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.