FOREIGNTORTS 73

CHAPTERIV
CHAPTERIV
FOREIGNTORTS
LAWOFTORTS

FOREIGNTORTS
TORTS committedabroad1 havealwaysbeentriableinEnglishCourts,provided
theyexpresslyfulfilledthefollowingconditions:
(1)Thewrongmustbeofakindwhichwouldhavebeenactionableasatorthadit
beendoneinEngland.
(2)Thewrongmusthavealsobeenactionablebythelawofthecountrywhereit
wascommitted.2Butaparticularissuebetweenthepartiesmaybegovernedbythe
law of the country which, in respect to that issue, has the most significant
relationshipwiththeoccurrenceandtheparties.3
The court has no jurisdiction to entertain an action to recover damages for a
trespasstolandsituatedabroad.4
NoactionwilllieinEnglandforanactcommittedinaforeigncountryifiteither
was lawful by the law of that country at the time of its commission, 5 or was
excusable,orwassubsequentlylegitimatizedbyvirtueofexpostfactolegislationin
suchcountry.6 Ifaforeignlaw, e.g.,alawprescribingperiodoflimitation,merely
affectstheremedyorprocedureforenforcingtheobligation,itwouldnotbeabarto
anactioninEngland;butiftheforeignlawextinguishestherightitwouldbeabar.7
TheactcomplainedofshouldbeactionablebothbythelawofEnglandandbythe
lawofthecountrywhereitwascommitted. 8Butitisnodefencetoanactionfora
tortcommittedinaforeigncountrythatbythelawofthatcountrynoactionliestill
thedefendanthasbeendealtwithcriminally,forthatisamerematterofprocedure.9
Quantificationofdamagesforactionableheadsofclaimisamatterofprocedureor
remedyandisgovernedbythelawoftheforumwheretheactionisbrought.10

1
. Atortmaybeheldtobecommittedabroadifthewrongfulactiscommittedabroadeventhough
thedamageflowingfromitissufferedinEngland.Theentireeventsconstitutingthetortmustbeseen
andthesitusofthetortmustbefixedbyaskingthequestionwhereinsubstancethecauseofaction
arose. DistillersCo.(BioChemicals)Ltd.v.Thompson,(1971)1AllER694:(1971)2WLR441
(PC);Diamondv.BankofLondon&MontrealLtd.,(1979)1AllER561:(1979)2WLR228:1979
QB333;Castreev.E.&R.Squibb&SonsLtd.,(1980)2AllER589:(1980)1WLR1248.
2
. Chaplinv.Boys,(1971)AC356(HL);(1969)2AllER1085:(1969)3WLR322(HL);
MetallandRohstoffAGv.DonaldsonLufkin&JenretteInc.,(1990)1QB391(CA),p.446.
3
. DICEYANDMARRIS,ConflictofLaws,11thedition,p.1365,approvedinJohnsonv.Coventry
ChurchillInternationalLtd.,(1992)3AllER14,p.17;RedSeaInsuranceCo.Ltd.v.BouyguesSA,
(1994)3AllER749:(1995)1AC190:(1994)3WLR926(PC).
4
. BritishSouthAfricaCo.v.CompanhiadeMocambique,(1893)AC602; HesperidesHotels
Ltd.,(1979)AC508;(1978)1AllER277:(1977)3WLR656.
5
. Bladv.Bamfield,(1674)3Swans604.
6
. Phillipsv.Eyre,(1870)LR6QB1;TheM.Moxham,(1876)1PD107.
7
. Phillipsv.Eyre,(1870)LR6QB1(29).Seealso,BlackClawsonInternationalLtd.v.Papier
WerkeWaldhofAschaffenbergA.G.,(1975)AC591(HL);(1975)1AllER810(HL).
8
. Metall,(1990)1QB391,p.446:(1989)3WLR563:(1989)3AllER14(CA).
9
. Scottv.Seymour,(Lord),(1862)1H&C219.
10
. Hardingv.Wealands,(2006)4ALLER1(H.L.).
74 LAWOFTORTS CHAPTERIV

ActionforassaultagainstexGovernor.Anactionwasbroughtforassaultand
falseimprisonmentagainsttheexGovernorofJamaica,thetrespasscomplainedof
havingbeencommittedduringarebellioninthatisland.Thedefendantreliedonan
Act of Indemnity which the Jamaican Legislature had passed. It was held that
legislation,thoughexpostfacto,curedthewrongfulnessofhisactsandpreventedthe
plaintiffsfromrecovering.11
An action was brought against the Governor of Minorca, named Mostyn, who
apparentlywasofopinionthathewasentitledtoplaythepartofanabsoluteand
irresponsibledespotonhissmallState.Oneofhissubjects,however,oneFabrigas
didnotcoincidewithhiminthisview,andherenderedhimselfsoobnoxiousthatthe
Governor,afterkeepinghimimprisonedforaweek,banishedhimtoSpain.Forthis
arbitrarytreatmentFabrigasbroughtanactionatWestminster.Mostynobjectedthat,
astheallegedtrespassandfalseimprisonmenthadtakenplaceinMinorca,theaction
couldnotbebroughtinEngland.Butitwasheldthat,asthecauseofactionwasof
atransitoryandnotofalocalnature,itcouldbetried,and3,000wereawardedas
damagestoFabrigas.12
TheplaintiffwasinjuredinamotoraccidentinMaltacausedbythenegligenceof
thedefendant.BoththeplaintiffandthedefendantwereBritishnationals,whowere
domiciledandnormallyresidentinEngland.ThedamagesrecoverablebyMaltese
lawwouldnothaveincludedcompensationforpain,sufferingandlossofamenities
oflifeasunderEnglishlaw,butonlyforhisexpensesandmoneyloss.Itwasheld
thatthedamagesshouldbeassessedinaccordancewiththeEnglishlaw.13
TortCommittedinSaudiArabiaandSuitinHongKong.Thetortwasactionable
inboththecountriesbuttheinsurerscouldnotsue,accordingtoHongKonglaw i.e.,
lexfori,thetortfeasorbeforetheyhadpaidtheinjured i.e., theinsuredbutthey
coulddoso,accordingtolexlocidelictii.e.,thelawofSaudiArabiaandtheywere
allowedtoexcludethelexforiinfavourofthelexlocidelicti.14
CollisionLiabilityunderBelgianbutnotunderEnglishlaw.Bythenegligenceof
apilot,compulsorilytakenonboard,theHalley,aBritishsteamerinBelgianwaters,
randownaNorwegianvessel.BytheBelgianlawtheBritisherwasliable,butbythe
Englishlawthefactthatthepilotwasonboard,andthatthecollisionwasduetohis
negligence,exemptedher.Itwasheldthat,underthosecircumstancesnoactionlay
againstherinEngland.15
SeizureofgoodsunderMuscatlaw.BritishgoodsonboardaBritishshipwithin
theterritorialwatersofMuscatwereseizedbyanofficeroftheBritishNavy,under
theauthorityofaproclamationissuedbytheSultanofMuscat.Itwasheldthatthe
seizurehavingbeenshowntobelawfulbythelawofMuscatnoactioncouldbe
maintainedinEnglandbytheownerofthegoodsagainstthenavalofficer. 16

11
. Phillipsv.Eyre,(1870)LR6QB1.
12
. Mostynv.Fabrigas,(1774)1Cowp161:(1968)2QB1.
13
. Boysv.Chaplin,(1968)1AllER283.Thisdecisionwasupheldinappeal;(1969)2AllER1085
(HL).;seealso,Coxv.VersicherungAG(formerlyknownasVictoria)[2014]UKSC22.
14
. RedSeaInsuranceCo.Ltd.v.BouyguesSA,(1994)3AllER749:(1995)1AC190:(1994)3
WLR926(PC).
15
. TheHalley(1868)LR2PC193.
16
. Carrv.FracisTimes&Co.,(1902)AC176:50WR257.