Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 18 Part 1.djvu/1153

 TITLE Lxxu.-GUANO ISLANDS. 1081 Sec. 5576. All acts done, and otlenses or crimes committed, on any such _G¥i¤¤i¤¤l i¤fi¤· island, rock, or key, by persons who may land thereon, or in the waters TCM"' 4__ adjacent thereto, shall be deemed committed on the high seas, on board Ibid., s. 6. a merchanbship or vessel belonging to the United States; and shall be punished according to the laws of the United States relating to such ships or vessels an offenses on the high seas, which laws for the purpose aforesaid are extended over such islands, rocks, and keys. Sec. 5577. The President is authorized, at his discretion, to employ the E¤¤p\¤5¤¤¤¤t vf land and naval forces of the United States to protect the rights of the iafd *“ “""1 discoverer or of his widow, heir, executor, administrator, or assigns. 3.5;%-MM5. .. .. i ., s. . Sec. 5578. Nothing in this Title contained shall be construed as oblig- _ Bishitwba-¤d¤¤ ing the United States to retain possession of the islands, rocks, or keys, ’”l““d“·__ __ after the guano shall have been removed from the same. Ibid., s. 4.