Maritime Courts. These were formerly the High Court of Admiralty and its Court of appeal, the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. But by the (English) Judicature Act, 1873, s. 16, the jurisdiction of the High Court of Admiralty was transferred to and vested in the High Court of Justice; and all causes and matters pending in that Court, or which would have been within its exclusive cognizance, were assigned to a division of the High Court, called the Probate, Divorce, and Admiralty Division (ibid., s. 34) (see now Jud. Act, 1925, s. 56 (3)). The Admiralty jurisdiction of the High Court was extended by s. 5 of the (English) Administration of Justice Act, 1920 [see now Jud. (English) Act, 1925, s. 22 (1) (a)] to cases relating to the use or hire of a ship or carriage of goods in a ship, provided that the owner or part owner of the ship is domiciled in England or Wales. The appeal from the Admiralty branch of that division lies to the Court of Appeal [ibid., s. 18 (5)] [see now (English) Jud. Act, 1925, s. 26]. Courts of Vice-Admiralty are established in his Majesty's possessions beyond the seas, with jurisdiction over maritime causes, including those relating to prize. See (English) Colonial Courts of Admiralty Act, 1890 (53 & 54 Vict. c. 27), and ss. 5 and 6of the Statute of Westminster (22 & 23 Geo. 5, c. 4), relating, inter alia, to s. 4 of the Act of 1890, as to continuation or rescission of the Jurisdiction of the Admiralty Courts in any Dominion; and consult Williams & Bruce's Admiralty Practice; Chitty's Statutes, tit. 'Admiralty.'
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