Capture at sea; Contraband of war; Privateering; Prize law; Prizes (Property captured at sea)
These rules are subject to exceptions however as for instance in the
case of captures made in the night or after a joint chase. In such
cases ships of the navy definitely associated share though not in
sight. Thus:
"A fleet so associated is considered as one body unless detached by
orders or entirely separated by accident and what is done by one
continuing to compose in fact a part of the fleet, enures to the
benefit of all."[12]
A vessel shares in the captures of its tenders.
"I apprehend that the tender becomes as has been contended in law a
part of the ship to which she has been attached and that any capture
made by her enures to the benefit of the ship to which the tender is
an adjunct."[13] Tenders are usually non-commissioned vessels but as
they are considered agents of a commissioned vessel their captures
are good. The same is true of captures made by ships boats but no
constructive captures are allowed by boats of other vessels in sight.
Transport vessels do not participate as joint captors. A case
involving transports arose in 1799. The court said:
"It has not been shown that these ships set out in an originally
military character, or that any military character has been
subsequently impressed upon them by the nature and course of their
employment and therefore, however meritorious their services may
have been and however entitled they may be to the gratitude of
their country it will not entitle them to share in this valuable
capture."[14]
The division of captures made by joint naval and military expedition
are under the jurisdiction of prize courts. So far as possible the
same principles of division are employed in dividing proceeds among
soldiers of the army as in dividing prize money in the navy. In
regard to the conditions that permit a joint land expedition to share
the court said in 1799:
"Much more is necessary than a mere being to sight to entitle an army
to share jointly with the navy in the capture of an enemy's fleet". A
common interest is presumed with naval vessels in sight, not so with
the army. "The services must be such as were directly or materially
influencing the capture so that the capture could not have been made
without such assistance or at least not certainly and without great
hazard."[15] The prize act of 1864 now governs the division in joint
military and naval captures.[16]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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