ART. 54] POWERS AND DUTIES OF COMMISSIONER. 1321

revolution. He shall have charge of the same and preserve, print,
re-bind, repair, classify and take proper care of the same. Any gifts to
the State of any such shall be under his care and protection.

1904, art 54. sec. 18. 1888, art. 54, sec. 16. 1874, ch. 66. 1876, ch. 257.
1892, ch. 282. 1902, ch. 261.

19. The comptroller of the treasury is directed to issue his war-
rant for such sums as are now necessary and may from time to time
hereafter become necessary to meet the cost of making index books and
binding extracts of deeds, mortgages and other extracts authorized to
be made and continued by the preceding section and for the further
costs and expenses incurred in carrying out and performing the duties
required in the preceding section upon the order of the commissioner
of the land office, and the sum of one thousand dollars, or so much
thereof as shall be necessary, is appropriated annually for such purpose.

Ibid. sec. 19. 1888, art. 54, sec. 17. 1860, art. 54, sec. 10. 1852, ch. 361, sec. 1.

20. Upon application in writing of any person claiming to be entitled
to any of the British .confiscated lands sold by the commissioners
appointed under the authority of this State to preserve and sell British
confiscated property, the title to which still remains in the State, and
praying that title thereto may be granted to him, and upon satisfactory
proof submitted to the commissioner of the land office that such appli-
cant is entitled to receive title thereto, the said commissioner shall
issue a patent for such land to the person appearing to him to be entitled
thereto.

For a case involving the proof of the qualification of the commissioners

mentioned in this section, and the validity of a deed executed by them,

see Hutchings v. Talbot. 3 H. & J. 378.
As to the confiscation of British property, see Smith v. State, 2 H. & J.

471; Hall v. Gittings. 2 H. & J. 112; Owings v. Norwood. 2 H. & J. 96;

Ringgold v. Malott, 1 H. & J. 317; Gassaway v. Dorsey, 4 H. & McH. 405;

Smith 17. Maryland, 6 Cranch, 289.

Ibid, sec. 20. 1888. art. 54. sec. 18. 1860. art. 54, sec. 11. 1852, ch. 361, sec. 1.

21. Before issuing any patent under the preceding section the said
commissioner shall order the party applying therefor to cause to be
Inserted in one or more newspapers published in the county or city
where the land lies, if there be a newspaper published therein, at least
once a week for three successive weeks, an advertisement setting forth
the object of the application and describing therein by metes and
bounds and such other description of the land for which the patent is
sought as he may direct, so that the land may be known, and also par-
ticularly describing the claim of the applicant for such patent, and
containing a notification of the, day and hour on which the applicant
will apply to the commissioner to issue such patent, which day shall be
at least sixty days from, the day of filing the application, and warning
all parties interested to appear before said commissioner on the day and
hour therein designated to show cause, if any they have, why such
patent should not be issued.