Page:Federal Reporter, 1st Series, Volume 2.djvu/593

 586 FEDERAL REPORTER. �it. It ia inaisted that this seeing of the red light was an after- thought; that it was devised for the purpose of justifying the maneuver of porting the wheel. But there is nothing incon- sistent with the testimony of the. second mate, that he saw this red light first, and then almost immediately after saw the green light, just about when and where he did, in the case testified to by those on the Sansego. On the contrary, his testimony on these points singularly harmonizes with and confirma that of libellants' witnesses as to their own course, and what they first saw of the Star of Scotia's light. They Bay they were heading N. W. by N., and saw a green light nearly ahead, a little on their port bow; that while they kept their course the green light crossed over to their starboard bow, and after broadening some on the starboard bow, about a point and a-half, so that it became plainly visible to the wheelsman, who of course could not see it till it was off the bow, it suddenly disappeared. Therefore, when the mate of the Star of Scotia says he saw a red light, which changed sud- denly to green, his yessel being on a course S- E. | E., the light at that time bearing S. E. by S. J S., this showed that he was just Crossing the bow of the Sansego from port to star- board, and his observation of the bearing of the light at this moment does not vary a quarter of a point from the heading which those on the Sg.nsego swear to as the course of their vessel, N. W. by N. This testimony clearly shows that the Star of Scotia thus crossed the bows of the Sansego from port to starboard very soon after the lights of each vessel came in sight from the other, and before the lookout or any one but the mate of the Star of Scotia had discovered the light of the Sansego. �The answer charges that this first change from red light to green, as seen on the Star of Scotia, was caused by a change of course on the part of the Sansego. The answer clearly «barges two changes of course against the Sansego: first, at the time of this change from red to green ; and, secondly, again after the Star of Scotia had, by falling off before the wind on a port helm, brought the red light of the Sansego on her port bow, and almost immediately before the collision happened. ����