Page:U.S. Department of the Interior Annual Report 1875.djvu/7

Rh of emigration to the land States and Territories. Aside from these considerations, however, which are temporary in their character, he expresses the opinion that a steady diminution of such entries may hereafter be expected, growing out of the fact that the best lands subject to such entries have, in great measure, been already disposed of.

The report of the Commissioner is replete with valuable information and timely suggestions as to the expediency of changes in some of the laws relating to public lands. I would especially commend to the favorable consideration of Congress his remarks as to the necessity of a change in the Manual of Surveying Instructions, which has the sanction of law, as to the rates allowed by law for surveying mountainous districts; the disposal of timber and grazing lands; the consolidation of the pre-emption and homestead laws; the repeal of the law requiring public lands in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Florida to be disposed of under the homestead acts only; the errors in the Revised Statutes, which are now the law of the land, and the re-organization of the clerical force of his Office.

SAN JUAN AND OTHER ISLANDS.

The commissioner appointed by you, under the act of 20th June, 1874, to make and report to this Department a list of all British subjects who, on the 15th of June, 1846, were in the occupation of land, lawfully acquired, within the limits of the award of His Majesty the Emperor of Germany, together with a description of the land actually occupied by each person at said date, satisfactorily performed his duties. He reported that, after due notice given by publication for a period of more than thirty days, in a newspaper having extensive circulation on the islands in question, and by posting conspicuously the notice in all the post-offices in the archipelago, he proceeded in person to Victoria, British Columbia, where he was informed by the chief factor of the Hudson Bay Company that said company would present no claim under said act. He then proceeded to San Juan and Lopez, but no British subject, presented any claim under the act. You accordingly, on the 3d of August last, issued a proclamation terminating the withdrawal made by your previous proclamation of 4th February, 1873, which was issued in order to protect the rights of British subjects under the treaty of 15th June, 1846. Said termination took effect on the 30th ultimo, and the launs are now open to disposal as other public lands, except such as have been reserved by your orders for military and light-house purposes.

PATENTS

During the year ending the 30th ultimo, 21,489 applications for patents were filed, and 14,230 patents, including re-issues and designs, issued; 42 applications for extensions were made, and 81 patents extended; 3,052 caveats were filed; 2,495 patents were granted, but not 42 Ab