Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 January 1900 — Worse than a Sea Lawyer. [ARTICLE]

Worse than a Sea Lawyer.

Sea time as most people know, instead of being reckoned by hours, is divided into “Watches” of four hours each. From 4 o’clock to 6, and G o'clock to 8, there are half divisions, nautically termed “dog watches.” In a recent admiralty case the counsel asked an old sailor at what time of day a certain collision occurred, and received the reply, “About the middle of the first dog watch.” In summing up the case, the newly admitted admiralty proctor enlarged upon the information thus imparted as follows: “You can imagine, gentleman of the jury, the care which existed oa thi& occasion, when, as appears from one of the plaintiffs own witnesses, this valuable ship and her cargo, and the lives of passengers and crew, were intrusted to what, gentleman ?—why. to the mere watch of a dog!”—Collier's Weekly. "