What is the test for establishing statelessness?

5 Appellants' reliance on United States v. Henriquez, 731 F.2d 131 (2d Cir.1984), as having rejected the principle that proof of a condition's subsequent existence can be used to infer its prior existence is misplaced. The issue in Henriquez concerned the registry of a ship. The Government sought to establish the statelessness of the vessel in January, 1983 with a February, 1983 certificate of non-registry. However, 1979 registry papers had been on the ship when it was boarded, and the defendant proved that some 500 ships had their registration cancelled in 1983. In light of this, the court found the proof uncertain and remanded under 28 U.S.C. Sec. 2106 for further findings of fact.