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^O 2. b with a thick Diver of grease betwoeirthoiiTT florlhnt at Boon ns tho ship acquires any momentum thoy will slip ono along the other. To transfer the weight of tho vessel on to these ways, so that gravity—tho stern or heaviest part of the vosbc! being much lower than the bow—will cause her to movei Is tho whole sect etollnunclilngT Todothis| between the top of the ways and the vctsoj nro driving plno wedges which will of course, rniso her somowhnt nnd so relieve the blocks under tho keel of part of the -weight resting upon thorn. Tills done, woikmot) take tholr places under the vessel, nnd witlLitoa wedges cut and knock awny tho blocks. When theso aro removed tho ■entire weight of the vessel settles at onco upon the greased ways, nnd tho result Is ex¬ actly,the same ns would he If a person should scat himself upon a sled pointing down hill upon an Icy slope—away she goesl " • There seems to be a strange sort of fasci¬ nation for piost people In the launching of a vessel, and In our ship-building portB It is not uncommon for n thousand persons to be present to enjoy the spectacle. MARINE LAW. collision case—steamships Adelaide— orand republic V. S.Dlst. Court, Southern Uist. New York, Martin Kaskell ct. al.. vs. the steamboat Grand Republic, etc. Win, H, McDoiignll for Martin & Kaskell; Stapler & Wood nnd C. Van Snntvoord for Co. Libellunt.Mfnrlan & Ilollliigsworth St. Bt. Co. H. E.- '(al- ntadge for Co. Llbellant,Gaivcy Admin.; H. T. Wing for Insurance Company and D. & F. MuMnhon for claimants. BrowiyJ- The several libels nnd peti¬ tions In tills enso weie filed to recover dam¬ ages, for loss of the steamboat Adelaide by a collision with tho Grand Republic in the middle of the Hudson rivei oft Leroy street at about 7.50 p. in., on the 10th of June, 1880. Both were stout, staunch, powerful steam¬ boats, employed in tlio excursion and pas¬ senger busjness about Now York. The Adelaide wns running to and from the-iron pier at Long Branch. She had made her lust landing on hei return trip nt the foot of 22nd street in the North rlv,er, where she had discharged her pnsscngi rs, and was ste iming down tho rival1 townrds her berth near the U>nimuillpnw Ferry, Jersey Citv, where she wns to lay up lor tho night. The Grand Republic had been upon nil excursion nnd had Inndccl her passengers at Jewell's Wharf, Biooklin, nnd was returning to lay up for the night at the foot of 24th Street, North river. A/tbr rounding the Battery she kcpeoll and reached about the middle of the river at thefootof Courthind btrcet when sho heado 1 nearly directly up tho stream, or probably a little westei 1}, and kept ucai ly -the same course until she stiuck tlie-Ade luldo neai the forward pint of tin? gangway on tho port side, causing the latter to sink in a few mliiules. On her behalf it is claimed that tlio Ade. luiilo when first seen about a mile distant, was coming straight down tho rlvei and much nearer the New York shore, until Bliortly beforo the collision, when she ga\e a shcei to the weslwaid and undeitookto cross her bows when it became Impossible to avoid her. Tho wltnesseBS for the Adelaide testify that after leaving 22nd street she was head ing lor about Cominiuilpaw ferry, and ttint the Giand Republic, when first seen, some what abovo a mile distant, wns also heading somewhat towards Jersey, that the Ade lalde when about a mile distant gave one signal whistle Indicating that she would go to tho right, that the Grand Republic when hair n mile distant first replied with two whlstlos, and at the same tlmo stcored more to the west wind, to which tho Adelaide again gave one more long whistle, to which two whistles wero again answered by tho .Grand Republic, which wero followed b> several danger signals front tho Adelaide when her helm was put hard aport, nndall steam put on In the endeavor to escape the collision, as she claimed, being then other¬ wise Inevitable. On the part of (ho Grand Republic, It Is testified, that none of the whistles of the Adelaide wero heard oxcept the last danger signals, a few moments only before the col¬ lision ; that her, own first two whistles were given 'when the steamers were a half a mile apart; the second two when they were about ono-clglh of n mile apart; nnd that ImmndU atclytherenftor,. she stopped nnd reversed at full speed, ^whon nt from two to three longths <)ir, at tho samo tlmo giving soveral danger signals. . . Each claims that If tltaothor had kept on her course when the first whistles Wero giv¬ en the collision would not hnvo hnpjwncd; tho Adolnldo claiming that tho Grand Ro- pnblle would hnvo passed port to port, nnd the Grand Republic claiming Hint they would hnvo passed starboard to atnrbonrd. It Is not necessary to oxnmluo In detail the numerous points upon which the witnesses -disagree. A collision could not hnvo oc¬ curred except through n gioss disregard of the rules of navigation by one or both ves¬ sels. Thero^_were no obstructions on tho river on cither sldo; the weather was clour; the wind light, tho tlmo Jobs thnn n quarter of an hour after sunset, nnd the courso of ench wns In full view of tlio othor." Some controversy lint] arisen on tho argu¬ ment In legard to the courses, of tlio two] vessels In references to each other, nnd whether theso cnursoB fell within w lint Is known na tho fifth situation in the supervis¬ ors inspecting rules nnd their Rule II, or In the sixth situation, Hint is "bend mid bend, or nearly so"lwltliln Rulo I. Tho test whether steamers will bo consid¬ ered as meeting "head and head" is whether the colored lights of encli would bo seen to the other. If that test bo applied, these steamers were not In that-flltuatlon,taccord- ing to tlio evidence on both Bides. From the evidence on the pnrtof the Adclaldo mid tho probabilities of the case as she was bound for Commuiilpaw* Ferry, I have no doubt tlia^on lea-. Ing 22ndstrect, she took, as her witnesses testify, a direct course thither; nor have I any doubt that the GiantTRcpubllc, after passing Chnmbers street wns bending about up the middle of the river, though probably n little westward. Upon these courses their paths would cross by nn angle of nt least one point. Several witnesses from the Grand Republic also state that the Ade¬ laide fiom Hie time'when she was first seen, boic from one to ono and a halt points on their starboard bow. Her two colored lights could not therefoio bo seen on board the Adelaide. Whenthe Adelaide w as first seen by the pilo.t of the Grnnd Republic ofl Ves¬ try street, the former wns nbout off 11th street, or three-quarters of a mile distant- From nil the evidence, 1 am sntlsfled tbej Adelaide was then nt least one third of the distance out from tho New Yoik slioie, us her pilot testifies, and that she bore fiom the Grand Republic, ono point on tho hitter's starbonid bow. A diawing ot the situation will show Hint tho Grand Republic must thcrufoic luwa been heading a llltlo to tho wcstwaidof the middle Hue ot the i Ivor, and that the situation was tlieiefore the llfth, nitlici than tho sixth situation us Indicated In Ihe Inspectors rules (p. 38 ) It Is not, howtsvei, material In this case, which situation should be regaided as the I rue one, as respects the obligation of the Gland Republic, for whether It was llfth or "Kill, the pilot lilies equally lcqulrcd the Giand Republic to port her helm and go to the right, llieic being nothing to maka it necessary to leport from tills rule. By the 10th statutory rule ($4233) tho ves sol which has the other on hor own star¬ board side Is lequh'td to keep out of the fcny, while the other In such ease is by Rule 21 required to keop her .ouise, and this ap¬ plies to tho fifth situation. The Grand Re¬ public having the Adelaide on her own star¬ board tnnid, wns bound <o keep out of tho way., Independent of the inspector's rules she would doubtless have had the option of shaping her course cither to tho right or loft, for tlio purpose of keeping out of tho way. 'The Inspector's rules and directions (Rule 2p p. 33.37) take away this option ami re¬ quite a steamer in inch n case' to pass to tlio right, which by tlio Statuto (Rule 23) is bound to keep her course, must according to the Inspector's directions "continue on her course, or- port her helm, if necessary to avoid a collision, eaoh having previously given one blast of tho steam whistle." The supervising Inspectors arc by {4412 authorized "to establish such regulations to be observed by nil steam vessels In passing ench other, ns they shall from time to tlmo deem necessnry for sit/ety." The rules thus (The Milwaukee 1 Brown's Adm, 1)13,321.) Rulo" 2 of tlio Inapiletor's, In taking away the option ol thc-Y«wol bound to koop out of tho wny to go to the loft If she chooses, when In tho fifth situation, ts not In conflict with the [statutory rulos, and Is therefore binding. Tho direction for the other ves¬ sel "to keep her courso. or port her helm li necessary to avoid n collision," Is fortunate, f think, In tho latter branch of It, ns It Is lia¬ ble to bo misinterpreted ns nn nuthorlty to vnry from the statutory obligation, to1 keop hor course under Rule 21, oxccptln tho apo¬ dal circumstances rcferrod tb in Rule 24, al¬ though probably not so designed. ' From tho course of the vessels, as I have above described them, It Is manifest that there wns danger of collision from the time of their first signals. The duty of each was perfectly fixed by tho -rules; tho Grand Re¬ public was bound to keep out of tlio way by passing to tho right, and tho Adelaide was bound to keep her course; both wero also required to slnckon speed and also stop and bnck, if necessary. The witnesses on the part of tho Adolnldo contend that the Grand Republie wns con- tlnunlly starboarding lier helm in accdrdunce with hor two whlstlos, and ono witness who, behind hor, testified that ho saw her rudder blade indicating tho helm hard to starboard, just before the collision. Herown witnesses claim that her helm was not changed until she stopped nnd bncked her engines when tho vessels wero about two longUis npart, and that, then she ported. From this it Is manifest that tho Grand Republic took no timely and proper meas¬ ures to avoid the collision and keep out of tho wny ns she was bound to do. There was nothing in tlio circumstances making It necessary for her to starboard her holm rather thnn poit; and if she hnd star- bomded from tho time of her first two whis¬ tles, when half n mile off, ns the, libelant's witnesses testify, she wps violating tho In¬ spector's rule which lcquired Her to pasB to the right., If sho ifinde uo change In her holm until within two or three lengths, ns Is claimed ou hor jinrt, she persisted in hor course in spite of obvious risk ol collision long after sho was bound by tho rulo to have ported in order to avoid it. The excuse given flint she wns waiting to hear a loply to her two whistles, and that she heard none until after her second blast of two w|ilstles is not valid. 1 cannot doubt that slnglo whistles wero given by the Ade¬ laide as testified to by those on board of her, and by other witnecses who heard thorn, that they wciq, not heard ou board tho Grand 'Republic did not excuse her from making a timely change of courso as required by the rules. ___- The Ginnd Republic wns nlso equally in fault lor not slackening speed until within two or three lengths. Eacti steamci was going at tho rate of eleven miles an hour, and they Avcro theiefoio approaching each other at a combined speed of about twenty- two miles an hour. The Grand Republic was 300 feet long, the Adelaide about 240, hud the former stopped and reversed u min¬ ute sooner, tho Adelaide would have passed sufel). Tho excuse given on the part of the Giand Republic for not slackening that un¬ til her second slgnntof two \vW«tles,-'»heii they were about an eighth apart, tno Ade¬ laide was coming down upon a parallel courso upon- her starboard sldo, cannot be adopted as the tact. Tito contrary appears not morelyirom all the Adelaide's witnesses, but from (ho claimant's witnesses also. For from their testimony It appears that while the Adelaide was from one to one and a half full points oh her starboard bow when nearly n mile distant, nt the tlmo ot tho sec¬ ond wlilsUo sho was still no further, but rather less, upon their starboard bow, though then only one-eighth ot a mile npnrt; whereas ilnd thoy been prooeeclng on paral¬ lel courses, sho must, In coming within an eighth of a mile, have broadened off very much more to starboard, so that oven In the night time and had only the Adelaide's red light been visible, the fact that she did not broaden off to starboard would have been conclusive evidence to tho Grand Republic that tho former was crossing tho hitter's bows. The Adelaide's course however was perfootly visible to the Grand Republic and Westward nt the time of the second two whlBtlca. It Is therefore Impossible to hold tlfo Grand Republic exempt from tho dtarge of groBS tieglcot of tho rules both In not stopping and backing sooner, as woll as Id not shnplng hor course.to tho eastward whoa at a anfo distance. It Is oqitaily/obvlous that tho "Adelaide"" ^PlnwilsolijjBuilt. - ThVlfrst rilgnnl of two whistles nftor the "Adelnld's" ono whistle was of Itself under tho circumstances the strongest warping of - dangor. The vessels were then but half a mile apart,'and within a minute and a half ol crossing ench others course.^ Although it was tlio duty of tJio'jAdelnldo" "to keep her courao" it wns nlrfo her duty to slacken speed under Rule 21, becntiso thore was evident dangor of collision within the menn- ing of that rulo. (The D. S. Gregory 2 Ben. 220 234. The Mclwnntju 1 Brown, Ad.832., City of N. Y. Fed. R.) Sho made nonttompt to slacken speed until after tho second two blnsts from tho "Grand Republic" when nbout nn eight of a mllor-'dlstanf, or less than three lengths nnd when within some 15 or 20 seconds of collision, nnd this attempt wns Immediately reversed by an order to" move nt nil possible speed. It is modt probable from the situntlon that a collision nt that tlmo wns unavoidable and that the order by tlio Captain of the "Ade. lalde" to go at all speed oflered the only chance of escape -then remaining nnd that this would have boen successful if 'tho "Grand Republic" had earlier slackened speed nnd stopped nnd backed reasonably as she was bound to do. Although I am not prepared therefore to hold the •'Adelaide" in fault for Jills last order, nor for her hard a-jjort w heel in con¬ nection with it, this does not in the least diminish her responsib'llty for her previous neglect of Rulo 21 which lequlred Iter to slacken her speed from tho time ol the first contrary signals when there aiose obvious risk of collision. , Had tlio "Adelaide" then Blackened her speed she would afterwards have had uo difficulty reversing at once it necessary, and thus have easily avoided the collision. The damage must therefore be apportioned botweon the two vessels, ami a reference ordered to compute the amount; and at the same time proof may be taken as to Die rights and interests of the various llbellants and petitioners. April 11, 1883. established are obligatory, so far as they are It was obvious that she was crossing the l«t- uot In conflict with the statutory roguiaUonjj1 ter's bows, even before the sheer to the BADS' SHI 1'RA ILWVY. St. Louis. April 10 The proposed ship railway across the Isthmus of I'cliuantepce lias not been abandoned, as many supposo Captain James B. ^Bnds, Its pio|ector, re¬ turned home, and -from him It was learned that tho-work was being vlgoiously prosu- euted, nnd that (he mnssi.e rallioad wi,l bo finished long beforo DcLisscps' Panama Canal Is opened. Six'weeks ago a strong syndicate was formed for the pin pose of beginning the woik ami making adltloual suiveys to see if the routes elected eoulj bo [Improved upon. Four parties of cnglnecis aiC already In tho field under Ihe general charge of Mr Vanbiiu Mil and a large foreo of laborers and mechanics afu engaged In tho construction. The neighborhood of Minatitlaii ou the Coutzacoaleoe River has been selected for the northern terminus of tho railway Survej s of the northern termi¬ nal section have been filed with the govern¬ ment of Mexico and approved by lis ollkers. Mexico has appointed one of its most dis¬ tinguished engineers to bo associated Willi the-work, In accordance with tho tonus of the concession, tie s now at Sallnu Cruz, on the Pacific const^aiul has been ordered to repair to tho MlnMUIan, E L. Cortholl, who was Captain Ends' chief engineer In the construction of tho Mississippi River lettles, is chief engineer. Sh Edward Reed and John Fowler, London, and Captain Ends will be consultingcugiiieeis. Colonel James Andrews, who built the jetties, mid Hon. A. G. Coohrnn, Captain Ends' attorney, have been in Loudon the past tinny days to complete arrangements for the advancement of the project. The road will be constructed to carry snips nnd cargoes of a gross we gilt of 5,000 tons which will accomodate. 00 per cant, of the tonnage of the world. The capi¬ talists already interested In the enterprise reilde In London, New York, St. Louis nnd New Ot leans. In speaking of the prospects ol completing tho road Captain Ends said ho had not the slightest doubt ol the work being finished mid the Hue opened for truUlo before the end of 1887. \ c