A contract by which an entire ship, or some principal part thereof, is let to a merchant for the conveyance of goods on a determined voyage to one or more places. The Ilarvey and Henry, 86 Fed. 656, 30 C. C. A. 330; The New York (D. C.) 93 Fed. 497; Vandewater v. The Yankee Blade, 28 Fed. Cas. 980; Spring v. Gray, 6 Pet. 151, 8 L. Ed. 352; Fish v. Sullivan, 40 CHARTER-PARTY 194 CHATTEL MORTGAGE La. Ann. 193, 3 South. 730; DrinUwater v. The Spartan, 7 Fed. Cas. 1085. A contract of affreightment in writing, by which the owner of a ship lets the whole or a part of her to a merchant, for the conveyance of goods on a particular voyage, in consideration of the payment of freight. 3 Kent, Comm. 201. A written agreement, not usually under seal, by which a ship-owner lets an entire ship, or a part of it, to a merchant for the conveyance of goods, binding himself to transport them to a particular place for a sum of money which the merchant undertakes to pay as freight for their carriage. Maude & P. Mer. Shipp. 227. The contract by which a ship is let is termed a “charter-party.” By it the owner may either let the capacity or burden of the ship, continuing the employment of the owner’s master, crew, and equipments, or may surrender the entire ship to the charterer, who then provides them himself. The master or part owner may be a charterer. Civil Code Cal.