During the colonial period admiralty jurisdiction in this country was exercised by vice-admiralty courts created by commissions from the British High Court of Admiralty, authority being given to the colonial authorities by their charters to establish these tribunals. After the Declaration of Independence, however, each of the States, in the exercise of their several sovereignties, established admiralty courts with varying powers. In 1777 Congress appointed a standing committee to entertain appeals from the state courts in cases of maritime prizes. Under the Articles of Confederation there was established by Congress a "Court of Appeals in cases of Capture," to which appeals might be taken from the state admiralty courts.

9 3 Wh. 336; 4 L. ed. 404.

10 For a later affirmance of this doctrine, see Manchester v. Massachusetts, 139 U. S. 240; 11 Sup. Ct. Rep. 559; 35 L. ed. 159.

Under the present Constitution admiralty jurisdiction is wholly withdrawn from the States and vested exclusively in the federal courts.

By the Judiciary Act of 1789 this jurisdiction was vested in the district courts, where it has since remained.

Section 711 of the Revised Statutes provided that the district courts shall have jurisdiction: "Of all civil causes of admiralty and maritime jurisdiction; saving to suitors, in all cases, the right of a common-law remedy, where the common law is competent to give it."

In all prize cases an appeal lies direct from the district to the Supreme Court. In other cases an appeal lies to the Circuit Courts of Appeals.