136 LAWS OF MARYLAND.

passage of this act, except that the President, Di-
rectors and Company of any such railroad, and the
owner and Captain of any such steamboat, towboat
or other vessel, shall have the benefit of the afore-
going proviso in any suit brought, or hereafter to
be brought, for any such offence already com-
mitted.

	CHAPTER 129.
Passed March 3, 1862.	AN ACT to amend Article fifty-four of the Code of Public General Laws, so as to define and pro- tect the rights of owners of lands bounding on the navigable waters of. this State, and to pro- hibit the issuing of patents for lands covered by navigable waters.
Preamble.	WHEREAS, Doubts are entertained in regard to the extent of the rights of proprietors of land bound- ing on navigable waters, to accretions to said land, and to extend improvements into said waters ; for the purpose of solving such doubts, therefore,
Additional sections.	SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland, That article fifty-four of the Code of Public General Laws, be amended by adding thereto the following sections, to wit:
Owners of land on navigable water entitled to accretions, &c.	"Thirty-seven." The proprietor of land bound- ing on any of the navigable waters of this State, is hereby declared to be entitled to all accretions to said land by the recession of said water, whether heretofore or hereafter formed or made by natural causes or otherwise, in like manner and to like ex- tent as such right may or can be claimed by the proprietor of land bounding on water not navi- gable.
Owners have exclusive right to make im- provements	"Thirty-eight." The proprietor of land bound- ing on any of the navigable waters of this State, is hereby declared to be entitled to the exclusive right of making improvements into the waters in