Adams v. Eastern Transp. Co.

JOHNSON, Circuit Judge.

This is an appeal in admiralty from a decree of the District Court of Massachusetts. By a charter party dated January 25, 1922, the appellants chartered the appellee’s barge Joseph J. Hock for the carriage of coal from ports in Virginia to Boston. This charter party contained the following guaranty:

“Suitable bertb and sufficient water guaranteed, both at loading and at discharging berths.”

The Hock was a wooden barge about 209 feet long, 36 feet, 2 inches beam, with straight sides and a flat bottom; but with 18 inches rounded bilges, drawing when loaded 15% feet aft and…