THE "AMERICAN MILLER" AND THE "SILVERMARK."

(1950) 84 Ll.L.Rep. 555

ADMIRALTY DIVISION.

Before Lord Merriman (President), sitting with Commodore T. L. Owen and Captain D. Dunn, Elder Brethren of Trinity House.

Collision - Duck - Look-out - Seamanship -Plaintiffs' barge Mountway tied up on north side of Royal Albert Dock - First defendants' steamship American Miller, with tug ahead and astern, proceeding down dock, stern first - Second defendants' tug Silvermark, with six barges (three ranks of two abreast) in tow, proceeding up dock on south side-Starboarding by Silvermark to round drifting barges followed by porting across track of American Miller to resume her course along south side - Action taken by American Miller to avoid Silvermark's barges - Evidence that lightermen in charge of Silvermark's barges cast off certain breast ropes before flotilla came to rest, permitting starboard line of barges to splay out to starboard when Silvermark ported - Collision between Mountway and starboard quarter of American Miller-Mountway broken adrift, subsequently sinking-Mountway admittedly not to blame.