BYNKERSHOEK, CORNELIUS VAN Dutch jurist, was born at Middelburg, Zeeland. He studied law at Franeker, Friesland, and was called to the bar at The Hague. In 1703 he was appointed a member of the supreme court of Holland and Zeeland, of which in 1724 he became president. In that posi tion he enjoyed very great prestige, but his judicial career did not prevent him from publishing a large and varied number of works of legal scholarship. His writings on Roman and Dutch municipal law are important, but his fame rests chiefly on what he did for the development of international law on positive lines. To a greater extent than any of his predecessors in this field he took actual usage, as appearing from ordinances issued by the States General or other Governments and from treaties concluded between Christian States as the basis of his studies. On questions like the sovereignty of the seas, the legal position of ambassadors, private property in war time, prizes, neutrality, contraband, block ade, his opinions have always been regarded as carrying great weight and have exercised considerable influence.