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A ship being seized, action was brought before the Judge-Admiral, on the ground that the seizure maker was no officer of the customs, and concluding for the value of the ship, and very high damages and expenses. The crew going abroad, the Judge-Admiral, on a petition, allowed their depositions to be taken to lie in retentis. A bill of advocation was presented, on the ground that the seizure was triable only before the Exchequer, and the Admiral had no jurisdiction. The Lords refused the bill, and found that the Admiral had committed no iniquity on such previous step.
The like was found, on the same day, Kyd against Liddell, where the question was singly on the competency of the Admiral. See Appendix.