^ets^iiS^* ^^^^^"^^^  ^  ^^^  general    rule    as    to    agents,  the  master    himself,

biiitj.      ^^   ^gjj    g^   ^jjg    owners,    is    personally    bound    by   such  contracts

Saieofuhip  made  bv  him.      Under   the    pressure  of    absolute  necessity,  when

or  cargo.  "  *■  •' '

money  must  be  had  for  the  prosecution  of  the  voyage  or  for
the  safety  of  the  ship  and  can  not  be  raised  in  any  other
way,  the  master  may  even  have  authority  to  sell  the  cai^
or  a  part  of  it;  and  if  the  voyage  is  broken  up  by  any
disaster  he  may,  in  case  of  necessity,  sell  not  only  the  cargo
but  the  ship  as  well,  when  that  is  the  only  way  to  save  any-
thing for  the  owners  from  what  would  otherwise  be  a  total
loss,  for  instance  if  the  ship  is  disabled  and  can  not  be  repaired
or  the  caigo  is  spoiling,  and  there  is  not  time  to  conmiunicate
with  the  owners.  In  those  cases  of  emergency  the  master  must
act  with  care,  prudence  and  good  faith  for  the  benefit  of  all
persons  interested  in  the  property,  including  the  underwriters  if
it  is  insured.
wronffBby  The    owucrs    are    responsible   for    wrongs    committed   by  the

masters  aud  ^  o  j

luariuera.  mastcr  and  by  the  mariners,  who  are  their  servants,  in  the
course  of  their  employment,  on  the  same  principles  as  other
masters.  But  by  statute  this  extensive  habiUty  has  been  con-
siderably limited,  as  will  he  explained  in  another  place.'  The
personal  responsibility  of  the  owners,  which  exists  both  at  common
law  and  by  the  maritime  law,  is  separate  from  the  responsibility
of  the  ship  herself  when  she  has  been  the  instrument  of  com-
mitting a  wrong,  which  latter  is  only  under  the  rules  of  the
maritime  law.
