the vessel. None but citizens of the United States can have their
vessels registered. Consequently the sale of a vessel to a foreigner
denationalizes her. If sold to an American, she must be registered
anew. On arriving at a foreign port masters of vessels must deposit
their registers with the consul or commercial agent at that port.

Enrollment is the term used to describe the registry of a vessel
engaged in coastwise or inland navigation or commerce. Registration is
applied to vessels engaged in foreign commerce. License means the same
as enrollment, but is applied to small vessels of twenty tons burden
or less. The federal laws on this subject do not apply to vessels that
are used on nonnavigable waters of the country.

The title to a vessel may be acquired by purchase or building. If a
vessel is built for a party no title thereto passes until she is ready
for delivery and has been approved and accepted by him. This, however,
is no arbitrary rule, and is often modified especially when payment is
made in installments and during the construction of the vessel.

Nowadays many vessels are owned by corporations, and the rules that
apply to corporations of course determine the ownership of their
property. In other cases the several owners of a vessel are tenants in
common, and not co-partners, unless by agreement they have established
other relations among themselves. They may, of course, become partners
and be governed by the rules that apply to persons thus related. When
they are related as tenants in common one part owner has no power to
bind the others in any way beyond the necessary and regular use of the
vessel. He cannot sell or mortgage the interests of the others, draw
drafts or notes in their name, apply the freight money earned to pay
his individual debt, or procure insurance for the other owners.

The majority rule governs in employing the vessel. The majority
therefore have the right to control the use of the vessel on giving
security to the minority, if required, to bring back and to restore to
them the vessel, or if lost to pay them for the value of their shares.
The minority owners in like manner may use the vessel if the majority
are unwilling to employ her. A court of admiralty will in such a case
act for the parties.

Each part owner is entitled to his share of the profits, and is also
liable for the expenses of the vessel unless he has dissented from the
voyage. But part owners who dissent from th