Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 3.djvu/242



the first day of April, one thousand eight hundred and ten, and prior to the first day of April, one thousand eight hundred and eleven, had purchased any tract or tracts of lands of the United States, not exceeding in the whole six hundred and forty acres, at any of the land offices of the United States, and whose lands have not already been actually sold or reverted to the United States, for non-payment of part of the purchase money, shall be, and they hereby are allowed the further time of three years, from and after the expiration of the period already given by law for completing the payment of the purchase money aforesaid; which further time of three years shall be allowed only on the following conditions: first, all arrears of interest on the purchase money shall be paid on or before the expiration of the time for completing the payment of the purchase money according to former laws: Provided, That in all cases in which the time for completing the payment of the purchase money may have expired, or shall expire before the first day of June next, the interest may be paid on or before that day: second, the residue of the sum due on account of the principal of such purchase shall be paid, with interest thereon, in three equal annual payments, as follows, viz: one third of the said sum, with interest due thereon, within one year; one third of the said sum, with the interest due thereon within two years, and the residue, with the interest due thereon, within three years after the expiration of the time for completing the payments on such purchases according to law. And in case of failure to pay the arrears of interest, or any of the three instalments of principal, with the accruing interest, at the time above-mentioned, the tract of land shall be forthwith advertised and offered for sale in the manner and on the terms directed by law, in case of lands not paid within the time limited by law, and shall revert to the United States in like manner, if the same is hereby not sold at such sale.

February 4, 1815.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the President of the United States be, and he is hereby authorized, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to appoint three officers of the navy, whose rank shall not be below post captain, who shall constitute a board of commissioners for the navy of the United States; and shall have power to adopt such rules and regulations for the government of their meetings as they may judge expedient: and the board so constituted shall be attached to the office of the Secretary of the Navy, and under his superintendence shall discharge all the ministerial duties of said office, relative to the procurement of naval stores and materials, and the construction, armament, equipment, and employment, of vessels of war, as well as all other matters connected with the naval establishment of the United States. And the said board shall appoint its own secretary, who shall receive in compensation for his services a sum not exceeding two thousand dollars per annum, who shall keep a fair record of their proceedings, subject at all times to the inspection of the President of the United States, and the Secretary of the Navy.

. And be it further enacted, That the said board of commissioners, by and with the advice and consent of the Secretary of the Navy, be, and are hereby authorized to prepare such rules and regulations, as shall be necessary for securing an uniformity in the several classes of vessels and