718                               LAWS OF MARYLAND                        [CH. 355

resulting by direction or implication from various Acts of the General
Assembly since the basic law relating to the issuance of patents
was adopted in the eighteenth century, require a complete revision
of the law and practice relating to the issuance of patents. This
subtitle is designed and shall be construed to provide a simple and
convenient method for obtaining such patents. Neither this subtitle
nor any patent issued hereunder shall be construed to alter or affect
the rights of any person deriving title under a patent heretofore
granted.

13. Definitions, interpretation and construction.

(a) As used herein the following words shall have the following
meanings, unless the context requires a different meaning:

(i) "Affidavit" means an oath or affirmation sworn or made
before an officer or other person authorized to administer an oath or
take an affirmation that the matters and facts set forth in the
document to which it pertains are true and complete to the best of
the affiant's knowledge, information and belief.

(ii) "Commissioner" means the Archivist appointed by the Hall
of Records Commission.

(iii) "County" means and includes each of the twenty-three
counties of Maryland and the City of Baltimore.

(iv) "Land" means any contiguous area, whether cultivated or
uncultivated, within the territorial limits of the State of Maryland,
except that "land" does not include any area covered by navigable
water unless such was included in a patent issued prior to March 3,
1862. "Vacant land" means land for which no patent has issued and
which no person, other than one who hereafter applies for a patent
and those through whom he derives title, has held in possession
for twenty years prior to the filing of a proceeding under this subtitle.

(v) "Patent" means any valid grant by the State of Maryland
of its interest in and to any vacant, escheat or confiscated land under
any prior law; any grant confirmed by Article 5 of the Declaration
of Rights of the Constitution of Maryland; and any patent hereafter
issued in accordance with this subtitle.

(vi) "Person" means any natural person, partnership, joint
stock company, unincorporated association or society, or municipal
or other corporation of any character whatsoever.

(vii) "Resurvey," whether used as a noun or as a verb in any
form or tense, means and refers to the act of surveying any land
for which a patent has previously been issued.

(viii) "Surveyor" means the person elected or appointed pur-
suant to Article VII, Section 2, of the Constitution of Maryland as
county surveyor for the county to which a warrant of survey or
resurvey is to be directed; or, if no such person is elected or appointed,
any person authorized to practice land surveying as defined and
regulated by Article 75½.

(b) Interpretation. Words in the singular shall include the
plural number and words in the masculine shall include the feminine
and neuter genders except as may result from necessary implication.
References to Articles and Sections are to those in the Annotated