Resolute and Northerner

The waters of Puget's Sound, in Washington Territory, were not within the Rules and Regulations adopted 17th October, 1857, of the Supervising Inspectors, appointed under the act of Congress of 30th August, 1852, to be observed by vessels in passing each other.

CONGRESS, by act of August 30, 1852, provided for the appointment of supervising inspectors of steamers and machinery; one of the duties of such inspectors being to establish rules and regulations to be observed by all vessels in passing each other, and to assign the limits of territory within which they should be obligatory. The inspectors accordingly met, and in 1857 established nine districts, defined their limits, and adopted certain rules to govern vessels in passing each other within them. On ibel and cross-libel, in admiralty, between a steamboat and steam-tug for collision, the chief question of law was, whether the waters of Puget's Sound, in Washington Territory, were within the limits of any one of the nine districts established by the supervising inspectors.

Mr. Justice CLIFFORD delivered the opinion of the court, on the point of law in the case, to this effect: