Booty

The capture of personal property by a public enemy on land, in contradistinction to prize, which is a capture of such property by such an enemy on the sea. After booty has been in complete possession of the enemy for twenty-four hours, it becomes absolutely his, without any right of postliminy in favor of the original owner, particularly when it has passed bona fide into the hands of a neutral; 1 Kent 110. The right to booty belongs to the sovereign; but sometimes the right of the sovereign, or of the public, is transferred to the soldiers, to encourage them; Pothier, Droit de Proprtttt, p.

1, c. 2, a. 1, § 2; 2 BurL Nat. & PoL Law, pt. 4, c. 7, n. 12.