Smith v. Britain S. S. Co.

Citations

• 123 F. 176
• 1903 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 221

Syllabus

<p>1. Shipping—Carriage of Goods—Responsibility after Discharge.</p> <p>Where, by tbe provision of a bill of lading, merchandise is to be delivered “from the ship’s tackles where the ship’s responsibility shall cease,” her liability, after the goods are discharged, is that of a bailee, charged with the duty to take ordinary care of the property for a reasonable length of time, and not to abandon it, or negligently expose it to injury.</p> <p>3. Same—Liability for Injury to Goods on Wharf—Delay of Owner in Removing.</p> <p>Where the owners of a consignment of 6,400 bales of jute, required by the bill of lading to take it from the ship’s tackles, were duly notified of the arrival of the ship and time of discharging, and on the first day removed over 1,200 bales, but did not remove any more until four days later, because it was more convenient to load it on lighters after the ship had left her berth, the ship was not liable for an injury by rain to a portion of the jute which she was compelled to unload on an uncovered part of the wharf because the shed under which the most of it was placed had been filled, and where she covered it, and took all reasonable care to protect it from injury.</p>