11. Not Sole Remedy.—
The reader will not be misled into supposing that the absence of a right to a maritime lien means that the debt is uncollectible by legal process. While the admiralty court is closed to the creditor if there be no right to a maritime lien, he has the same remedy as any other creditor by a suit at law to recover the debt or damage from the debtor, or person liable, i.e., the owner, the temporary owner, or the person who ordered the goods or did the damage as the case may be. Such a remedy lacks the peculiar advantages of the maritime lien (§ 2 supra, this chapter). There may also be special remedies open to him under state statutes (but see § 13, this chapter).