There’s lots of talk about Salvage. Here’s the real meal deal. It is a particularly interesting read because of the language of the day.
About 4 o’clock on the morning of the 24th of August, 1867, the British ship Blackwall, then at anchor in the harbor of San Francisco, was discovered to be on fire. Shortly afterwards, the alarm was communicated to the shore, and the fire department of the city called out. As soon as the cause of the alarm was ascertained, the chief engineer of the fire department, with an officer of the harbor police, proceeded to the steam tug Goliah then lying at one of the city’s wharves and belonging to an incorporated towing company of San Francisco, and having aroused the person in charge, requested him to “fire up” without delay in order that the engines might be conveyed on the tug to the burning vessel. This, after a few moments’ hesitation, arising it was plain from reluctance to act without orders, he proceeded to do. Messengers were dispatched to the captain and engineer of the tug, who were asleep at their homes on shore, and every effort made to get steam on the tug as quickly as possible. The captain and engineer were aroused, and at once repaired to the wharf. It being found impracticable for the tug to go into the slip where the fire engines lay, two of the latter were brought around to the wharf where the tug was and taken across the deck of a steamboat which lay between the wharf and the tug, and so on to the tug with promptitude and skill. About 6 o’clock, the tug, with two engines on board, together with the firemen &c. attached to them, moved from the wharf, and in a few minutes were alongside the ship. The fire had by this time made considerable progress. The house on deck between the fore and mizzen masts was on fire, and the flames were mounting nearly half way to the tops. The ship was also burning between decks, where the fire first originated. The officers and crew, though assisted by a party from the United States ship Lawrence, having found all attempts to subdue the flames abortive, had desisted from further efforts and had, a few moments before the Goliah arrived, left the vessel with their effects in small boats. Without speedy assistance, the total destruction of the ship and cargo was inevitable. The measures of the firemen and officers of the tug were taken with great skill and energy.
You can read more about the Blackwall decision at Justia.com, here.
(Ed. note: Most folks see fear at the mention salvage. While I don’t shy away from the term, I do let folks know that such cases usually involve an insurance claim.)
