S. Its civil jurisdiction extends to cases of salvage, 2 Cranch, 240 ; 1 Pet. 511 ; 12 id. 72 ; bonds of bottomry, respondentia, or hy pothecation of ship and cargo, 1 Curt. C. C. 340 ; 3 Sumn. C. C. 228 ; 1 Wheat. 96 ; 4 Cranch, 328 ; 8 Pet. 538 ; 18 How. 63; sea men's wages, 2 Parsons, Marit. Law, 509 ; seizures under the laws of impost, naviga tion, or trade, 1 U. S. Stat. at Large, 76 ; cases of prize or ransom, 3 Dail. 6 ; charter parties, 1 Sumn. C. C. 551; 2 id. 589; 2 Star. C. C. 81; Ware, Dist. Ct. 149 ; contracts of affreightment between different states or fo reign ports, 2 Curt. C. C. 271 ; 2 Sumn. C. C.
567 ; Ware, Dist. Ct. 188, 263, 322 ; 6 How. 344 ; contracts for conveyance of passengers, 16 How. 469 ; 1 Blatchf. C. C. 560, 569; 1 Abbott, Adm. 48 ; 1 Newb. Adm. 494 ; con tracts with material-men 4 Wheat. 438 ; see 20 How. 393 ; 21 Bost. Law Rep. 601 ; jetti sons, maritime contributions, and averages, 6 McLean, C. C. 573 ; 7 How. 729 ; 19 id. 162 ; 21 Boat. Law Rep. 87, 96 ; pilotage, 1 Mas. C. C. 508; 10 Pet. 108; 12 How. 299 ; see 2 Paine, C. C. 131; 9 Wheat. 1, 207 ; R.
M. Charlt. Ga. 302, 314; 8 Mete. Mass. 332 ; 4 Bost. Law Rep. 20 • surveys of ship and cargo, Story, Const. 1665 ; 5 Mas. C. C. 465 ; 10 Wheat. 411 ; but see 2 Parsons, Marit. Law, 511, n.; and generally to all assaults and batteries, damages, and trespasses, oc curring on the high seas. 2 Parsons, Marit.
Law ; see 2 Sumn. C. C. 1.
9. Its criminal jurisdiction extends to all crimes and offences committed on the high seas or beyond the jutisdietion of any country. See, as to jurisdiction generally, the article COURTS OF THE UNITED STATES, a 11-S9, 61-62.
A civil suit is commenced by filing a libel, upon which a warrant for arrest of the per son, or attachment of his property if he can not be found, even though in the hands of third persons, or a simple monition to appear, may issue ; or, in suits in rem, a warrant for the arrest of the thing in question ; or two or more of these separate processes may be combined. Thereupon bail or stipulations are taken if the party offer them.
In most cases of magnitude, oral evidence is not taken; but it may be taken, and it is the general custom to hear it in cases where smaller amounts are involved. The decrees are made by the court without the interven tion of a jury.
In criminal cases the proceedings are simi lar to those at common law.
Consult the article COURTS OF THE UNITED STATES, a Conkling ; Dunlap, Ad miralty Practice; Sergeant ; Story, Constitu tion; Abbott, Shipping; Parsons, Maritime Lzw; Kent, Commentaries; and the follow ing cases, viz.: 2 Gall. C. C. 398 ; 5 Mas. C.
C 465 ; Day. Dist. Ct. 93 ; 1 Baldw. C. C. 524 ; 4 How. 447 ; 6 id. 378 ' • 12 id. 443 ; 20 id. 296, 393, 583 ; 21 id. 244, 248 ; 23 id. 209, 491.