The Freedom of the Seas, Or, the Right Which Belongs to the Dutch to Take Part in the East Indian Trade

Grotius, Hugo. The Freedom of the Seas or The Right which Belongs to the Dutch to Take Part in the East Indian Trade. Translated with a Revision of the Latin Text of 1633 by Ralph van Deman Magoffin. Edited with an Introductory Note by James Brown Scott. New York: Oxford University Press, 1916. xv, 83pp., paged in duplicate. Reprinted 2001 by The Lawbook Exchange, Ltd. LCCN 2001022509. ISBN 1-58477-182-8. Cloth. $65. * Translation of Grotius' work, Mare Liberum, with Latin and English on facing pages. In this classic of international maritime law he calls for open rights of all countries and dominions to sail the seas without appropriation by any country, which was undoubtedly an attempt to offset the attempts of Spain, Portugal and England to claim sovereignty of the seas. This controversial viewpoint was opposed by John Selden in defense of the British Empire, in Mare Clausum. Grotius [1583-1645] is known principally for this work and his classic treatise on the law of nations, De Jure Belli.James Brown Scott is the author of 'The Freedom of the Seas, Or, the Right Which Belongs to the Dutch to Take Part in the East Indian Trade', published 2001 under ISBN 9781584771821 and ISBN 1584771828.