The C. H. Northam

BENEDICT, District Judge.

This action, which is said to be novel in the admiralty courts of this country, is brought by the owner of the canal-boat T. F. Sheehy, to recover of the steamboat C. H. Northam, damages caused to the canal-boat by the swell made by the C. H. Northam in passing.

The weather, at the time, was fine, and there was no sea. The canal-boat was passing up the harbor to New Haven, in tow of the tug Gladwich. The tow consisted of five boats, arranged three in the first tier and two in the second. The T. F. Sheehy was the middle boat in the first tier. When the tow was passing…