318 EXCHEQUER COURT R.EPORT. [VOL,: VL ais99 QUEBEC ADMIRALTY DISTRICT. ..... (July 28. W !TAMED HINE. PLA NTIFF ; • AGAINST THE OWNERS OF THE STEAM- DEFEIVDANTs. TUG " THOMAS J. SCULLY"..... • Admiralty law—Towage—Salvage—Sufciency of tender—Costs. The steam-tug T. J. S., of 111 tons burthen, bound from New York, U.S.A., to St. Johns, P.Q., was prosecuting her voyage off Cape Chatte, in the Lower St. Lawrence, when a slight accident happened to hei• boiler in consequence of which her fires had to be extinguished so that the boiler might cool and allow the engineer to make the necessary repairs. At the time she' was in the ordinary channel of navigation, and the weather was fine and the sea calm. The accident happened at 8 p.m. Three hours afterwards, and before repairs could be made, the steamship F., of 2407 tons burthen, bound from Maryport, G.B., to Quebec, approached the tug, and at the request of her captain, took the tug in tow. The towage covered a distance of some 230 miles, and continued for a period of thirty hours, during which neither ship was in a position of danger, nor were the crew of the F. at any time in peril by reason of the services rendered to the disabled tug. Held, that as the service to the disabled tug was rendered under the easiest conditions, without increase of labour or delay to the F., it was clearly a towage and not a salvage service. 2. It not being a case of salvage, the officers and clew of the F. were nut entitled to participate in the amount awarded for the towage, but it belonged to the owners of the ship. 3. The defendants having paid into court an amount sufficient to liberally compensate the plaintiff for the service rendered, they were given their proper costs against the plaintiff. ACTION for alleged salvage services. The following is the statement of claim by plaintiff: "1. The Forestholme is a steel screw steamer, the property of the plaintiff Hine, of 2407 gross tonnage
VOL, VI.] EXCHEQUER COURT 'REPORTS .. 319 by .register;`: of . the value of £19,00.0 sterling: At the 1899 time of..the : circumstances herein stated she. was Ii N I E manned by a crew of twenty-two- hands, all told, and TRE 'was bound on a voyage from Mar yport, in England, to sTElM=Tuo . Quebec, with a cargo of steel rails and fish plates of TSCUL t Y . great value." Statement. " 2. At about eleven o'clock on. the night . of the ôr 19th, day of '.May last, the Fdrest/solme was about eight miles to. the eastward of Cape Chatte, in the lower St. Lawrence. The weather was then hazy and there was little or no wind. Her people , then saw, at a distance ' of about a mile and a half, two bright lights, one over the other, which on nearer approach proved to be those of the steam-tug proceeded against in this cause. Subsequently the people of the steam-tug informed the master, of the Forestholme that they were in distress, their machinery having broken down and requested him to. tow them to .Quebec with his vessel, which he agreed to do." " 3. The Forestholme 'then took the tug in• tow and towed her_ up:to Quebec, , which they reached on Sunday morning between lour and.five o'clock in the morning, where a tug came out and towed the Thomas J. Scully into . the basin. The total distance of the towage ,was about two hundred and thirty miles." -l. During the night the weather changed and it came onto .blow from the north-east 'with fog.. At two o'clock it wasblowing hard, and by. four o'clock in the morning there was a strong breeze. ' The current sets. from Pointe des Monts.on the north shore of the St: .Lawrence to. the south shore, the. current in that diréctid i. being about two and a half to three Fknots an hour: ' There is no anchorage on: the south coas in a. north-east' gale.". .. 5., In 'her 'disabled :condition,• in view, of 'the weather, the current and the :position 'of the tug When
320 EXCHEQUER COURT REPORTS. [VOL. VT_ 1899 picked up, about two miles off the south coast, she g would have gone ashore and been totally lost with Tag her crew had it not been for the services of the Forest- STEAM-TeG hol me." THOMAS J. SC LILLY. The value of the Thomas J. Sclullyy has been. agreed at $17,000 currency." Statement of Facts. " The plaintiff claims: (a) The condemnation of the defendants and their bail in such an amount of salvage remuneration as to the court may seem just, and in the costs of this action. (b) Such further and other relief as the nature of the case may require." The statement of defence was as follows :-- " L The defendants gay that on the 4th day of May last, (1599) their steam-tug Thomas J. Scully, of about 60 tons register, propelled by engines of about 350 nominal horse-power, navigated by a crew of nine hands all told, including her master, left the port of New York, bound for St. Johns, in the Province of Quebec." " 2. At about 8 p m., on the 19th day May aforesaid, while the said tug Thomas J. Scully was prosecuting her voyage off Cape Chatte in the Lower St. Lawrence, a slight accident happened to her boiler, in consequence of which she was stopped to repair the damage ; the weather at the time was fine and perfectly calm. The tug Thomas .1. Scully was at this time in the ordinary channel used by vessels of all. kinds navigating the Gulf of St. Lawrence." " 3. About 11 o'clock on the night of the said 19th day of May, the Forestholme hove in sight and shortly afterwards approached the Thomas J. Scully close enough for those on board of her to hail the Forest-holme ; whereupon, the people of the tng asked the master of the steamship to take them in tow of his vessel, which he agreed to do."
VOL. VI.] EXCHEQUER COURT REPORTS. 321 " 4. The defendants admit the 3rd paragraph of 1899 plaintiffs statement of claim." HN " 5. The defendants deny the 4th paragraph of the TsE plaintiff's statement of claim." STEAM -T " 6. The defendants deny the 5th paragraph of the TSCULLY. J' plaintiff's statement of claim and allege that the s tatement Thomas J. Scully was not in any danger whatsoever, of roots- she was . well equipped with sails and had good ground tackle ; that the service for which the plaintiff's claim salvage was performed in fine weather, without difficulty or danger to their vessel the Forestholme or her crew ; that the wind which sprung up during the night was from the north-east, blowing up the river, favourable to vessels bound to Quebec, whereupon the Thomas J. Scully set her sail by reason of which there was very little or no strain on the Forestholme, which vessel proceeded on her voyage to Quebec without any loss of time." " 7. The service rendered by the Forestholme to the Thomas J. Scully was nothing more than an ordinary towage service, for which the plaintiffs would be • entitled to a sum not exceeding .$200, and the defendants declare that they are ' ready .. to pay the plaintiff, for this service, the sum of $600 and his costs, which sum they have paid into court and submit that the same is ample and sufficient. July 19th, 1899. The case was heard by Mr. Justice Routhier, Local Judge in Admiralty for the Quebec Admiralty District. A. H. Cook, Q.C. for the plaintiff: The services were unquestionably salvage. The tug-boat was in distress and had signalled for assistance. Her machinery had broken down and she was helpless within two miles of a dangerous coast towards which the current sets. Possibly by means of her sails and 22
322 EXCHEQUER COURT REPORTS. [ VOL. VI. 1899 ground tackle she might have been prevented from j E drifting ashore, but there was certainly considerable T$ risk and, as a matter of fact, the weather two hours E STEAM-TUG after she was picked up by the steamer became bad THSCOUMLALS J. 'SaII>;Lr. a nd a strong wind sp P r ung g upfrom the north-east, Argument which would have aided the current in putting the of Counsel tug ashore. It is true that the service was effected without much risk or danger on the part of the steamer ; still there was the chance of risk and danger. Taking into account the value of the steamer and her cargo and the great value of the tug ($17,000), it is submitted that the tender of $600 should be pronounced against and a decree entered for a reasonable remuneration at least double the amount deposited in court. C. A. Pentland, Q.C. for the defendants, cited : Stewart v. Bernier (1) ; the Clifton (2) ; Cushing's U. S. Admiralty Practice. vo. " Salvage " (3) ; the Graces (4) ; the Glenduror (5). ROUTHIER, L. J. now (July 28, 1999), delivered judgment :— L'action est in rein au montant de $5,500 pour sauvetage (salvage). La défense se résume à dire qu'il n'y a pas eu un vrai sauvetage, mais un simple touage et la somme de $600 est offerte et déposée. Voici les faits : Le 19 Mai, 1899, vers les 8 h. p. m., le Scully (111 tonneaux) se trouvait un peu en bas du Cap Chatte, remontant le fleuve, lorsqu'un rivet de la bouilloire fut brisé L'ingénieur pouvait réparer cette petite avarie : mais il fallait pour cela vider la bouil-loire et la laisser refroidir. La mer était calme—il n'y avait pas de vent. Le captaine décida d'attendre au matin pour faire la réparation.—Mais vers 11 hrs. parut (1) 1 App. C. (Dor.) p. 321. (3) Vol. 1, p. 355. (2) 3 Hagg. p. 123. (4) 2 W. Rob. 300, (5) L. R. 3 P. C. 589.
VOL. VI I] EXCHEQUER COURT REPORTS. 323. le Forestholme (un steamer de 2407 tonneaux.). Le 1899 Scully le héla en sifflant. Le Forestholme s'approcha, et, gI la demandé dix capitaine, prit le Scully à la remorque TBE et le remorqua jusqu'à Québec, où ils arrivèrent le 21 à STEAM-TUG 4.30 a.m.. (le dimanch.e), c'est-à-dire après environ 30 J. TSo m heures de navigation. Reasons Pas de contestation sur les faits—et la question est Jud=en . de savoir si ces faits constituent en loi un vrai sauve- tage (salvage) ou un simple touage.. Il s'agit d'ap- pliquer • aux faits prouvés•.,,les principes de droit qui régissent cette matière. Posons d'abord les principes et nous en ferons ensuite , l'application aux faits établis. Yo. I1 est bien reconnu ,que dans . : les cas où il y a :sauvetage, le service doit être très largement rétribué .afin d'encourager et de stimuler le dévouement des marins, dans l'intérêt du commerce et de la,navigation. Le touage simple, au contraire, est payé suivant la' valeur exacte du travail. 2o. On sait . aussi que le plus souvent aucun contrat n'intervient dans le cas de sauvetage. C'est un quasi- -contrat, c'est-à-dire un fait d'où nait une obligation légale 3o. Mais quand y a-t•il sauvetage ? Quels éléments le constituent ? • Beauchamp's Jurisprudence of P. C.,• page 737 : The ingredients of the salvage service , are, first, , enterprise'in the salvors in going out_ in tempestuous weather to assist a vessel in distress, risking their own lives to save their fellow creatures and to rescue the: property of their fellow subjects ; secondly, the degree .of danger and distress from which. the property is rescued, whether it were in eminent. peril; or almost, certainly lost, nothing out of it rescued and preserved ; thirdly, the' degree of labour and skill which. the _salvors, incur and display, and the time occupied. zz%
324 EXCHEQUER COURT OF CANADA. [VOL. VI. 1899 Lastly, the value. Where all those circumstances con g cur a large and liberal reward ought to be given. But THE where none, or hardly any, then the thing ought to be SPHAM-TIIG pro opere et labore. THSCOUMLALYS. J. Cste expression d'opinion est reproduite dans luRe Zn. sieurs causes, et je la retrouve dans la cause du Jnügf ment. Clifton (1). Il semblerait, si nous prenions â la, lettre cette auto-rité, qu'il faut dans le cas de sauvetage : 1re. que le navire sauvé soit exposé à périr ; 2e. que les sauve-teurs courrent eux-mêmes du danger à opérer le sauve-tage ; 3e. qu'ils apportent beaucoup de temps, d'habi-lité, de travail, à l'opérer. Mais ce serait là une exagération. Voici comment s'exprime Jones, The Law of Salvage p. 1, sur ce qu'il appelle les ingrédients requis pour qu'il y ait sauvetage : " It may be laid down as a " general rule * * * that the plaintiffs in a salvage " suit will be required to establish : 1st., the fact that " the vessel proceeded against was in danger or dis-" tress ; 2nd., that the salvors rendered assistance ; 3rd., " that their efforts were successful." id. page 2, "Dis-" tress is essential." Le mot salvage l'indique lui-même. On ne sauve que ce qui est en danger. On rend seulement service aux choses et gens qui ne sont pas en péril : In re The Sargeant (2). " No danger, no salvage." Même principe in The Strathnaver (3). Mais faut-il que le danger soit absolu, c'est-à-dire sans aucune chance de salut ? Non. Faut-il qu'il soit imminent ou actuel ? Je ne le crois pas et c'est l'opinion que j'exprimais in re-Chabot vs. Q. S. S. Co. (4). (1) 3 Hagg. at p. 121. (3) 1 App. Cas. 58. (2) 3 Ex. C. R. 332. (4) 6 Q. R. C. S. p. 215.
VOL. VI.] EXCHEQUER COURT OF CANADA. 325 Mais il faut tout de même qu'il y ait un danger 1899 sérieux bien constaté. Voici. quels étaient les faits E dans le cas du Miramichi : T a H . E " La preuve établit que le 4 mai, 1892, .le Miramichi, STEsig-Tvc descendant de Québec à Pictou, a cassé son arbre de ~ S T é E vL eu L A Y s'. j' couche, auprès • du Cap Rosier, côte de Gaspé, qu' ail . s'est approché de terre à la voile et y a jeté l'ancre s et 3,041̀>°,-.'7.9.,,,, qu'il a signalé au Cap Rosier, où il- y a un, phare, qu'il avait besoin d'un remorqueur: Le lendemain, 5 mai, l'Admirai, averti, a rebroussé chemin depuis.la Pointe St. Pierre et est venu demander- au Mirarniehi s'il avait besoin. d'assistance. ,Sur réponse affirmative, il l'a pris à laremorque et l'a remorqué jusqu',au Bassin de Gaspé, environ 21 milles." Ce touage a duré environ 10 heures. Dans la nuit du 5.. au 6. il y a eu un vent très violent, accompagné de neige, et.. plusieurs témoins de l'endroit même ont juré que le Miramichi n'aurait pu tenir et; aurait été jeté à la côte, s'il ait. r , ,t é à l'ancre. L'Admircil .essuya la tempête, ne put faire la connexion avec le chemin de 'fer et ses malles et ses passagers. furent ainsi retardés de 24 heures." Comme on le voit : ler. I1 n'y avait pas de réparation possible. 2e Le mouillage était dangereux. 3e. Une tempête était imminente et elle eut lieu. 4e. Le bateau sauveteur .eut beaucoup à souffrir du temps. et encourut. des dommages. Ici 10. l'accident est léger et facilement réparable. . Les témoins Samson, l'ingénieur, et Mackay (qui a réparé l'avarie pour $13) le prouvent. 2o. Le vaisseau a une bonne voile et de bonnes ancres ; il a déjà marché la voile. Le temps est calme: Le lendemain le vent est favorable. Pas le moindre travail. de plus à bord du Forestholme. La haussière généralement loche, pas de danger, pas même de retard.
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326 EXCHEQUER COURT OF CANADA. [VOL. V/. 1899 Les demandeurs ont cité le cas The Carmona (1), mais g ce steamer était 4 la côte, échoué, très-exposé à périr, et V. c'est le travail du Miramichi qui l'avait fait flotter et T STEAM-TUG remis en mer. THOMAS J. SCULLY. J'arrive ainsi à la conclusion que l'élément essentiel Bessons au sauvetage fait ici défaut : il n'y a eu aucun danger for Judgment. sérieux. Dès lors ce qui est intervenu entre les parties, c'est un louage de service dont le prix n'a pas été fixé. Les paroles échangées n'indiquent pas autre chose : " Will you tow us up ?" Et là-dessus le " steam-tug " lui remet le câble de remorque sans préciser ni prix, ni endroit de destination et sans aucune explication. Le touage s'accomplit dans les conditions les plus faciles, sans danger, sans surcroît de travail, sans retard. C'est évidemment un touage et non un sauvetage. Qu'elle en est la valeur ? Quatre ou cinq témoins disent environ $200. Mais c'est le prix d'un touage ordinaire. Ici, il vaut plus, parce qu'il est fait par un. navire de fort tonnage et de grande valeur qui n'en a pas fait métier. Les défendeurs l'ont compris et ils ont offert $600 c'est-à-dire trois fois le touage ordinaire. In re Chabot (2) je disais : " Dans l'estimation, il faut considérer ler. le mauvais temps et le danger couru par les " sauveteurs ; 2e. le danger couru par le navire sauvé ; " 3e, le travail et l'habilité des " salvors " et le temps " employé ; et 4e. la valeur de la propriété sauvée. " Quand tous ces éléments concourent, la valeur du " sauvetage peut atteindre un chiffre énorme ; quand " quelques éléments manquent, la somme est beau-" coup moindre, suivant les éléments manquants. Quand il n'y en a aucun, ce n'est pas un sauvetage, (1) Cook 350. (2) 6 Q. R. C. S. at p. 215.
VOL. VLD EXCHEQUER COURT OF CANADA. 327 " et l'on ne doit accorder que le prix d'un touage 1899 " ordinaire." Hnv Ici rien de tel. Les offres me paraissent dans cette TH3 cause amplement suffisantes: STI9AM-TIIG J. Maintenant, cette somme - doit , elle être divisée entre TSCULLY.. le propriétaire, le capitaine et l'équipage? Non, s~eeo~ puisque ce n'est pas un sauvetage. Le touage est dû ,Tndgm ent. au demandeur W. Hine qui est propriétaire du vais- seau sauveteur. - - - Sur la question de frais les demandeurs ont cité le . cas du -" Lotus," comme leur donnant droit aux frais -même dans le cas ou les offres sont jugées suffisantes (1). C'était un cas exceptionnel. Le juge déclara les • offres strictement suffisantes mais pas libérales il accorda les frais j usqu'aux offres et consignation, et ne décida rien quant aux frais subséquents, c'est-à-dire qu'il ne les accorda pas aux défendeurs .contre les demandeurs. Mais ici les offres me semblent suffisamment libérales et dès lors, il n'y a pas de raison pour mettre de coté la règle 136ème. de cette cour qui .condarme aux dépens la partie qui a refusé des offres jugées suffi-santes. Judgment accordingly-, Solicitors for plaintiff: W. 4 A. H. Cook. Solicitors for defendants : Caron, Pentland 4- Stuart. (-1) 7 P. D. 199.
You are being directed to the most recent version of the statute which may not be the version considered at the time of the judgment.