Land empire vs. Maritime empire?
A land empire is one that is composed of a contiguous land mass without oceans or seas separating different parts. A maritime empire is one that is smaller portions of land separated by large bodies of water. The empire of Alexander the Great was a land empire. It was just one big area that he controlled. The British Empire was a maritime empire, with British posessions scattered all over the world, supported and defended by the Navy.
Examples of Common Laws (Laws based on Precedents)?
Common laws are laws made by a judge on a case and are very fact based to specific circumstances. Courts are supposed to follow the earlier case rulings unless they are overturned by a higher court. They are referred to as case precedents or stare decisis. They come from years of cases going through the court systems all the way back to the British cases of England. New ones are made everyday in courts because new sets of facts are constantly presenting themselves. Especially now, with technology, internet laws, same-sexed marriage, medical issues, etc. The first common law that comes to mind is the English landmark contract case known as Hadley v. Baxendale which said that consequential damages arising from a breach of contract, cannot be recovered if those damages were not foreseeable. It was a case about a mill who contracted with a courier to deliver a crank to a machinist to repair. The courier was late and the mill got their crank back late resulting in extra days that the mill had to be closed. The mill lost more money because of it and tried to get extra damages for that. The courier had no way of knowing the mill didn't have a replacement crank and would have to close, so the damages were not forseeable to the courier, and the mill couldn't recover those extra damages. Even though that case took place in England hundreds of years ago, the rule of law from that case is still used today in similar contract disputes here in America.
Maritime Law: What is the legal authority of the captain of a ship?
It depends on what type of ship (military or civilian) and what country's flag is being flown, and a lot has changed since the invention of radio, but the Captain is the ultimate authority on the ship and essentially nothing can happen on a ship without their approval. For example, on either a civilian or military ship, the Captain can:- Order someone restrained or locked up- Has the authority to remove the authority of any member of the staff on a civilian ship. On a military ship, the Captain has the authority to issue orders and refusal to follow them is insubordination.- Refuse to carry cargo and often has the authority to put off passengers.- The captain decides where the ship goes and can override orders or bills of lading. For example, if a merchant ship captain feels it's unsafe to go into a port, they can make for another port. A good example can be found in the film "The Perfect Storm". When two of his men get into a fight, the captain threatens to turn the ship to Newfoundland to hand the men over to the police if they don't behave. That action would obviously end their fishing trip (he would have to return to his home port) and might infuriate the owner, but it's clearly within the authority of a ship's captain. In practice, a lot of this authority is delegated. For example, on a cruise ship, the purser is responsible for the accommodations, even though he reports directly to the captain. On a military ship, the executive officer is the person who usually gives the orders handed down by the captain.
When did the US Navy, Marine Corp begin racial segregation?
I read in a diary from a Roysl Navy officer who was astounded that teh US Navy allowed for blacks to not only servein the US Navy/Marine Corp but that they had black junior officers. His observations were made during the period of the Barbary Pirates action.