ground in the following areas Firstly, a contract of salvage under
Lloyd's Open Form 'No cure no pay' for the recovery of the passenger
liner Golden Adventurer, a ship of .22,000 tons gross burden and
registered at Southampton, exists between the parties.
Secondly, that the Master of the Golden Adventurer while steaming on a
south-westerly heading during the night of December 16th at or near 72
16 south and 32 12 west - The President let no dramatics intrude on his
assembly of the facts. He recounted it all in the driest possible
terms, succeeding in making Golden Adventurer's plight and the desperate
endeavours of her rescuers sound boring. indeed, his colleague seemed
to descend into a condition of coma at the telling of it. His eyes
slowly closed, and his head sagged gently sideways, his lips vibrating
slightly at each breath - a volume not quite sufficient to make it a
snore.
It took nearly an hour, with the occasional consultation of the ship's
log books and a loose volume of hand-written and typed notes, before the
President was satisfied that he had recounted all the facts, and now he
rocked back in his chair and hooked his thumbs into his waistcoat. His
expression became decisive, and while he surveyed the crowded room, his
colleague stirred, opened his eyes, took out a white linen handkerchief
and blew two sharp blasts, one for each nostril, like the herald angel
sounding the crack of doom.
There was a stir of reawakened interest, they all recognized the moment
of decision, and for the first time Duncan Alexinder and Nicholas Berg
looked directly at each other over the heads of the lawyers and company
men. Neither of them changed expression, no smile nor scowl, but
something implacable and clearly understood passed between them. They
did not unlock their gaze, until the President began to speak again.
Taking into consideration the foregoing, this Court is of the firm
opinion that a fair and good salvage of the vessel was effected by the
salvors, and that therefore, they are entitled to salvage awards
commensurate with the services rendered to the owners and underwriters.
Nicholas felt Samantha's fingers groping for his. He took her hand, and
it was slim and cold and dry; he interlocked their fingers and laid
their hands upon his upper thigh.
This Court, in arriving at the value of the salvor's services, has taken
into consideration, firstly, the situation and conditions existing on
the site of operations. We have heard evidence that much of the work
was carried out in extreme weather conditions. Temperatures of thirty
degrees below freezing, wind forces exceeding twelve on the Beaufort
scale, and extreme icing.
We have also considered that the vessel Golden Adventurer was no longer
under command. That she had been abandoned by her passengers, her crew
and her Master. She was aground on a remote and hostile coast.
We have further noted that the salvors undertook a voyage of many
thousands of miles, without any guarantee of recompense, but merely in
order to be in a position to offer assistance, should that have become
necessary. Nicholas glanced across the aisle at Duncan Alexander.
He sat at ease, as though he were in his box at Ascot. His suit was of
sombre gunmetal grey, but on him it seemed flamboyant and the I Zingari
