Flotsam, JETSAM, and LIGAN

Flotsam, JETSAM, and LIGAN, terms of English law used to denote goods cast away from a ship that is wrecked or sunk. Flotsam is the term where the goods continue to float or swim upon the surface of the water; jetsam, where they are cast into the sea and sink; ligan, where they are sunk in the sea, but fastened to a cork, bladder, or buoy in order to be found again. Unless the owner appear to claim them within a year and day, goods in each of these states belong to the crown. Jetsam, flotsam, and ligan did not fall within the meaning of the term 'wreck' in its original meaning at common law. In that sense wreck was the part of the cargo of a lost ship that came to land and belonged to the crown. A grant of 'wreck' from the crown accordingly did not carry flotsam, jetsam, and ligan. At the present day, however, 'wreck' has come to include these classes of goods in the provisions of the Merchant Shipping Acts and other statutes. Statutory officers, called Receivers of Wreck, preserve wreck until it is claimed by the owner, or, if not claimed, sell it and pay the proceeds to the Exchequer. All such matters are under the general supervision of the Board of Trade. Jetsam must not be confounded with jettison, which means the throwing overboard of goods in order to save the ship, as where she must be lightened in a storm, or to gain speed to escape from capture, or for other good cause. In such a case the loss for the general good is apportioned by general average. See AVERAGE.