Report of the Board of Xlicll Fish Comuiisxioncrx M 



acres in any other place. Leases shall be made only to resi- 

 dents of Maryland. The term of such leases shall be twenty 

 years, and the annual rent reserved to the State shall -be one 

 dollar per acre for each of the first two years of said term of 

 twenty years; two dollars per acre for the third year; three 

 dollars per acife for the fourth year; four dollars per acre for 

 the fifth year ; and five dollars per acre during the remainder of 

 the term. If any part of the rent reserved under such leases 

 shall remain unpaid for more than six months, after the same 

 becomes due, such lease or leases shall be declared void, and 

 the land shall revert to the State, and may be leased again in 

 accordance with the provisions of this Act. The said Commis- 

 sioners may at the request of any lessee, if it shall appear 

 equitable so to do, upon the cause shown in writing, cancel his 

 lease as to the whole or a part of the lands leased. 



SECTION 99. In case the survey provided for by this Act shall 

 not have been completed within one year from the passage of 

 this Act, then it shall be the duty of the Board of Shell Fish 

 Commissioners to begin the leasing of barren bottoms in the 

 manner, and upon the terms provided in the preceding section, 

 provided that such leasing shall then commence only in those 

 areas in which the survey provided for in this Act shall have 

 been completed. 



SECTION 100. For a period of four months after the said 

 survey shall have been completed, or after any area shall have 

 been opened to leasing under the preceding sections, citizens of 

 Maryland, residing in any part of the State, who, at the time of 

 the completion of said survey, or at the respective times of the 

 opening for oyster culture of several areas, as the case may be, 

 may be owners of land having a water front upon any part of 

 the said areas so opened to oyster culture, shall have the exclu- 

 sive right to rent any land opened to oyster planting under the 

 provisions of this Act, adjacent to their lands. And for an 

 additional period of six months, after the expiration of the said 

 period of four months all boatmen, residents of this State, who 

 shall be engaged in the business of dredging, scraping or tong- 

 ing for oysters at the time of the completion of the said survey, 

 or at the respective times of the opening for oyster culture of 

 several acres, or if said survey shall be completed, or the said 



