King's Bench Division, as well as other persons commissioned by the King.

164. The Court of Criminal Appeal.-This court was created in 1907, superseding the former court of Crown Cases Reserved and of criminal proceedings in King's Bench on writs of error from courts of assize or the Central Criminal Court. Its jurisdiction extends to appeals by the defendant on indictments, information, and in vagrant cases, but only on questions of law, mixed questions of law and fact, and other grounds which appear to the court to be sufficient, including the matter of the sentence passed on conviction, unless it is one fixed by law. Its jurisdiction does not extend to convictions of peers or peeresses, and it cannot order a new trial unless upon cases reserved for the opinion of the court. The Lord Chief Justice and other judges of the King's Bench Division are judges of this court. Not less than three may sit in two or more divisions.

165. The Court of the Admiral. This court originally had jurisdiction of crimes committed upon the seas and navigable rivers, including homicide on ships, treasons, piracies, felonies, and robberies. Since 1844, however, this court has had no session, concurrent jurisdiction having been given in 1835 tɔ the Central Criminal Court, and in 1844 to the courts of oyer and terminer and gaol delivery.

166. English admiralty courts-Local courts.— Up to 1835 many of the seaport boroughs of England had in their charters a grant of a court of admiralty, but an act of that year deprived them of all admiralty jurisdiction. There are still existing, however, cer

tain rights in the mayors of some of the ports, but no borough courts have been held since the date mentioned. The sea-coast of England and Wales is also divided into nineteen vice-admiralty districts, and their jurisdiction has never been abolished, but there being now no outstanding appointments from the Crown this jurisdiction cannot be exercised. There are also Courts of Survey for ports or districts, the judge being either a wreck-commissioner, a police magistrate, judge of a county court, or other person approved by the Home Secretary, and the Board of Trade may also appoint wreck-commissioners. There are also two assessors of each such court. Courts of Survey may hear appeals by ship owners as to vessels detained as unsafe or not seaworthy, from a declaration of survey, of a passenger steamer, or appeals by the owners of emigrant ships seeking certificates of clearance. This court also has power to hear investigations of shipping casualties.

167. Local and naval courts.-These courts have power to investigate seamen's complaints and other local matters relating to shipping at or near the place where they are located. They have quite extensive power in respect to seamen, including ship officers, wages, fines, forfeitures, and costs. These courts are located throughout the British Empire.

168. The Admiralty Division of the Supreme Court of Judicature. This court has already been mentioned as one of the courts created under the Judicature Act of 1873. It has jurisdiction of the chief subjects of admiralty, including possessory suits, common ownership, mortgages, bottomry, necessaries

and supplies, towage, wages, collisions, damages to cargo, limitation of liability, salvage, forfeiture and slave trade. Appeals lie from the Admiralty Division to the Court of Appeal and thence to the House of Lords. The jurisdiction, like the admiralty jurisdiction of this country, extends to all ships of which it may take possession, whether foreign or domestic, and includes subjects which our courts cannot reach. 169. The Court of Admiralty of the Cinque Ports. This is a court of the five ports of England which lie toward the coast of France. These ports are Hastings, Dover, Sandwich (including Winchelsea and Rye), Hythe, and Romney. On account of their importance these towns were given admiralty jurisdiction from an early date. The Court of the Five Ports was abolished by the 18 and 19 Vict., but was restored by the County Courts Admiralty Jurisdiction Act of 1869. The jurisdiction of this court is co-extensive with that of the Admiralty Division as to all cases arising within the boundaries of the five ports, and possesses also certain statutory jurisdiction as to salvage, and it has appellate jurisdiction on appeals from the County Court in Admiralty concurrent with that of the Admiralty Division. The court sits at St. James Church, Dover. An appeal lies from this court to the King in Council, and such appeals are referred to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. Salvage commissioners are also appointed, having jurisdiction over disputes as to salvage within the boundaries of the five ports.

170. The Liverpool Court of Passage. This court has an admiralty jurisdiction similar to that of the

local county courts, and an appeal lies to a divisional court of the Admiralty Division.

171. Colonial courts of admiralty.-These courts have taken the place of the vice-admiralty courts abroad. All courts of law in any British possession having unlimited civil jurisdiction are Colonial Courts of Admiralty, as well as all inferior courts upon which admiralty jurisdiction has been conferred. Their powers are similar to those exercised by the Admiralty Division. Appeals may be taken from these courts to the same courts to which appeals go in the particular local possession, and there is also an ultimate appeal to the King in Council and thence to the Judicial Committee. Vice-admiralty courts can also be established by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty in any British possession.

172. County courts having admiralty jurisdiction.-A limited admiralty jurisdiction is possessed by certain of the county courts of England, including the Court of the City of London, embracing salvage of life, of property not exceeding £1,000, or where the amount claimed does not exceed £300, and in all cases of salvage where the parties agree to the jurisdiction. Limited jurisdiction is also given in case of towage, necessaries and supplies, damages to cargo by collision or otherwise, and wages.

173. The English county courts. These courts were created by the County Courts Act of 1846, as amended by the acts of 1888 and 1903, and they have also the jurisdiction possessed by the old county courts prior to those dates. County court districts are established by executive orders of the Council.

The City of London Court is also a county court. The judges are appointed by the Lord Chancellor except as to county courts in the Duchy of Lancaster, where the appointment is made by the Chancellor of the Duchy. There are sixty of these county courts in England, with one judge for each district, though the same person may be a judge of several districts, and two judges may be designated by the Lord Chancellor for any district.

These courts have cognizance of all personal actions, contract or tort, not exceeding £100, and replevin. They may also grant specific performance of contracts not exceeding the aforesaid limit, and may issue writs of mandamus and injunction in all cases within their general jurisdiction. They may also appoint a receiver, punish for contempt, and entertain counterclaims and interpleaders. By consent of the parties they may entertain jurisdiction of any action assigned to them by the King's Bench Division. Actions of ejectment, where the value of the land or rent does not exceed £100, may also be brought in these courts. They have also jurisdiction to try the action of forcible entry and detainer between landlord and tenant. Actions within its jurisdiction commenced in the High Court may be remitted to the county court, and others where the parties consent.

174. Equity jurisdiction of the county court.— In cases not exceeding £500 in value the county court has jurisdiction of suits by creditors, legatees, devisees, heirs at law or next of kin for an accounting of property belonging to the estate of the deceased. It may also execute trusts within the same limit of