WARD1, a district. Most cities are pided for various purposes into districts, each of which is called a ward.
WARD, police. To watch in the day time, for the purpose of preventing violations2 of the law.
2. It is the duty of all police officers and constables3 to keep ward in their respective districts.
WARD IN CHANCERY. An infant who is under the superintendence of the chancellor4.
WARDEN5. A guardian6; a keeper. This is the name given to various officers: as, the warden of the prison; the wardens7 of the port of Philadelphia; church wardens.
WARDSHIP8, Eng. law. Wardship was the right of the lord over the person and estate of the tenant9, when the latter was under a certain age. When a tenant by knight's service died, and his heir was under age, the lord was entitled to the custody10 of the person and the lands of the heir, without any account, until the ward, if a male, should arrive at the age of twenty|one years, and, if a female, at eighteen. Wardship was also incident to a tenure11 in socage, but in this case, not the lord, but the nearest relation to whom the inheritance could not descend12, was entitled to the custody of the person and estate of the heir till he attained13 the age of fourteen years; at which period the wardship ceased and the guardian was bound, to account. Wardship in copyhold estates partook of that in chivalry14 and that guardian like the latter, he was required lib. 7, c. 9; Grand Cout. c. 33; Reg. Maj. c. 42.
WAREHOUSE15. A place adapted to the reception and storage of goods and merchandise. 9 Shepl. 47.
2. The act of congress of February 25, 1799, 1 Story's Laws U. S. 565, authorizes16 the purchase of suitable warehouses17, where goods may be unladen and deposited from any vessel18 which shall be subject to quarantine or other re|straint, pursuant to the health laws of any state, at such convenient place or places as the safety of the revenue and the observance of such health laws may require.
3. And the act of 2d March, 1799, s. 62, 1 Story's Laws U. S. 627, authorizes an importer of goods, instead of, securing the duties to be paid to the United States, to deposit so much of such goods as the collector may in his judgment19 deem sufficient security for the duties and the charges of safe keeping, for which the importer shall give his own bond; which goods shall be kept by the collector with due care, at the expense and risk of the party on whose account they have been deposited, until the sum specified20, in such bond becomes due; when, if such sum shall not be paid, so much of such deposited goods shall be sold at public sale, and the proceeds, charges of safe keeping and sale being deducted21, shall be applied22 to the payment of such sum, rendering23 the overplus, and the residue24 of the goods so deposited, if there be any, to the depositor or his representatives.
