ARCHIVIST OF THE HALL OF RECORDS 21

almost all of our records could be recreated in film or, by enlargement
of the film, into a form similar to the usual photostat volume.

In the course of the fiscal year just ended this work has been
resumed, and on July 1 it had been completed for the following coun-
ties: Anne Arundel, Prince George's, Charles, St. Mary's, Frederick,
Montgomery, Queen Anne's, Caroline, and Talbot. In these counties the
following records have now been filmed through the year 1850, which
is the last year in which the Society is interested: Deeds, Indexes to
Deeds, Marriage Records, Wills, Accounts, Inventories, Proceedings
of the Orphans' Court, and all indexes to the probate records. The
total amount of film is 62,700 feet. One copy is placed in the Society's
vaults in Utah, and the other is deposited at the Hall of Records. By
the end of the present fiscal year it is hoped that the project will be
complete or very nearly complete. At that time the copies which are
coming to the Hall of Records as they are processed will be arranged
and catalogued, and researchers will then have at their disposal every
record of consequence of the State through the year 1850, either in
the original, in photostat, or in microfilm., in one place.

While there is good reason for the Mormon Church to have no
interest in our records after 1850, there is no magic in that date for us.
Should the project be continued beyond that period, the necessary funds
would have to be supplied by the State. And where should it stop
finally? In so far as the Land Records are concerned, we can perhaps
rely on the abstracts made after that date and filed at the Land Office
to insure us against total loss should one of our courthouses be des-
troyed, but there would be no substitute for the original probate records;
since 1777, when the office of Register of Wills was created, all probate
records have existed in unique copy only.

MARYLAND MANUAL

At the request of Governor Lane, and with the approval of the
other members of the Hall of Records Commission, the staff of the
Hall of Records undertook this year a complete re-editing of the
Maryland Manual. The Board of Public Works granted us several
thousand dollars for additional personnel; the cost of printing was
borne by the Secretary of State, as will be the cost of distribution. All
other costs — travel, communication, supplies, and equipment — were
met from the regular budget of the Hall of Records. The task was