J. MILLARD TAWES, Governor                          463

Whereas, About 300 vessels formerly owned by the United States
government are located at the bottom of the Potomac River near
Sandy Point in Charles County and Quantico on the Virginia
shore, and

Whereas, There is a concentration of such abandoned vessels in
the Potomac River so great that the area near the Wilson Bridge
is a visible graveyard for all kinds, sizes and descriptions of boats, and

Whereas, The abandonment of such vessels has created great
navigational hazards in Maryland waters and has been responsible
for many accidents causing injuries and deaths, and

Whereas, The United States Government was instrumental in
abandoning or permitting the abandonment of some of the vessels
in the waters of the State of Maryland, and

Whereas, The General Assembly of Maryland is considering legis-
lation making owners and former owners responsible for the re-
moval of discarded and abandoned vessels from the navigable waters
of the State, and

Whereas, The names and addresses of former owners of many of
the abandoned vessels are not now known, and

Whereas, Many of the former owners are not residents of the
State of Maryland, now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the General Assembly of Maryland, That the Presi-
dent of the United States be and he hereby is requested to direct
the Corps of Engineers or some other Federal agency to investigate
the abandonment of vessels of all kinds in the waters of the State
of Maryland to the end that those persons or corporations responsi-
ble for such abandonment be identified, located and notified to re-
move their vessels from the waters of the State, and to make such
other recommendations as may be necessary for the removal of
such abandoned vessels, and be it further

Resolved, That copies of this Resolution be mailed to the President
of the United States and the members of Congress from Maryland.

Approved April 7, 1964.

No. 10
(House Joint Resolution 23)

House Joint Resolution requesting the Legislative Council to re-
appoint for 1964 its special committee on the Potomac and
Patuxent Rivers.

Whereas, The Legislative Council in 1956 first appointed a Special
Committee to review and advise the General Assembly on proposed
plans of the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers for development of the
Potomac River, and in 1960, the Council requested the Committee to
review and assist in planning the orderly development of the
Patuxent River, and