High seas

The ocean ; public waters. According to the English doctrine, the high sea begins at the distance of three miles from the coast of any country; according to the American view, at low-water mark, except in the case of small harbors and roadsteads inclosed within the fauces terræ.

Ross v. McIntyre, 140 U. S. 453 , 11 Sup. Ct. 807, 35 In Ed. 581; U. S. v. Grush, 26 Fed. Cas. 50; U. S. v. Rodgers, 150 U. S. 249 , 14 Sup. Ct. 109, 37 L. Ed. 1071; Ex parte Byers (D. Ct) 32 Fed. 405.

The open ocean outside of the fauces terræ, as distinguished from arms of the sea; the waters of the ocean without the boundary of any county. Any waters on the sea-coast which are without the boundaries of tow-water mark.