Navigation Laws

By common consent, the open sea, which term includes all the great seas and oceans beyond three miles from land, is free to the ships of all nations. The rules regulating this freedom belong to International Law. Within the three-mile limit each nation has jurisdiction as over its own territory, pa ing laws to govern the use of such waters, both by its own subjects and foreigners. From 1651 to 1849 the laws of England restricted the trade between that country and her colonies to ve els built, owned, and manned by England or the colonies, and limited foreign importations to England to ships of the country producing the article.