eral certificates may be issued to two or more purchasers of the same section who wish it divided. When two or more persons apply privately for the same tract at the same time, the register offers the tract to the highest bidder. In no case can more than three sections of public lands be entered at private entry in any one township by scrip issued to any state under the Act, approved July 2, 1862, for the establishment of an agricultural college therein.

There is granted for purposes of internal improvement to each new state admitted into the Union, upon such admission, as much public land as, including the quantity granted before admission and while under a territorial government, makes 500,000 acres. The selections of this land are made within the limits of each state so admitted into the Union, in such manner as the legislature thereof respectively may direct, located in parcels conformably to sectional divisions and subdivisions of not less than 320 acres in any one location, on any public land not reserved from sale by law of Congress or by proclamation of the President.

The President is authorised to reserve from the public lands, whether surveyed or unsurveyed, town sites on the shores of harbours, at the junction of rivers, important portages, or any natural or prospective centres of population. It is the duty of the Secretary of the Interior, when the President desires it, to cause any of such reservations, or part thereof, to be surveyed into urban or suburban lots of suitable size, and to fix by appraisement of disinterested persons their cash value, and to offer the same for sale at public outcry to the highest bidder, and thence afterward to be held subject to sale at private entry according to regulations. But no lot is disposed of at public sale or

praised value thereof. All such sales are conducted by the register and receiver of the land office in the district in which the reservations are situated, in accordance with the instructions of the Commissioner of the General Land Office. In case any parties having already founded, or desiring to found, a city or town on the public lands, the President may, certain formalities and requirements having been satisfied by said parties, cause the lots embraced within the limits of such city or town to be offered at public sale to the highest bidder, subject to a minimum of $10 for each lot; and such lots as may not be disposed of at public sale are thereafter liable to private entry at such minimum, or at such reasonable increase or diminution thereafter, as the Secretary of the Interior may order from time to time after at least three months' notice, in view of the increase or decrease in the value of the municipal property. But any actual settler upon any one lot, and upon any additional lot in which he has substantial improvements, is entitled to prove up and purchase the same as a pre-emption at such minimum, at any time before the day fixed for the public sale. Whenever any portion of the public lands has been settled upon and occupied as a town site, not subject to entry under the agricultural pre-emption laws, it is lawful, in case such town be incorporated, for the corporate authorities thereof, and if not incorporated, for the judge of the county court for the county in which such town is situated, to enter at the proper land office and at the minimum price the land so settled and occupied in trust for the several use and benefit of the occupants thereof, according to their respective interests. The ensuing sale is conducted under such regulations as are prescribed by the legis

lative authority of the state or territory. If upon surveyed lands, the entry is in its exterior limit made in conformity to the legal subdivisions of the public lands authorised by law, and where the inhabitants are in number 100 and less than 200, embraces not exceeding 320 acres ; where 200 and less than 1000, not exceeding 640 acres ; and where 1000 and over, not exceeding 1280; but for each additional 1000 inhabitants, not exceeding 5000 in all, a further grant of 320 acres is allowed.

The Secretary of the Navy is authorised, under the direction of the President, to cause such vacant and unappropriated lands of the United States as produce the live-oak and red-cedar timbers to be explored, and selection to be made of such tracts or portions thereof where the principal growth is of either of such timbers as is in his judgment necessary to furnish for the Navy a sufficient supply of the same. The President appoints surveyors of public lands to perform the duties, and report to him the tracts by them selected, with the boundaries ascertained and actually designated by actual survey or water-courses; and the tracts of land thus selected, with the approbation of the President, are reserved, unless otherwise directed by law, from any future sale of the public lands, and are appropriated to the sole purpose of supplying timber for the Navy of the United States; but this is not construed to prejudice the prior rights of any person claiming such reserved lands. It is the duty of all collectors of the customs within the States of Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Florida, before allowing a clearance to any vessel laden in whole or in part with live-oak timber, to ascertain satisfactorily that such timber was cut from private lands, or if from public ones, by consent of the Navy Department. And it is also the duty

of all officers of customs to cause prosecutions to be seasonably instituted against all persons known to be guilty of depredations on or injuries to the live-oak on the public lands. Informers get one-half of all penalties and forfeitures recovered.

The tract of land in the Territories of Montana and Wyoming lying near the headquarters of the Yellowstone river, and described as follows-to wit, commencing at the junction of Gardiner's river with the Yellowstone river, and running east to the meridian passing 10 miles to the eastward of the most eastern point of Yellowstone Lake; thence south along said meridian to the parallel of latitude passing 10 miles south of the most southern point of Yellowstone Lake; thence west along said parallel to the meridian passing 15 miles west of the most western point of Madison Lake; thence north along said meridian to the latitude of the junction of the Yellowstone and Gardiner's rivers; thence east to the place of beginning, -is reserved and withdrawn from settlement, occupancy, or sale under the laws of the United States, and dedicated and set apart as a public park or pleasuring-ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the people; and all persons who locate or settle upon or occupy any part of the lands thus set apart as a public park, except as after stated, are considered trespassers, and removed therefrom. The park is under the exclusive control of the Secretary of the Interior, whose duty it is to make and publish necessary and proper regulations for its care and management. These regulations provide for the preservation from injury or spoliation of all timber, mineral deposits, natural curiosities, or wonders within the park, and their retention in their natural condition. The Secretary may, in his discretion, grant leases

for building purposes, for terms not exceeding ten years, of small parcels of ground at such places in the park as may require the erection of buildings for the accommodation of visitors. All other proceeds of such leases, and all other revenues derived from any source connected with the park, are expended under his direction in the management of the same, and the construction of roads and

bridle-paths therein. He provides against the wanton destruction of the fish and game found within the park, and against their capture or destruction for the purpose of merchandise or profit. He also causes all persons trespassing upon the same to be removed therefrom, and generally takes all such measures as are necessary or proper to fully carry out the objects and purposes of the law.

All navigable rivers within the territory occupied by the public lands remain and are deemed public highways; and in all cases where the opposite banks of any streams not navigable belong to different persons,

the stream and the bed thereof become common to both. The right of way for the construction of highways over public lands not reserved for public uses is granted.

To enable the several states (but not including Kansas, Nebraska, and Nevada) to construct the necessary levees and drains to reclaim the swamp and overflowed lands therein, the whole of the swamp and overflowed lands made unfit thereby for cultivation, and remaining unsold on or after the 28th day of September 1850, was granted and belonged to the several states respectively in which said lands were situated; but said grant as to the States of California, Minnesota, and Oregon, was subject to certain limitations, restrictions, and conditions. Patents were issued conveying to said states the fee - simple. The proceeds of said land, whether from sale or by direct appropriation in kind, are applied exclusively, so far as necessary, to the reclaiming said lands by means of levees and drains.

By secs. 1795 and 1796 of the United States Revised Statutes, which referred to the Act of Congress of 16th July 1790, "all that part of the territory of the United States included within the present limits of the District of Columbia shall be the permanent seat of Government of the United States," and "all offices attached to the seat of Government shall be exercised in the District of Columbia, and not elsewhere, except as otherwise expressly provided by law;" and by the Act of 11th June 1878, which does not transfer from the United States authorities any of the public works within the District of Columbia then in the control or supervision of said

authorities, "all the territory which was ceded by the State of Maryland to the Congress of the United States, for the permanent seat of the Government of the United States, shall continue to be designated as the District of Columbia," and "shall remain and continue a municipal corporation;" and "the commissioners herein provided for shall be deemed and taken as officers of such corporation."

The President of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, appoints two persons who, with an officer of the corps of engineers of the United States Army, whose lineal rank is above that of captain, are the commissioners of the

sioner detailed from time to time from the corps of engineers to perform the duties of commissioner is not required to perform any other, and does not receive any other compensation than his regular pay and allowances as an officer of the Army. The two other commissioners are appointed from civil life, and must be citizens of the United States, and have been actual residents of the District of Columbia for three years next before their appointment, and during that time have claimed residence nowhere else. One of the three is chosen president of the board of commissioners annually, and whenever a vacancy occurs. Each, before entering upon the discharge of his duties, takes an oath or affirmation to support the Constitution of the United States, and to faithfully discharge his official duties. The two civilian commissioners each receive a salary of $5000 per annum, and have each to give bond in the sum of $50,000, with surety as required by law. The official term of the civilian commissioners respectively is three years, and until their successors are appointed and qualified. The commissioners have ample powers; but, in the exercise of their duties, powers, and authority, make no contract nor incur any obligation other than such contracts and obligations as are provided for by law and are approved by Congress.

The commissioners submit to the Secretary of the Treasury for the fiscal year annually, for his examination and approval, a statement showing in detail the work proposed to be undertaken by them during the fiscal year next ensuing, and the estimated cost thereof.

Also the cost of constructing, repairing, and maintaining all bridges authorised by law across the Potomac river within the District of Colum

The cost of maintaining all public institutions of charity, reformatories, and prisons belonging to or controlled wholly or in part by the district, and supported wholly or in part by the United States or district.

And also the expenses of the Washington Aqueduct and its appurten

ances.

And also an itemised statement and estimate of the amount necessary to defray the expenses of the government of the District of Columbia for the next fiscal year.

The Secretary of the Treasury carefully considers all estimates submitted to him, and approves, disapproves, or suggests such changes in the same, or any item thereof, as he thinks the public interest demands; and after he has considered and passed upon such estimates submitted to him, he causes to be made a statement of the amount approved by him, and the fund or purpose to which each item belongs; and it is certified by him and delivered, together with the estimates as originally submitted, to the commissioners of the District of Columbia, who transmit the same to Congress. To the extent to which Congress approves of said estimates, Congress appropriates the amount of 50 per cent thereof; and the remaining 50 per cent is levied and assessed upon the taxable property and privileges in the District of Columbia, other than the property of the United States and of the district. The rate of taxation in any one year is not to exceed $1.50 on every $100 of real estate not exempted by law; and on personal property not taxable elsewhere, $1.50 on every $100, according to the cash valuation thereof. Upon real property held and used exclusively for agricultural purposes, without the limits of the cities

of Washington and Georgetown, and to be so designated by the assessors in their annual returns, the rate for any one year is not to exceed $1 on every $100.

All taxes collected are paid into the Treasury of the United States, and are, as well as the appropriations made by Congress, disbursed for the expenses of the district on itemised vouchers, which have been audited and approved by the auditor of the District of Columbia, certified by the commissioners, or a majority of them. The accounts of the commissioners and the tax-collectors and all other officers required to account, are settled and adjusted by the accounting officers of the Treasury Department of the United States. The Secretary of the Treasury pays the interest on the 365 bonds of the District of Columbia, issued in pursuance of the Act of Congress approved June 20, 1874, when the same becomes due and payable, and all amounts so paid are credited as a part of the appropriation for the year by the United States toward the expenses of the District of Columbia. There is to be no increase of the amount of the total indebtedness of the district as at the date of said Act of 1878. The offices of sinking fund commissioners were abolished, and the Treasurer of the United States now performs the duties of these commissioners, in accordance with the provisions of law.

It is the duty of the Commissioners of the District of Columbia to annually report their official doings in detail to Congress, on or before the first Monday of December.

The supreme court of the District of Columbia consists of a chiefjustice (salary, $4500) and five associate judges (salary, $4000 each),

and there is a district attorney. Two of the justices, sitting at general term, constitute a quorum for the transaction of business; and when the two are divided in opinion, the same is noted upon the minutes of the court, and thereupon and within four days thereafter either party in such cause may file with the clerk of the court a motion in writing to have such cause argued before three or more justices. No justice sits in general term to hear an appeal from any judgment or decree or order which he has rendered at the special term. The general term may order two terms of the circuit court to be held at the same time, whenever in their judgment the business therein requires it. The final judgment or decree of the supreme court in any case where the matter in dispute, exclusive of costs, exceeds the value of $2500, may be re-examined and reversed or affirmed in the Supreme Court of the United States, upon writ of error or appeal, in the same manner, and under the same regulations, as are provided in cases of writs of error on judgments, or appeals from decrees, rendered in a circuit court. Any justice of the supreme court holding a term of the circuit court for the District of Columbia, may hold sittings for the trial of such criminal cases depending in the criminal court as the justice presiding therein may assign for that purpose, and may employ the petit juries drawn for such circuit court; and such sittings may be held during the regular sessions of the criminal court or in the recess thereof during the term of such circuit court, and the business done at such sittings is recorded in the minutes of the criminal court.