in ancient times—and long before this government existed—civilized and commercial nations had codes or laws which related especially to transactions upon the sea. those respecting ships of war and warlike operations at sea were called the laws of admiralty; those respecting vessels engaged in commercial affairs were called maritime laws; and the courts empowered with jurisdiction to hear and try causes, or to take any judicial proceedings in those cases, were styled courts of admiralty and maritime jurisdiction. these laws, in many respects, differed so materially from the laws relating to affairs on land, that the authority and power to take proceedings in and adjudicate upon them was conferred upon a particular class of courts. hence we see the origin of the names of such tribunals.

in this country the united states district courts have been[437] designated by the laws as the courts which shall have original and exclusive authority to adjudicate this class of causes; yet an appeal from the district to the circuit courts may be taken.

kind of cases.

the word maritime designates that which relates to the sea. yet, in the united states, cases which come within admiralty and maritime jurisdiction are not restricted to the sea, or to transactions relating to business or crimes done on it, but are made to embrace those which occur on navigable lakes and rivers, and include seizures made for the violation of the laws of impost, navigation, or trade, suits for the recovery of seamen’s wages, contracts for building, repairing or fitting out vessels, and, briefly, all contracts where the subject-matter relates to the navigation of the sea. the district courts have admiralty and maritime jurisdiction in all these cases, without regard to the amount claimed, and in criminal as well as in civil suits.

the foregoing remarks show the workings of our judicial system, as it applies to business done, and crimes committed upon the high seas.