Samuel Blatchford

“ The claim to a limitation of liability in the present case is made under the clause of section 4283 which provides that 'the liability of the owner of any vessel' 'for any act, matter, or thing, loss, damage, or forfeiture done, occasioned, or incurred, without the privity or knowledge of such owner or owners, shall in no case exceed the amount or value of the interest of such owner in such vessel, and her freight then pending.' That section does not purport to confer any jurisdiction upon a district court. ”

“ So also, a writ of prohibition was refused where a suit in admiralty was brought, in a district court, to recover damages for the loss of life by a collision between two vessels, on the ground that damages from collision were within admiralty jurisdiction, and the admiralty court could, therefore, lawfully decide whether such damages embraced damages for the loss of life. ”

“ Proof of all claims which shall be presented in pursuance of said monition shall be made before a commissioner, to be designated by the court, subject to the right of any person interested to question or controvert the same ”