| Court: | British court of admiralty law |
| Facts: | There was a fog, the Winkfield collided with the Mexican, and the latter sank; all people and some property were rescued. |
| Posture: | Winkfield has been found negligent, and now folks from Mexican are trying to get damages. The amount of damages is already fixed. The Postmasters General whose mail was lost on the Mexican want in on the action. |
| Issue: | To whom should we award money? |
| Holding: | Postmasters can get some money, and the Winkfield can't do anything about it. |
| Rule: | The defendants have no standing to inquire about the nature or limitations of the rights of the people whose property they destroyed. |
| Reasoning: | If you take (in this case, destroy) someone else's property, you are a wrong-doer. Just showing that the property was owned by a third party doesn't excuse you from liability. |
| Dicta: | |