Page:Handbook of maritime rights.djvu/83

Rh I mean should be considered, the universal law on the subject."

These words may be taken as the authoritative exposition of the principles which ought to, and do, regulate the decisions of prize courts in England. The Duke of Newcastle goes on to cite a great number of treaties, between most of the European nations, recognizing the principle of the locality of prize courts in the belligerent's country; between England, France, Spain, Holland, and Denmark; and with respect to witnesses, appeals, reviews, &c.

The third point raises the whole of the questions which we have been considering in the previous chapters, as to what the law of nations is on the subject of the liability of enemies' goods to be captured in neutral vessels. From the year 1746 the Prussians had been engaged in the gainful practice of covering enemies' goods, and they now asserted their right to do so by the law of nations.