The Bulley

HOUGH, Circuit Judge.

On a fair day •and with a strong ebb tide under foot, tug Bulley, with eleven light boats, in four tiers, on a hawser of about 20 fathoms (making the flotilla between 500 and 600 feet long), was going down the East River between Manhattan and Blackwell’s Island.

Simultaneously tug Soeony No. 4, with two light barges (in all 60 feet wide), abreast on a hawser of 30 fathoms, was going the same way, but at much higher speed. Both of these tugs had tows on hawsers with a following tide — stopping would involve danger to both tug and tow.

At the same time tug Athens, with two…