The first paragraph of this section is from section 2 of act Mar. 3, 1877.

The second paragraph of this section is from the last clause of section 3 of act Mar. 3, 1877. The first clause of section 3 is incorporated in section 323 of this title.

Provisions of this section as not amended, modified or repealed by the Submerged Lands Act, see section 1303 of this title.

“Secretary of the Interior or such officer as he may designate” substituted for “Commissioner of the General Land Office” on authority of section 403 of Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1946, which abolished General Land Office and Commissioner thereof and transferred functions of General Land Office to a new agency in Department of the Interior to be known as Bureau of Land Management. See section 403 of Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1946, set out as a note under section 1 of this title.