THE "BRITISH CONFIDENCE."

(1948) 82 Ll.L.Rep. 697

ADMIRALTY DIVISION.

Before Lord Merriman (President), sitting with Captain W. E. Crumplin and Captain D. Dunn, Elder Brethren of Trinity House.

Collision - Fog - Signals - "Lying stopped" - Unchanging bearing- Collision between French steamship Joseph Blot and British motor vessel British Confidence off Cape Trafalgar in fog-Vessels on almost opposite courses crossing at fine angle-Both vessels sounding for fog-"Lying stopped" signals sounded by Joseph Blot shortly before collision- Vessels sighted by each other at distance of between 600 and 700 ft.- Impact between port bow of Joseph Blot and port side of British Confidence-Whether Joseph Blot was "lying stopped"-Unsatisfactory nature of contemporary documents on both sides-Inconsistencies with pleaded cases-Demeanour of witnesses -Credibility.