Ward Hunt

“ The Merritt is not a vessel of the United States. The information alleged-it was not denied-and that is all that the case contains upon the subject,-that the Merritt was the property of citizens of the United States, and that she was a foreign-built vessel. That she was owned by citizens of the United States did not make her a vessel of the United States. By the statute of 1792 only ships which have been registered in the manner therein prescribed shall be denominated or deemed vessels of the United States, entitled to the benefits or privileges appertaining to such ships. ”

“ The case does not show that the Merritt has any of the evidence of being a British ship. She produces no register, or certificate, or document of any kind to entitle her to make that claim. The fact that she is foreign-built does not prove it. ”