ABSTRACT
The subject of the law of the sea has been a central concern of international lawyers since at least the time when European adventurers set out to discover and conquer the New World if not before. In an age devoid of aviation2 and naval power, the domination of the high seas represented the best guarantee of both regular trade and secure defence. For those states, such as Great Britain, dependent on the import of food and raw materials control of maritime routes could not be a matter of indifference. By the end of the 20th century a considerable part of international law pertaining to the law of the sea was contained in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982). However, to understand the nature of this multilateral law making treaty it is necessary to say something of the history.
