Saturday, December 26, 2009

Pathfinder limping back to port, captain relieved

Here's a few more update items on the Pathfinder, the tug that sustained major damage Wednesday after hitting Bligh Reef in Prince William Sound:

• The Pathfinder is expected to arrive in Valdez around 10 p.m. tonight, having been taken under tow at 2 p.m. off Busby Island, the state Department of Environmental Conservation said.

• About 36,000 gallons of mixed diesel and water were removed from the tug's damaged fuel tanks, the DEC said.

• At least six commercial fishing vessels helped with operations to skim what diesel managed to escape the tug, the U.S. Coast Guard said.

• Still no word from investigators or Crowley Maritime Corp., operator of the Pathfinder, on why the tug crew hit a navigational hazard as notorious as Bligh Reef.

• The tug's master and second mate have been relieved of duty pending further investigation, said Crowley, based in Jacksonville, Fla.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

And the USCG, Admiral at Valdez Traffic?

Change we can live with?

Homeland Security, Vote Drunken Sailor, to run Valdez Traffic, matching 1989 to perfection, where all those radar screens could only confuse drunk sailor at Homeland Security?

Anonymous said...

But the owners of a privateer are not liable civilly beyond the security given by law, and the

other belligerent, except it be contraband;" on the ground that this was necessary to prevent a nation which should maintain a powerful navy from having an undue advantage over one whose marine was wholly commercial. Ann. Reg. 1856, p. 221; Wheat. Lawrence's note

192; ante, 91, n. 1. See also the act of March 3, 1863, c. 85; 12 U. S. St. at L. 758; although the authority thereby given to the President for three years to commission privateers was not exercised during the rebellion.

Vattel admits (e) that an individual may, with a safe conscience, serve his country by fitting out privateers; but he holds it to be inexcusable and base to take a commission from a foreign prince to prey upon the subjects of a state in amity with his native country. The laws of the United {100} States have made ample provision on this subject, and they may be considered as in affirmance of the law of nations, and as prescribing specific punishment for acts which were before unlawful. (a) An act of Congress prohibits citizens to accept, within the jurisdiction of the United States, a commission, or for any person not transiently within the United States, to consent to be retained or enlisted, to serve a foreign state in war, against a government in amity with us. It likewise prohibits American citizens from being concerned, without the limits of the United States, in fitting out, or otherwise assisting, any private vessel of war, to cruise against the subjects of friendly powers. (b) Similar prohibitions are contained in the laws of other countries: (c) and the French Ordinance of the Marine of 1681 treated such acts as piratical. The better opinion is, that a cruiser, furnished with commissions from two different powers, is liable to be treated as a pirate; for, though the two powers may be allies, yet one of them may be in amity with a state with whom the other is at war. (d)1 In the various treaties

loss of a vessel, for piratical acts committed by the officers and crew of the privateer. They are only liable, by the maritime law, for the conduct of the officers and crew while in the execution of the business of the cruise. Dias v. Privateer Revenge, 3 Wash. 262. The New York scheme (see supra, 98, n. a) of making privateering companies actual corporations or bodies politic would seem to exempt the members from the personal responsibility ordinarily incident to the owners of privateers. (e) B 3, c. 15, sec. 229.

(a) Talbot v. Janson, 3 Dallas, 133; Brig Alerta v. Bias Moran, 9 Cranch, 359.

(b) Act of Congress of 20th April, 1818, c. 83.

(c) Act of Congress of April 20, 1871, for State and Federal Officers, confused with duties, of the sailing master.

(d) Baker v Exxon, upholding the privateer statute, for drunken sailors on Bligh Reef, as long a vessel transits from Texas, and finds a Drunk Federal Judge from Fairbanks, known well as a Marbury v Madison, Midnight Judicial Appointment!
see: U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Minutes. Andrew Klienfeld

Classics in Confusion, unless your a Texan, or Alaskan, like Wally Hickle, Trickey Dicks best man!