PRIVATEERING. One of the usages of war according to which private individuals are authorized by the Government of one belligerent to fit out at their own expense vessels of war designed to prey upon the commerce of another belligerent. A privateer is 2111 armed vessel fitted out for this purpose, owned and officered by a person or persons acting under a commission usually called a letter of marque (q.v.). Before granting such a commission it is usual to require the lodgment of caution money or the execution of a bond by way of security against illegal conduct. Citizens of the United States are forbidden by statute to accept letters of marque from powers at peace with the United States. and this is a general rule among nations. The com mission is revocable upon proof of abuse, and according to English law the holder is liable in damages. As a further safeguard, a privateer is always subject to visitation and search by public vessels of war with n view to the verifica tion of the genuineness of the commission under which it sails.
The practice of privateering is an old one among nations. In Europe it runs back to the time when public navies had not come into ex istence. During the Middle Ages. European States having few or no ships of war hired merchant vessels for the uses of war. and event ually the practice of issuing commissions to persons who owned ships or could procure them, authorizing them to prey upon the commerce of the enemy. came into general use. By way of compensation the person so commissioned was allowed a share of the booty which he might capture. Such means enabled an inferior mari
time power to call into existence on brief notice and at little or no expense a temporary force sufficient to enable it to cope with a more power ful rival. It was by this means that the Southern Confederacy during, the Civil War drove the merchant marine of the United States from the high seas and seriously crippled its commercial interests. The practice is still sanc tioned by international law, but it is rapidly falling into disfavor, and is not likely to be again extensively resorted to by any civilized nation. In the first place, a privateering force is never available for general naval operations, being restricted to the capture of unarmed mer chant vessels. Secondly, the control over pri vateers is at. most slight. Tho4e- who engage in the privateering service are often bold. adven turous, and sometimes lawless men, who tend to become robbers, since their motive is plunder and their reward booty. The belligerent employer of such persons has but little or no security against their aggressions upon neutral commerce, al though he is held strictly responsible.
As the rights of neutrals increase, the disad vantage of employing this method of naval war fare becomes more potent. States having small navies find it possible upon the outbreak of war to increase their naval strength by purchasing or chartering ships. See DECLARATION OF PARIS.