of the place of anchorage of the Begonia, whether her anchor lights were properly set and burning, whether the McCullough had a proper and vigilant lookout, and whether she could have seen and observed the presence of the Begonia in time to avoid the collision. The conclusion of the court on these questions is:
Clearly the Begonia, in the absence of any action on the part of the government designating anchorage grounds, should not be held liable for damages because of her then location, with deep water on each side of her for a mile or more. The designation of anchorage grounds in the waters of Chesapeake Bay and tributaries, by the proper authorities of the government, would greatly relieve the hazards of navigation, and until the same is done each case must be determined upon its own peculiar facts and circumstances under the decisions of this judicial circuit mentioned above.
Third. The Begonia, at anchor, had the right under the circumstances of this case to assume that she would not be run into, and she should therefore be held free from fault for the collision, and a decree will be entered so determining, and that the McCullough was solely responsible for the accident.