Stone v. The Jewell

Salvage is defined to be "the relief of property from an impending peril of the sea by the voluntary exertions of those who are under no legal obligation to render assistance, and the consequent ultimate safety of the property. It may be a case of more or less merit, according to the degree of peril in which the property was, and the danger and difficulty of relieving it. But these circumstances affect the degree of the service, and not its nature.” The Alphonso, 1 Curt. 376-378; The Alaska, 23 Fed. Rep. 607.

Mr. Justice Bradley, in the case of Sonderburg v. Tow-Boat Co., 3 Woods, 146, says:

“Sa…