261. Seaworthiness and timing: voyage in stages.

Where the voyage is divided into stages, either naturally1 or by agreement between the parties or by reason of the necessity of the case2, the undertaking as to seaworthiness is satisfied if the vessel is seaworthy at the beginning of a relevant stage; she need not be fit to perform the whole voyage3. Thus, if her course lies partly by canal or river and partly by sea, she is seaworthy if, on leaving the inland port, she is fit to encounter the usual perils of navigating the river, and it is not necessary that she should then be fit