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Show Italian Yessel Held Wholly at Fault for Wreck of Republic New York, Jan. 28. Counsel for tho Oceanic Steam Navigation company, owners of the White Star line steamer Republic, today filed a libel in the United States district court agaln3t tho steamer Florida of the Lloyd Italian Ital-ian company line, which ran down and sank the Republic off Nantucket lightship. light-ship. Damages amounting to $1,500,-000 $1,500,-000 for the loss of tho ship and $500,-000 $500,-000 for the loss of cargo and effects of the passengers and crew were claimed. It was asserted in the libel that the collision was due to no fault on the part of Captain Sealby of the Republic, but wholly to the fault of the Florida, which it was alleged, did not keep a proper course, had no sufficient lookout, look-out, did not give proper whistles nor pay heed to the whistles of the Republic, Repub-lic, that the Florida failed to indicate her changes of helm, that she was proceeding at nn immoderate speed, and did not stop or back her engines, that the Republic was running at retarded re-tarded speed, that the captain, two officers, a quartermaster and a seaman, sea-man, were on the bridge with two lookouts. look-outs. The court Is asked to condemn the Florida and order the payment of $2,-000,000 $2,-000,000 damages to the owners of the Republic. I The Lloyd-Itallano Societe De Navl-gatione, Navl-gatione, owners of the steamship Florida, Flo-rida, also filed in the United Stales district dis-trict court a libel and petition for a limitation of liability against the Florida,' her freight and passenger money. The papers state that the collision was solely caused by the faults and neglect on the part of the Republic. The petitioners say that the damage value of the Florida now dees not exceed $224,000, and asks the court to fix the liability at not more than that amount. After the filing of papers In the proceedings pro-ceedings agafnst the Florida, United States Marshal Henckle seized the Italian vessel under a writ of attachment. |