FOREST COMMISSIONERS REPORT. 



Ill 



Date. 



A complete list of lands in Maine contracted for with Massachusetts 

 prior to the Act of Seiparation is to be found in the Massachusetts 

 Resolves of 1820, page 167. 



Massachusetts After the Separation. 



By resolve of January 30, 1823 and June 13, 1823, George 

 Coffin and the Treasurer were appointed agents with instruc- 

 tions to sell all lands, reserved lots and islands which fell to 

 the share of the Commonwealth in the division by the Commis- 

 sioners, and complete the same if possible within the present 

 year — 1823. 



Acting under these instructions, the agents proceeded to sell 

 these islands, and as will be seen from the foregoing tables, had 

 sold almost all the islands assigned to Massachusetts by the 

 Commissioners before disposing of the balance of the public 

 lands to Maine — 1853. 



Maine Becomes Sole Owner of Public Lands. 

 The year 1853 marks another epoch in the history of the pub- 

 lic lands in Maine. Back in 1821 before the division by the 

 Commissioners an effort was made to purchase these lands of 

 Massachusetts, and a committee appointed to negotiate with a 

 committee of the Commonwealth. The committees met and 

 reached an agreement as to the purchase of these lands belong- 

 ing to Massachusetts. On March 19, 1821, a resolve ratifying 

 the agreement was introduced, but neither of the State Legis- 

 latures would ratify it. For a number of years there had been 



