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containing less than one hundred and sixty acres, shall have privilege of purchasing one or more adjoining fractional quarter sections, or the adjoining quarter section, including their improvements, or the fraction improved by them, at their option; and the provisions of the said recited acts are hereby made applicable to them, so far as they are consistent with the provisions of this act.

. And be it further enacted, That in cases where two or more persons entitled to the right of pre-emption, shall be settled upon one quarter or fractional quarter section of land, each person shall be authorized to purchase one or more quarter sections, or fractional quarter sections, of the section or fractional section of land upon which they are so settled; and the section or fractional section upon which such persons are settled shall be equally divided between them, in such manner as the register and receiver, within whose district the land lies, shall determine and direct, so as to secure, as far as may be practicable, to every such person their improvements respectively, and where the improvement of such person shall be upon two or more quarter sections, such person shall be entitled to purchase the quarter sections upon which his improvements shall be.

, April 29, 1816.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the consent of Congress be, and is hereby granted and declared to the operation of any act of the general assembly of the state of South Carolina, now in existence, or which may hereafter be passed, so far as the same extends, or may extend, to authorize the city council of Charleston, to impose and levy a duty, not exceeding ten cents per ton, on all ships and vessels of the United States, which shall arrive and be entered in the port of Charleston from any foreign port or place, for the purpose of providing a fund for the temporary relief and maintenance of sick or disabled seamen in the marine hospital of the said port of Charleston.

. And be it further enacted, That the collector of the port of Charleston be, and he is hereby authorized to collect the duties imposed or authorized to be imposed by this act, and to pay the same to such persons as shall be authorized to receive the same by the city council of Charleston.

. And be it further enacted, That the consent of Congress be, and is hereby granted to the operation of any act, of the general assembly of the state of Georgia now in existence, or which may hereafter be passed, so far as the same extends, or may extend, to authorize the levying and collecting a tonnage duty, not exceeding two cents per ton upon coasting vessels, and four cents per ton upon vessels from foreign ports, arriving at and entering the ports of Savannah and St. Mary’s, for the purpose of providing a fund for the payment of the fees of the harbour master and health officer of those ports respectively: Provided, the said acts shall not contain provisions inconsistent with the operation of any law of the United States made in execution of existing treaties.

. And be it further enacted, That this act shall be in force for five years, from thence to the end of the next session of Congress thereafter, and no longer.

, April 29, 1816.