Ad"mi*ral*ty (&?;), n.; pl.
Admiralties (&?;). [F. amirauté, for an
older amiralté, office of admiral, fr. LL.
admiralitas. See Admiral.] 1. The office
or jurisdiction of an admiral. Prescott.
2. The department or officers having authority over
naval affairs generally.
3. The court which has jurisdiction of maritime
questions and offenses.
&fist; In England, admiralty jurisdiction was formerly vested in the
High Court of Admiralty, which was held before the Lord High Admiral, or
his deputy, styled the Judge of the Admiralty; but admiralty jurisdiction
is now vested in the probate, divorce, and admiralty division of the High
Justice. In America, there are no admiralty courts distinct from others,
but admiralty jurisdiction is vested in the district courts of the United
States, subject to revision by the circuit courts and the Supreme Court of
the United States. Admiralty jurisprudence has cognizance of maritime
contracts and torts, collisions at sea, cases of prize in war, etc., and in
America, admiralty jurisdiction is extended to such matters, arising out of
the navigation of any of the public waters, as the Great Lakes and
rivers.
4. The system of jurisprudence of admiralty
courts.
5. The building in which the lords of the
admiralty, in England, transact business.
