THE "STAFFORDSHIRE."

(1947) 81 Ll.L.Rep. 141

ADMIRALTY DIVISION.

Before Mr. Justice Willmer, sitting with Captain G. Curteis and Captain C. St. G. Glasson, Elder Brethren of Trinity House.

Collision - Convoy - Duty to keep course - Faulty compass - Look-out - Collision between motor vessels Dunera and Staffordshire in Mediterranean - Vessels in port column of convoy, with Dunera originally immediately astern of Staffordshire - Falling off to starboard by Staffordshire, taking her in close proximity to vessel in next column to starboard - Porting and hard-a-porting by Staffordshire in an endeavour to regain her convoy position, taking her across course of Dunera-Impact between stem of Dunera and port bow of Staffordshire- Evidence that steering compass of Staffordshire, which had previously shown itself to be defective and had had to be repaired by the ship's electrical engineer, again broke down-Obligation on master of Staffordshire to ensure that special watch was kept on steering compass and to issue instructions as to the precautions to be taken should the compass again break down-Duty of vessels in convoy to keep good look-out on their next astern - Whether Staffordshire should have switched on her navigation lights or her "not under command" lights-Criticism of action taken by Dunera (port wheel and full astern) which, Staffordshire alleged, should have been taken sooner and was the wrong action (It was submitted that she should have used her twin screws to accentuate her swing to port).