There are chapters dealing with "cruizers" which give the municipal usages concerning the distribution of prize between the owners, officers and crew of vessels.[9] "Thus among the Italians a third part of a captured ship goes to the captain of the victorious ship, a third part to the merchants to whom the cargo belonged, and a third part to the sailors".[10] It thus appears that the Consolato distinctly recognized the reign of law in prize matters. It respected neutral rights, it required adjudication on prizes, it gave rules for the division of prize money, respecting the claims of merchants, captain and crew to share in the distribution. The rules of the Consolato appeal to one decidedly as rules intended to govern commercial enterprises. The policy of the merchants was of defensive rather than offensive war so no stringent belligerent rights were affirmed. Primarily intended for commerce, it is not surprising that such a large amount of respect was paid to neutral rights and such a large share of the prizes given to merchants. The minute rules, seemingly forecasting every possible contingency also speak of a strong desire to establish order, and firm law, both conditions essential to commerce. The Consolato was probably effective for its purpose. We know that the merchant guilds and the maritime towns flourished, piracy decreased, commerce prospered. The merchant sailors would not be likely to be lured into making prizes for private gain when their very object was the destruction of piracy. Also habits of commerce and obedience to law would induce them to exhibit moderation in war matters. The maritime laws and the supremacy of the commercial towns was a great step toward legalizing maritime warfare and especially toward ameliorating the condition of private property on the sea. One of the peculiarities of the Consolato from a modern standpoint is that it does not recognize the exclusive right of states to make war. This is explained by the fact that territorial states had not become sufficiently centralized to organize a definite maritime jurisdiction. However, in the early part of the sixteenth century the movement toward the individualizing of territorial states was rapidly nearing completion and it is interesting to note that when the movement was sufficiently advanced nearly all the states adopted one of the old maritime codes into their laws, of course adding to it the principle of state authorization for all reprisals or wars and state jurisdiction over prize cases.[11] _NOTES._ Chapter II, Part 1. [1] Walker, History of the Law of Nations, p. 64.