United States v. Poling Russell, Inc. The Dover. The Poling Bros. No. 12

As a part of its governmental immunity the United States as a litigant cannot be held for costs in the absence of an authorizing statute. United States v. Chemical Foundation, 272 U.S. 1, 20, 47 S.Ct. 1, 71 L.Ed. 131; United States v. Worley, 281 U.S. 339, 344, 50 S.Ct. 291, 74 L.Ed. 887; 28 U.S.C. § 2412(a). This principle is directly applicable to prevent allowance of costs to a defendant successful in opposing an action brought by the United States. United States v. Chemical Foundation, supra. The present litigation is under the Public Vessels Act, 46 U.S.C. § 782, which incorporates by…