A piece of land surrounded by water. 2. Islands are in the sea or in rivers. Those in the sea are either in the open sea, or within the boundary of some country. 3. When new islands arise in the open sea, they belong to the first occupant: but when they are newly formed so near the shore as to be within the boundary of some state, they belong to that state. 4. Islands which arise in rivets when in the middle of the stream, belong in equal parts to the riparian proprietors when they arise. mostly on one side, they will belong to the riparian owners up to the middle of the stream.