ARRESTING A SHIP.
(D. King-Page in the " Daily Alaih”)
With the arrest of the Thames whisky ship, General Serret, many people learned for the first time that a ship can lie arrested. ’file law of maritime arrest is very complicated, but it appears that having committed a crime a vessel can he followed until she is caught, even if she has passed into different ownership since her lapse from grace. She must, however, be arrested in the portwhere the courts o! the country which has ordered the arrest have jurisdiction, and there arc many vessels afloat to-dav that avoid making voyages to certain countries because there is a warrant out against them there. The crimes that a vessel can commit are varied, hut the most common is damaging another vessel, or piers, or docks, hy collision. In such cases a vessel can he arrested until security for the damage is given or liability for damage has been decided in the courts.
Evading dock and harbour dues is another offence for which a vessel can be arrested. As in the case of the General Serret. arrest can also be made on an allegation that the owner has not paid some. debt.
A ship is arrested by nailing a warrant to a prominent part, generally a mast-..
Some vessels cannot, be arrested, for they belong to nations and not to private owners and hy international law are immune from legal process. This was all very well when nations owned only warships and the like, because it was essential that- a man-of-war about, to sail for battle should not- be held up in port on some frivolous pretext.
To-day. however, many nations own commercial ships, and naturally the private shipowners resent the legal immunitv which their State-owned competitors enjoy. So pressing has (he matter become that the International (Maritime Committee, which . is about to meet- at Genoa, is devoting much oT its time to the discussion of the problem, and it is probable that international law dealing with the immunity of State-owned ships will shortly be amended.
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Hokitika Guardian, 5 November 1925, Page 1
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344ARRESTING A SHIP. Hokitika Guardian, 5 November 1925, Page 1
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