The Launberga

154 F. 959, 1907 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 268
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. North Carolina
DecidedJune 20, 1907
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 154 F. 959 (The Launberga) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. North Carolina primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
The Launberga, 154 F. 959, 1907 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 268 (E.D.N.C. 1907).

Opinion

PURNELL, District Judge.

By a libel in rem filed September 24, 1906, the Cape Fear Fisheries Company, “a corporation duly chartered and doing business under the laws of North Carolina” as “owner by lease” of the fishing steamer Joseph Wharton, and J. M. Marran, master of said fishing steamer, for themselves and all others entitled against the bark Launberga, her tackle, etc., and cargo, for salvage. The libel alleges, omitting formalities, that the steamer, on the morning of September 22, 1906, being outward bound from tlie Cape Fear river, discovered a vessel “apparently flying a flag of distress” grounded on [960]*960Frying Pan Shoals, in a perilous position, and upon ,approaching discovered it to be the Norwegian Bark Launberga. The Joseph Whar*-ton is a tug of exceptional power, having a capacity of about 1,000 horse power, and by the exercise of the full power of the engines of the tug and the best skill and endeavor of the captain and crew succeeded in saving the bark without the loss of any of her cargo, and towing her to a harbor of safety, at Southport. Services rendered are then given, value of cargo, etc. Bonds and stipulations were filed and on the 24-th of September, 1906, the monition issued, directing the marshal to attach and hold in custody the bark Launberga, her cargo, etc. On October 30, 1906, G. O. Johnson, as “agent for the owners of the bark Launberga and bailee of the cargo laden thereon,” intervened, and prayed to defend accordingly, and 'filed a stipulation for cost. On November 3d, claimants filed exceptions to the libel, alleging that the interest of the libelant Fisheries Company in and to the Joseph Wharton does not sufficiently appear therein; nor does it appear other parties are not interested in or entitled to any award which may be made for the salving services of said tugboat, should any such award be made. On November 7, 1906, said G. O. Johnson intervener as aforesaid, filed a formal verified answer admitting some of the allegations in the libel and controverting others, and at the close of said answer propounds certain interrogatories “to be answered under oath by libelants” as follows: First. What person or corporation holds the legal title to the fishing steamer Joseph Wharton? Second. Is the Cape Fear Fisheries Company the alleged owner by an oral or written lease of said fishing steamer Joseph Wharton? (a) If under an oral agreement, what are the terms thereof? (b) If under a written agreement, state what are the terms and conditions • thereof, or annex a copy of said written agreement to your answers to these interrogatories ?

On November 3d, on motion of libelants’ proctors, assented to by proctors for claimants, an order or decree to operate as a writ of venditione exponas was entered directing the marshal to sell the vessel and cargo separately on Monday, the 12th day of November, 1906, allowing time to proctors for claimants to file pleadings, answers, or claims, .and referring the issues made by the pleadings, answers, or claims to E. S. Martin, Esq., who was therein appointed commissioner under United States Supreme Court rules in admiralty No. 44-, to' take the testimony and report the same to the court, together with his conclusions of law and fact. The marshal reported, November 12th, that the sale as ordered had been duly made on that day, the vessel purchased by L. H. Skinner for $3,100, and the cargo for $10,000, and the purchase money paid into court. The sale was by consent in writing of proctors both of libelants and claimants, confirmed by the court, and the marshal ordered to execute and deliver to the purchaser bills of sale in due form. On March 26th, the commissioner named in the consent order of November 3d, hereinbefore referred to, terminated the hearing and signed his report, which is entered as filed April 12, 1907. On January 26th, a claim of the Franklin National Bank of Philadelphia was filed with the clerk for £81 sterling, based on an obligation given by G. O. Johnson, master of the Launberga, to the [961]*961American National Bank, Pensacola, Fla., for “necessary disbursements owed by said vessel,” and pledging the vessel and her freight at the port of discharge (Rio Janeiro or any other place at which her vojvige may terminate) a bottomry bond executed by the master of a vessel in a foreign port for necessary disbursements owed by the vessel. This claim does not seem to have been called to the attention of the commissioner and is not referred to in the report. To the report of the commissioner, libelants lile 11 exceptions as to the findings of fact, and further except to conclusions of law, as set out in the report and numbered 1, 2, ?>, 5, 8, 10. No other exceptions to the report have been found in the files.

After carefully reading over the testimony, the court is of opinion that there is not such erroneous findings of fact as would justify a reversal of such findings. They seem to be justified by the written testimony, in which there is unusually little conflict. The narrative of the disaster seems to be as follows: The Norwegian bark Laun-berga, G. O. Johnson, master, drawing 22 feet, sailed from Pensacola, Fla., in August, 190(5, bound for Rio Janeiro, South America, loaded with a cargo of lumber. She encountered a storm between Pensacola and the Bermudas on September 16-17, 1906. The rudder and steering gear were damaged, and after the storm the bark stood to westward to make a port and repair damages; the nearest port being Wilmington or Southport, N. C. On September 19th, the light on Bald Plead was sighted, but the bark could not get into Southport, as the wind was southerly, and the bark had to beat up, tack back, and on the 21st. about 4 o’clock in the afternoon, she struck on the western side of Frying Pan Shoals about 14 miles from Bald Head light, which bore from the vessel N. N. W. ½ W. The light-ship usually stationed at the southern point of Frying Pan Shoals had been blown away by the storm of September 17th, and the buoys had also been blown or driven out of position by the storm referred to. The ship went hard aground, bumped, and rolled over on her side, when it was decided to cut away the masts and rigging, which being done, the ship righted. The lifeboat was then lowered and provisioned as required by the Norwegian law and custom, and to be ready for use in case the shin should go to pieces during the night, and it became necessary to leave her.

After the masts and rigging had been cut away, the,ship lightened, and about 8 o’clock p. m. drifted into deep water in a slough five fathoms deep. The anchor was at once let go, and the ship remained in the slough all night, easily riding at anchor, without bumping, striking, or getting aground; the weather being fine, the sea smooth, and little or no wind. There,were 25 inches of water in the hold of the vessel when she was anchored, and she did not leak during the night and was tight. None of the officers or crew at any time left or abandoned the bark, but remained on board the whole time and until some time after the bark was towed to Southport and after the United States marshal had seized her. The place where the bark lay in the slough was about 16 miles from the land.

The Launberga was sighted by the keeper at the life saving station on Bald Head Island, and he set a flag on the light tower to notify the [962]*962other life saving stations and the tugboats in the Cape Fear river that there was a vessel on Frying Pan Shoals. The steamer Joseph Wharton, M. J. Marran, master, in the employ of the Cape Fear Fisheries Company, libelant, engaged in the fishery business, was in the Cape Fear river some miles above the mouth, and on the morning of September 22,

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Bluebook (online)
154 F. 959, 1907 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 268, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/the-launberga-nced-1907.