LAWS OF MARYLAND.— 1839.

A SUPPLEMENT to an ACT, entitled, an Act to Quiet Possessions, and to
prevent. Suits at Law.— 1839, ch. 299.

2339

SEC. 1. Be it enacted, by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That on the application of any person or persons, or bodies
corporate or politic, claiming to be the owner or owners, in
fee simple, of any lands in this state, which lands have been
peaceably and quietly held and occupied with or without en-
closure, by the person or persons, or bodies corporate, or those
under whom he, she or they may claim, for at least twenty
years preceding such application, to the surveyor of the county
in which such lands shall lie, for a survey thereof, according
to certain well defined metes and bounds, natural or artificial,
it shall be the duly of the surveyor to make such survey,
after having given at least thirty days notice thereof, by ad-
vertisement posted at the court-house door of the county in
which such lands shall lie, and at least three of the most
public places in the neighbourhood of such lands.

On twenty
years
peaceable
possession,
survey to be
made.

SEC. 2. And be it enacted, That previous to making any
such survey, the surveyor shall be satisfied by the testimony
under oath, delivered at the time of such survey, of at least
two respectable persons residing in the neighbourhood of said
lands that, the person or persons, or bodies corporate or politic,
or those under whom he, she or they may claim, have peace-
ably and quietly held and occupied the same lands, with or
without enclosure, according to the metes, lines and bounds,
natural or artificial, thereof, as required to be surveyed and
set forth by the said surveyor, in the certificate of such sur-
vey, for at least twenty years preceding the date of his, her
or their application as aforesaid.

Surveyor to
have testi-
mony of
possession.

SEC. 3. And be it enacted, That it shall be the duty of the
surveyor making any such survey, to return a certificate
thereof, together with a certificate that the application, notice
and other requirements of this act have been strictly complied
with, and which certificate shall be evidence thereof to the
register of the land office, for the shore on which eaid lands
shall lie, to be by him delivered to the examiner for said shore,
who, if the same shall be imperfect, shall return it to the said
register, to be by him transmitted to the surveyor who made
the same, for amendment; but if the same shall pass examina-
tion, the said examiner shall deliver it to the register of the

Surveyor
to give cer-
tificate, to
be transmit-
ted to land
office.

said land office, to be by him recorded in a proper and suffi-
cient book to be kept by him for the purpose of rendering all
such certificates, which it shall be his duty to do immediately
after patent shall issue thereon, and not before; and the regis-
ter of the said land office shall make out a grant or patent, and

To be
recorded.

shall present the same ; Provided, said lands shall be on the

Proviso.