Potomac River Line, Inc. v. Monroe

GRONER, C J.

In the evening of July 12, 1936, at about 10:45 o’clock, the motor launch “Seabird”, 39 feet 11 inches long, 11 feet 2 inches wide, in charge of her owner and with a party of his friends aboard, and with her regulation lights burning brightly, was proceeding up the Potomac River en route to Alexandria, Virginia.

The night was clear, and the tide was flood.

When about off Fort Washington some five or six miles below Alexandria, and when somewhat to the eastern or Maryland side of mid-channel, the navigator of the Seabird heard a two-blast whistle from an overtaking vessel, which…