"TOWER FIELD" (OWNERS) v. WORKINGTON HARBOUR AND DOCK BOARD.

(1946) 80 Ll L Rep 488

ADMIRALTY DIVISION.

Before Mr. Justice Willmer, sitting with Captain W. E. Crumplin and Captain G. C. H. Noakes, Elder Brethren of Trinity House.

Docks, Harbours, etc. - Approaches to port - Duty of harbour authority to maintain in safe condition or to give warning of obstructions - Ship in charge of pilot - Negligence of pilot - Grounding of plaintiffs' steamship Tower Field on bank of silt in entrance channel to Workington Harbour - Damage to ship - Claim by plaintiffs - Counterclaim by defendant harbour authority for damages resulting from obstruction - Inaccurate and misleading inset on Admiralty Chart of Solway Firth - Inset based on plan supplied by defendant harbour authority - Statement on inset that certain depth and width were maintained by dredging - Evidence that such depth and width of entrance channel were not maintained - Leading beacons indicating centre of channel inaccurately placed - Harbour authority aware of serious encroachments into entrance channel caused by development of banks of silt on each side - Evidence of periodical personal inspections of channel by local pilots - Pilot aware of encroachments into channel and of misleading character of leading beacons - Reliance upon own judgment - Attempt to bring in ship without reference to the line of leading beacons, but using a beacon on the northern side of the channel as a guide.