ADMIRALTY

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ADMIRALTY


ADMIRALTY. The name of a jurisdiction which takes cognizance of suits or actions which arise in consequence of acts done upon or relating to the sea;or, in other words, of all transactions and proceedings relative to commerceand navigation, and to damages or injuries upon the sea. 2 Gall. R. 468. Inthe great maritime nations of Europe, the term "admiralty jurisdiction,"is, uniformly applied to courts exercising jurisdiction over maritimecontracts and concerns. It is as familiarly known among the jurists ofScotland, France, Holland and Spain, as of England, and applied to their owncourts, possessing substantially the same jurisdiction as the EnglishAdmiralty had in the reign of Edward III. Ibid., and the authorities therecited; and see, also, Bac. Ab. Court of Admiralty; Merl. Repert. h.t.Encyclopedie, h.t.; 1 Dall. 323. 2. The Constitution of the United States has delegated to the courts ofthe national government cognizance "of all cases of admiralty and maritimejurisdiction;" and the act of September 24, 1789, ch. 20 s. 9, has given thedistrict court" cognizance of all civil causes of admiralty and maritimejurisdiction," including all seizures under laws of imposts, navigation ortrade of the United States, where the seizures are made on waters navigablefrom the sea, by vessels of ten or more tons burden, within their respectivedistricts, as well as upon the high seas. 3. It is not within the plan of this work to enlarge upon this subject. The reader is referred to the article Courts of the United States, where hewill find all which has been thought necessary to say upon it as been thesubject. Vide, generally, Dunlap's Adm. Practice; Bett's Adm. Practice; 1Kent's Com. 353 to 380; Serg. Const. Law, Index, h.t.; 2 Gall. R. 398. to476; 2 Chit. P. 508; Bac. Ab. Courts of Admiralty; 6 Vin. Ab. 505; Dane'sAb. Index b. t; 12 Bro. Civ. and Adm. Law; Wheat. Dig. 1; 1 Story L. U. S.56, 60; 2 Id. 905, 3 Id. 1564, 1696; 4 Sharsw. cont. of Story's L. U. S.2262; Clerke's Praxis; Collectanea Maritima; 1 U. S. Dig. tit. AdmiraltyCourts, XIII.

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