THE CONVOY'S WHEAT
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A ship's master diverted a cargo of wheat from Port Colbourne to Buffalo without authorization when faced with a several-day delay at the port's elevator, the only available storage facility. The Supreme Court affirmed that the master breached his duty by failing to follow the established trade custom requiring delivery at Port Colbourne and by not contacting the consignees via telegraph to obtain instructions before diverting the cargo.
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Mr. Justice MILLER delivered the opinion of the court.
It is not necessary to determine whether the libellant in this ease, who was owner of the ship, contracted to deliver the wheat to the consignees at Oswego, or whether he contracted to deliver it at Port Colbourne. The bill of lading given by the master of the vessel, shows that it was understood that from Chicago to Port Colbourne was only part of the voyage which the wheat was to make, and that from Port Colbourne it was to be forwarded by the Welland Railway on its further voyage.
The testimony is clear, that at Port Colbourne there is an elevator belonging to that railroad company, and that it is the only one; and that there is no other warehouse or receptacle in which the wheat could be stored. The course of the trade demands that wheat shipped to Port Colbourne must go through that elevator, and if the vessels making delivery are so numerous that it cannot relieve them promptly, they must await their turn. The master of the vessel must be held to have made his contract with a full knowledge of this course of trade, and be governed by it. He had, therefore, no right, when he found there would be a delay of several days in delivering his cargo at the elevator, to carry it to Buffalo at the expense of the owner. There is another matter in which the master failed in his duty. There was a telegraphic line in operation between Port Colbourne and Oswego, where the consignees resided, and he could, at any time during the three days he lay at Port Colbourne, have notified them of his difficulty, and received their instructions. He did nothing of the kind; but, after waiting about half the time that would have been required to enable him to discharge his cargo, he sailed to Buffalo, deposited the wheat there, subject to his own order, and then notified consignees by telegraph that he should lihel it for freight and damage, unless paid immediately.
Decree affirmed, with costs.