NARROW SEAS, English law. Those seas which adjoin the coast of England. Bac. Ab. Prerogative¹, B 3.

NATALE. The state of condition of a man acquired by birth.

NATIONAL or PUBLIC DOMAIN². All the property which belongs to the state is comprehended under the name of national or public domain.

2. Care must be taken not to confound the public or national domain, with the national finances, or the public revenue, as taxes, imposts, contributions, duties, and the like, which are not considered as property, and are essentially³ attached to the sovereignty. Vide Domain; Eminent⁴ Domain.

NATIONALITY. The state of a person in relation to the nation in which he was born.

2. A man retains his nationality of origin during bis minority, but, as in the case of his domicil of origin, he may change his nationality upon attaining⁵ full age; he cannot, however, renounce⁶ his allegiance without permission of the government. See Citizen; Domicil; Expatriation; Naturalization; Foelix, Du Dr. Intern⁷. prive, n. 26; 8 Cranch, 263; 8 Cranch, 253; Chit. Law of Nat. 31 2 Gall⁸. 485; 1 Gall. 545.

NATIONS. Nations or states are independent bodies politic⁹; societies of men united together for the purpose of promoting their mutual¹⁰ safety and advantage by the joint¹¹ efforts of their combined strength.

2. But every combination of men who govern themselves, independently of all others, will not be considered a nation; a body of pirates, for example, who govern themselves, are not a nation. To constitute a nation another ingredient is required. The body thus formed must respect other nations in general, and each of their members in particular. Such a society has her affairs and her interests; she deliberates and takes resolutions in common; thus becoming a moral person who possesses an understanding and will peculiar¹² to herself, and is susceptible¹³ of obligations and rights. Vattel, Prelim. §1, 2; 5 Pet. S. C. R. 52.

3. It belongs to the government to declare whether they will consider a colony which has thrown off the yoke¹⁴ of the mother country as an independent state; and until the government have decided¹⁵ on the question, courts of justice are bound to consider the ancient state of things as remaining unchanged. 1 Johns. Ch. R. 543; 13 John. 141, 561; see 5 Pet. S. C. R. 1; 1 Kent, Com 21; and Body Politic; State.