Luke v Lyde (1759), 2 Burr 882, 97 ER 614 (KB)[1][2] is an early judgment on the Law of the Sea.
[3] A ship carrying fish from New Foundland to Lisbon, Portugal was captured by the French after 17 days of their voyage.
The issue before the court was:[4] Mansfield held that in the present case there was nothing to prevent freight from being due.
Regarding how much freight was due Mansfield relied on what he termed "the ‘principles’ he instinctively ‘found’ in the common law" and ruled ""The master had come seventeen days of his voyage and was within four days of the destined port when the accident happened.
From this Mansfield argues that there exists a set of internationally recognized practices in regard to law of the Sea.