Allied Kid Co. v. United States

145 F. Supp. 633, 135 Ct. Cl. 730, 1956 U.S. Ct. Cl. LEXIS 182
CourtUnited States Court of Claims
DecidedJuly 12, 1956
DocketNo. 48338
StatusPublished

This text of 145 F. Supp. 633 (Allied Kid Co. v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Court of Claims primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Allied Kid Co. v. United States, 145 F. Supp. 633, 135 Ct. Cl. 730, 1956 U.S. Ct. Cl. LEXIS 182 (cc 1956).

Opinion

Whitaker, Judge,

delivered the opinion of the court:

Plaintiff sues to recover just compensation for certain cargo which was unloaded from the vessel Sea Witch, at Manila, Philippine Islands, in December 1941.

Although the petition in this case lists 41 plaintiffs, all claiming to be the owners of varying quantities and types of cargo unloaded from the Sea Witch, at Manila, only two claims belonging to the Hongkong & Shanghai Banking Corporation are presently before the court for determination. One of these claims involves 1,735 cases of soup, and the other involves 26 packages of photographic supplies. These claims have been selected as test cases, and our decision as to them will indicate the disposition to be made of the remaining claims.

Plaintiff is, and at all times material to this action was, a corporation doing business under the laws of the Crown Colony of Hongkong, with agencies in the United States.

The Sea Witch, arrived in Manila from the United States on or about November 26,1941, with a general cargo, including plaintiff’s property, destined for Hongkong, Shanghai, and Manila. The vessel immediately began to unload cargo consigned to Manila and completed such discharge on about December 1. Certain cargo originating in Manila and destined for Hongkong and Shanghai was then loaded on the vessel and she was moved out into the stream to an anchorage, ready to sail on about December 3. However, she was denied permission to leave by Naval authorities because no vessels were being allowed to clear for Chinese or Japanese ports at that time, in anticipation of the early outbreak of war between this country and Japan.

On or about December 8 or 9, unidentified officer personnel from the Army Quartermaster Headquarters boarded the Sea Witch, and examined her manifest and cargogram. The evidence is somewhat vague as to what was said and done by these officers; but the testimony indicates that the only cargo which they stated a definite desire to take was certain pipe and plate located in the bottom of a hold. The vessel was then moved at the direction of the military authorities to pier 7 in the Manila Port Terminal Area, and her entire cargo unloaded. The evidence does not reveal whether all [732]*732of the cargo was unloaded merely to get to the pipe and plate or whether the military authorities wanted some of the other cargo. The unloading was completed on or about December 19, and the Sea Witch left Manila for the East Indies.

The circumstances and conditions existing in the Manila Port Terminal Area at the time pertinent to plaintiff’s claim are set out fully in the court’s findings of fact, and are also discussed in Hongkong & Shanghai Banking Corporation v. The United States, ante, p. 722 this day decided. The only substantial difference between the facts of the present case and those of the Hongkong case is that in the present case military personnel boarded the Sea Witch to examine her cargo, and she was directed by the military to discharge her cargo, whereas in the Hongkong case the vessel involved discharged her cargo under orders from her owners.

Plaintiff alleges that there was a taking of its soup and photographic supplies within the meaning of the Fifth Amendment, and that it is entitled to recover just compensation for such taking.

Unless a taking of plaintiff’s property occurred when the unidentified military personnel boarded the Sea Witch and examined her cargo, or when she was directed by the military to discharge her cargo, plaintiff’s claims must fail for the reasons stated in the Hongkong case, supra. We think plaintiff has failed to establish a taking.

The evidence is not clear as to just what the military personnel said after they boarded the vessel. However, the evidence indicates that they were primarily interested in certain pipe and plate which were at the bottom of a hold. The soup and photographic supplies involved in this suit apparently were not mentioned and we do not think that the evidence establishes a taking of them at that time, or later.

Since the pipe and plate were at the bottom of a hold, it is possible that the military authorities ordered all of the cargo unloaded in order to get to them. On the other hand, it is possible that the military authorities intended to screen all of the cargo after it was unloaded in order to determine whether some other parts of it had a military use. [733]*733In either case the mere order to unload the cargo did not mean that the military was taking plaintiff’s property.

Once the cargo was unloaded, it was subject to the uncertainties described in the Hongkong case, supra, and for the reasons stated in that case plaintiff is not entitled to recover on its claims.

Plaintiff is not entitled to recover just compensation for its soup or photographic supplies, and its petition will be dismissed as to such cargo. All other claims set out in the petition will be dismissed for the reasons stated in this opinion.

It is so ordered.

Laramore, Judge; Madden, Judge; Littleton, Judge; and Jones, OMef Judge, concur.

FINDINGS OF FACT

The court, having considered the evidence, the report of Commissioner C. Murray Bernhardt, and the briefs and argument of counsel, makes findings of fact as follows:

1. Plaintiff, the Hongkong &' Shanghai Banking Corporation, one of the 41 plaintiffs in case number 48338, sues for the taking by defendant of 1,735 cases of soup and 26 packages of photographic supplies, etc., belonging to plaintiff, which were unloaded from the vessel Sea Witch onto pier 7 at Manila, Philippine Islands, in December 1941.

Although the court, on plaintiff’s motion, previously ordered the issue of liability separated for trial from that of damages, with the consent of the parties the evidence has since been closed on all issues, both as to liability and damages, and the facts presented herein pertain to such issues.

The two claims presented here have been selected by the plaintiff as test cases. Decision in them will be determinative of all other claims in the petition.

2. Plaintiff is, and at all material times was, a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the Crown Colony of Hongkong, and registered to do business in the State of New York through its New York agency, with its principal New York office and place of business in New York City. It also had an agency in San Francisco.

[734]*7343. The laws of the Crown Colony of Hongkong permit citizens of the United States to bring suit there against the Crown Colony.

4. The Sea Witch, operated by the United States Lines Company, arrived at Manila from the United States on or about November 26, 1941, with a general cargo destined for Hongkong, Shanghai, and Manila. Her normal route would have been from United States ports to Manila, Hongkong, Shanghai, and back to Manila, in that order, and thence down through the Dutch East Indies to Australia. Upon arriving at Manila the vessel immediately began to unload cargo consigned to Manila, completing such discharge about December 1. She then loaded certain cargo originating in Manila and destined for Hongkong and Shanghai, completing such loading in two or three days.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
145 F. Supp. 633, 135 Ct. Cl. 730, 1956 U.S. Ct. Cl. LEXIS 182, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/allied-kid-co-v-united-states-cc-1956.