EVIDENCE. 1393

A certified copy from the navy department under the hand of the secretary and
the seal of the department, is admissible in evidence under this section. Maurice v.
Worden, 54 Md. 259.

When the record itself can be produced, either such record, or a certified copy of
the deed, is evidence. Preston v. Evans, 56 Md. 495.

As to admissibility in evidence of certified copies of foreign wills, and as to wills
not required (by foreign law) to be recorded, see art. 93, sec. 361, et seq.

An. Code, sec. 43. 1904, sec. 43. 1898, ch. 478, sec. 38A.

46. The copy of the record or register of any corporation, which the
laws of any foreign country where the same may be incorporated require
to be recorded or registered and which has been recorded agreeably to such
laws and which is certified under the hand of the keeper of such record or
register and the seal of the court or office in which said record or register
is kept, and which is also certified to be in due form and by the proper
officer making reference to the act under which corporations are formed
under the laws of such foreign country, shall be good and sufficient evidence
in any court of this State to prove such incorporation.

As to proof of incorporation of domestic corporations, see art. 23, sec. 7.
As to foreign corporations, see art. 23, sec. 116, et seq.

An. Code, sec. 44. 1904, sec. 44. 1888, sec. 39. 1785, ch. 46, sec. 3. 1888, ch. 545.

47. Where any deed, bond, bill, note or other instrument of writing hath
been executed in any other of the United States or in any foreign country
and to give validity to which recording or registering is not made necessary,
proof of the execution of such deed, bond, bill, note, or other instrument of
writing by the oath of the subscribing witnesses to the same, or any of them,
taken before a commissioner of this State to take acknowledgment of deeds,
or before any court, judge or justice or other officer of the State or country
where such deed, bond, bill or instrument hath been executed, having
authority by law to administer an oath, and a certificate under seal from the
governor, chief magistrate or a notary public of such State or country, that
the court or officer before whom such oath was taken had authority to admin-
ister an oath, and that such oath hath been duly made before such court,
judge, justice or other officer, or if proved before the commissioner or notary
public aforesaid, the same to be certified under his official seal, shall be
good and sufficient evidence in any court of this State to prove such deed,
bond, bill, note or other instrument.
See secs. 45 and 69.

An. Code, sec. 45. 1904, sec. 45. 1888, sec. 40. 1785, ch. 46, sec. 3. 1882, ch. 77.

48. If there be no subscribing witnesses to any such deed, bond, bill,
note or other instrument of writing, or if all the witnesses thereto shall die
before the execution thereof be proved as aforesaid, proof by a credible
witness to the handwriting of the party making the same, or to the hand-
writing of the subscribing witnesses to the same, or any of them, taken and
certified as directed in the preceding section, shall be good evidence to
prove such deed, bond, bill, note or other instrument of writing.