Page:Federal Reporter, 1st Series, Volume 10.djvu/571

 THE SANDBINaHAJI. 559 �roborate Capt. McKay's assertion. The simple fact was that a salvage servica was undertaken, without any contract or definite understand- ing as to the compensatiou or the mode of asoertaining the amonnt of it. �The libellant, Capt. Joseph Baker, on being called upon by Col. William Lamb, the head of the firm of Lamb & Co., at once began preparations for the relief of the stranded ship ; and the steam-tug Nettie, Capt. Cole, with large anchors and cable, with an outut of other wrecking apparatus on board, set ont from Norfolk for Cape Henry about midnight of the 5th. Owing to the heavy fog sbe did not pass Fortress Monroe (13 miles from Norfolk) till day- light of Saturday, the 6th. When abreaat of the fortress she met the wrecking steamer B. & J. Baktr, also belonging to the libellant, Capt. Orrin Baker, master, which was on her return from another wrecking enterprise, having on board a considerable outut of wreck- ing material, including a very large anohor of 4,500 pounds weight. It had also on board a wrecking gang under Capt. Nelson. The Baker at once joined the Nettie, and both proceeded to the vicinity of the Sandringham, which lay about 17 miles from Fortress Mon- roe and 30 miles from Norfolk. . Between the hours of 10 and 11 a. M. of Saturday, the 6th, they arrived near the steamship, and Capts. Nelson and Orrin Baker went aboard her. After making slight examination they went ashore, where they saw Capt. McKay, and were directed by him to go to work to savo the ship; no terms being mentioned in the interview. They at once thereupon returned to the wrecking steamers, and proceeded to lay their two largest anchors some distance beyond the outer reef, planting one anohor out beyond the other, and Connecting the two by a chain. To the inner anchor they attaehed their cable, and then laid the cable to the Sandring- ham. The distances were nearly as follows : From low-water mark on shore to the ship, between 50 and 75 yards ; from the ship to the outer reef and line of breakers, about 150 yards; the breakers were about 100 to 150 yards wide; the two anchors were well out beyond the outer line of the breakers. �During the wrecking operations the wrecking steamer B. & J, Baker lay for the most of the time about 1,000 yards beyond the ship ; other wrecking vessels 150 yards and more beyond the breakers. Having planted the anchors beyond the outer reef and breakers, Capt. Nel- son, who had charge of the wrecking gang which was to opera te on board the Sandringham, came along-side the ship in a surf-boat, with his cable, at about 4 p. it., and called to those on board for a line ��� �