and disposed of by the Secretary in the manner and in the proportions specified in the joint resolution of Congress passed the first day of September, one thousand eight hundred and fortyone: Provided, always, That seventeen thousand copies of the said compendium or abridgement shall be distribute among the States, Territories, and persons entitled to distribution under the said resolution, and in the proportions therein specified, and that the remaining copies of the said statistics and compendium be placed in the Library of Congress for future distribution. Approved, April 15th, 1842.

[No. 4.] JOINT RESOLUTION to continue two clerks in the business of reservations and grants under Indian treaties.

two years.

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That Period for which the authority given to the Secretary of War by the joint they were authorresolution, approved second May, one thousand eight hundred ized, extended for and forty, to continue the employment of two clerks in the business of reservations and grants under Indian treaties, be extended, after the expiration of the period for which that authority was granted, for the term of two years.

Approved, May 18th, 1842.

[No. 5.] A RESOLUTION to authorize the extension of the contract for carrying the mail on the route between Mobile and New Orleans.

ing contract for

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, Postmaster GenThat the Postmaster General be, and he hereby is, author- erat authorized to ized to extend the existing contract for carrying the mail extend the exist upon the steamboat route between Mobile and New Orleans for 3 years. three years from the time at which said contract would expire by its own limitations, if, in his opinion, the public interest and convenience will be promoted by such extension of said con

tract.

Approved, June 1st, 1842.

[No. 6.] JOINT RESOLUTION for the benefit of George Schnabel and

Robert Barber, jr.

Whereas it appears that on the sixteenth day of September, Preamble. eighteen hundred and thirty-six, George Schnabel deposited in the Treasury of the United States, under the provisions of the second section of the act of making further provision for the sale of public lands, approved the twenty-fourth of April, eighteen hundred and twenty, the sum of two thousand dollars in gold, for which he received from the Treasurer of the United States

made

receivable

ten receipts or certificates, of two hundred dollars each, numbered from three hundred and five to three hundred and fourteen inclusive; and that Robert Barber, jr., on the same day and in the same manner, deposited the sum of one thousand dollars, for which he received five like receipts or certificates, of two hundred dollars each, numbered from three hundred and twenty to three hundred and twenty-four, inclusive; and whereas the said section of the act aforesaid is so construed by the Treasury Department that the said receipts or certificates are not assignable or transferable: therefore,

Be it resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, Certain receipts That the Commissioner of the General Land Office be difor public lands. rected to endorse upon the said receipts or certificates, that the same are receivable from the said George Schnabel and Robert Barber, jr., or his or their assignee or assignees, in payment for any public lands which may be sold at public sale or at private entry; and the several receivers are hereby authorized and required to receive the same for public lands sold as aforesaid.

Approved, July 27th, 1842.

a temporary clerk authorized.

[No. 7.] JOINT RESOLUTION to anthorize the commission appointed to prepare rules and regulations for the naval service to appoint a clerk.

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress gssembled, That Employment of the Secretary of the Navy be, and he is hereby, authorized, agreeably to his request, to employ a temporary clerk for the purpose of aiding the Attorney General and himself in carrying into effect the resolution of the twenty-fourth May, eighteen hundred and forty-two, which requires of them the preparation of rules and regulations for the Navy.

Approved, August 11th, 1842.

act not to be with

widows.

[No. 8.] A RESOLUTION declarative of the pension act of July seventh eighteen hundred and thirty-eight.

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of Benefits of the the United States of America in Congress aseembled, That beld from certain the benefits of the act entitled, "An act granting half pay and pensions to certain widows," approved the seventh day of July, eighteen hundred and thirty-eight, shall not be withheld from any widow whose husband died after the passage of the act of the seventh of June, eighteen hundred and thirty-two, and before the act of the seventh July, eighteen hundred and thirtyeight, if otherwise entitled to the same.

Approved, August 16th, 1842.

[No. 9.] A RESOLUTION for the relief of Ferdinand Pettrich.

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Navy be, and he is hereby author- Balance of ap ized to pay over to Ferdinand Pettrich the unexpended balance statue of Washof the appropriation for the finishing of the statue of Washington to be paid ington.

Approved, August 29th, 1842.

propriation for the

[No. 10.] JOINT RESOLUTION to institute proceedings to ascertain the title to Rush Island, ceded in the Caddo Treaty.

for the Westernt

ana directed to in

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the District Attorney of the United States for the Wes- U. S. Attorney tern District of Louisiana be, and is hereby directed to district of Louisiinstitute such legal proceedings in the proper court as may be stitute them. necessary to vindicate the right of the United States to Rush Island, which is alleged to have been improperly included in the limits of the lands ceded by the Caddo Indians to the United States, by the treaty of the first July, eighteen hundred and thirty-five, and reserved by said treaty in favor of certain persons by the name of Grappe.

Approved, August 30th, 1842.

[No. 11.] A RESOLUTION to authorize the Postmaster General to settle the accounts of Patton Pilcher and Company.

Postmaster Gen

he deem just and

amount.

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Postmaster General be, and he is hereby, directed eral to allow what to allow Patton Pilcher and Company, contractors on equitable, not exmail route number three thousand seven hundred and eighteen, ceeding a certain from Mobile to New Orleans, the amount which, in his discretion, he may deem just and equitable, not exceeding the amount they would have received if they had performed the service, the said contractors having been prevented from carrying the mail for twenty-three days by the interference of the postmaster at New Orleans.

Navy to render

rine battery, and
report 10
gress.

[No. 12.] JOINT RESOLUTION authorizing experiments to be made for the purpose of testing Samuel Colt's submarine battery, and for other purposes.

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That Secretary of the the Secretary of the Navy be, and he is hereby, inMr. Colt facilities structed to render Mr. Samuel Colt facilities to test his 10 test his subma- submarine battery to an extent which will settle the questions Con- whether these or any other plan can, with ease and safety, successfully be employed as a power sufficient to destroy the largest class of ships of war, when in motion passing in or out of harbor, without the necessity of approach within reach of shot from guns of the largest caliber; and whether continued operations of the destruction of one or more vessels can.be effected with renewing the means under exposure of an advancing squadron; and whether the same can be used for the defence of a harbor without endangering the passage in or out of other than hostile vessels. And that he report at the next session of Congress, the expense and result of these experiProviso: sum ex ments, Provided, That the amount so expended does not exceed the sum of fifteen thousand dollars, to be taken from the fund appropriated by the act of eleventh of September, eighteen hundred and forty-one, for experiments connected with the naval service of the United States.

pended not to exceed $15,000.

Trial of inven

the explosion of

thorized.

SEC. 2. And be it further resolved, That the Secretary of the tions to prevent Navy be, and he is hereby, authorized to make such experisteam boilers au- mental trial of the several inventions of Thomas M. Easton, Ethan Campbell, Aaron Quinby, or either of them, or of other persons, to prevent the explosion of steam boilers, as may be necessary to test their value and utility as applicable for the purpose aforesaid, to the steamships of the United States; and $5,000 appropri- the sum of six thousand dollars is hereby appropriated therefor out of the fund heretofore named.

ated.

Approved, August 31st, 1842.

penses on account of prisoners.

[No. 13] A RESOLUTION to provide for the payment of the expenses incurred by the Legation at Mexico.

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That $6,000 appropri the sum of six thousand dollars be and is hereby appropriated ated to defray ex- out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated to defray the expenses incurred by the Legation of the United States at Mexico, on account of the subsistence, clothing and transportation of prisoners, Provided so much be necessary upon the adjustment of the accounts at the State Department. Approved, August 31st, 1842.

Proviso.

[No. 14.] A RESOLUTION to authorize an extension of a contract for carrying the mail.

contract for the

mail on the Poto

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That Extension of the the Postmaster General be, and he is hereby, authorized, if in conveyance of the his opinion the interest of the Department will be promoted mac authorized thereby, to extend at this time the contract for the conveyance of the mail on the Potomac, for four years from the termination of the present contract, in such a way as to receive the regular transmission of the mail, by means of ice-boats: And provided That the compensation does not exceed the present rates for two boats service.

Approved, August 31st, 1842.

Proviso