United States v. One Raft of Timber

This ease comes up on an appeal from the district court sitting in admiralty. The libel alleges that under the Bevised Statutes of the United States rafts añd other water-craft, when anchored in or near the channel of any river or bay, shall carry one or more good white lights, in such manner as the board of supervisors might prescribe, and that upon a failure so to do they are liable to pay to the United States the sum of $200, for the payment of which such crafts may be seized and proceeded against summarily by way of libel. It further alleges that the raft in question, on the night of the…