The Great Republic
| Decision Date | 01 October 1874 |
| Parties | THE GREAT REPUBLIC |
| Court | U.S. Supreme Court |
APPEAL from a decree of the Circuit Court for the District of Louisiana, which court, on appeal from the District Court sitting in admiralty, had dismissed a libel filed by the steamer Cleona against the steamer Great Republic, for a collision.
The case was thus:
At about five o'clock on the afternoon of the 28th of August, 1869, the Cleona, a small stern-wheel steamer of one hundred and eighteen tons, and whose speed was about seven miles an hour, left New Orleans bound up the Mississippi to Donaldsonville (a place seventy-five miles above New Orleans), with an assorted cargo of merchandise for various plantations on the two banks of the river. In a little more than half an hour afterwards the steamer Great Republic, a heavy side-wheel vessel of two thousand two hundred tons, running at the rate of twelve or fourteen miles an hour, and therefore one of the fastest on the Mississippi, set off up the river bound on a voyage to St. Louis. The Cleona, as she went up the river, had been, all the time, and was now, in her full view.
Sailing up the stream the Cleona had now twice made landings; first at what is known as the Stock-wharf, in the upper part of New Orleans, and afterwards at a point known as the Nine-mile Point, a point above the city on the opposite or western bank of the river.
Having made this second landing she steered for the other or eastern bank—the stream being in all this part of it about half a mile wide—and then after straightening up and running for some time parallel with the eastern bank and within about forty-five yards of it—turned somewhat shortly to cross to a place called Waggaman's Landing, on the western side, at which she wanted to discharge a part of her cargo. She was now perhaps two miles above the Nine-mile Point.
The Republic, from the time that she began to overtake the Cleona, had followed much in her course—this line perhaps being the one indicated more or less by the channel—and was so following when the Cleona steered from the Nine-mile Point to the eastern bank. Of course the Republic was rapidly gaining on the Cleona, and if no catastrophe had occurred, would have passed her.
By the rules of navigation on the Mississippi one whistle from the steam pipe indicates that a steamer wishes to pass on the starboard or right side; two, that she wishes to pass on the larboard or left, and three or more, that she is going to cross and land.
How far the Republic was behind the Cleona when the latter turned from the eastern bank to cross to Waggaman's Landing, was a matter about which the testimony was widely disrepant; the witnesses in behalf of the Cleona asserting that it was from six hundred to seven hundred and fifty yards, while those of the Republic fixed it, some of them, so low as forty yards, while all brought it within three hundred.
The river, as already said, was in this part of it a half a mile wide. There were no obstructions in it. Dusk was supervening, but it was not dark; objects being visible to both vessels, alike on the shores and on each other.
When the Cleona turned to cross from the eastern bank to Waggaman's Landing, the captain of the Republic, whose watch it was, was on the lower deck of the steamer conversing with a passenger. The passenger saw the Cleona turning, and said to the captain, 'Why, she is taking a sheer.' The pilot of the Republic was of the same impression. Instead, therefore, of keeping his own course, he followed the Cleona's. He perceived, however, before very long his mistake, as did all on both vessels very soon that a catastrophe was impending.
What signals were given in this state of things was, as usual in cases of collision, a matter where the evidence conflicted. But the result of the conjoint courses of the two vessels, and action on board of them—that is to say, on the one hand, of the Cleona's turning short to cross when the Republic was so near behind, and one the other, of the Republic's supposing that the Cleona still meant to go up the river, and attempting to follow her—and either of improper signals or inattention to right signals on one or other of the vessels, or on both—was a collision, by which the Cleona was careened, her stern end cut off, and two persons thrown off her into the river and drowned; a catastrophe the more deplorable since the evidence made it plain that if the boats had had fifteen seconds more time—if one of them had been ten feet further on, or the other ten feet further off—all misfortune would have been avoided; and that even five feet in the change of their positions would have prevented any serious injury.
We have already said that the testimony was discrepant.
The pilot of the Republic testified thus:
The engineer of the Republic testified thus:
Witnesses, including the pilot from the Cleona, testified, on the other hand, that as the Cleona's head was directed across the stream, one blast of the whistle was blown as an indication for the Republic to keep to the right, which, had she done it, would have prevented all injury; that the Republic not minding that signal, the signal was repeated in about one minute and a half afterwards; that the Republic neither answered nor obeyed the signals, but kept running on; that the pilot of the Cleona seeing a collision impending, and one which, if the two vessels kept their then courses, would cut the Cleona in two, ordered on all head of steam and headed his vessel down stream, so as that the blow, if inevitable, might cut her wheel off, or cut off only an edge of her stern; that by this manoeuvre the injurious effect of the collision was mitigated; that, notwithstanding this, the Republic came upon the stern extremity of the Cleona with tremendous force, causing her to turn partially over, and throwing, as already stated, two persons overboard, who were drowned, and wholly disabling the Cleona, whose surviving passengers sought safety on the Republic.
A witness who had been a passenger on the Republic also testified to the bad action of her pilot, and to other unfavorable matters. He said:
Testimony was brought in behalf of the...
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