THE "LIGHTFOOT."

(1946) 80 Ll L Rep 441

ADMIRALTY DIVISION.

Before Mr. Justice Willmer, sitting with Commodore R. L. F. Hubbard and Captain C. St. G. Glasson, Elder Brethren of Trinity House.

Collision - River - Narrow channel rule - Look-out - Speed - Alteration of course without signalling - Collision between H.M.S. St. Helier (ex passenger vessel) and steamship Lightfoot on southern edge of swept channel in Sea Reach, River Thames - St. Helier bound down; Lightfoot bound up - Green of Lightfoot opened to St. Helier; red of St. Helier opened to Lightfoot - Starboarding by Lightfoot to take her on her up-river course - Red and green opened to St. Helier - Porting by St. Helier to make for exit to swept channel - Green opened to Lightfoot - No helm signal sounded by either vessel - Hard-a-porting by Lightfoot for purpose of passing green, to green (helm signal then being sounded, though not heard by St. Helier) - Starboarding by St. Helier (no helm signal being sounded) - Port helm signal repeated by Lightfoot - Hard-a-starboarding by St. Helier (helm signal then being sounded) - Impact between stem of Lightfoot and port side aft of St. Helier - Speed maintained by both vessels until moment of collision.