FOREST commissioner's REPORT. II7 



list of the islands title to which were found in the state and sold, 

 contained in the report for that year, I was unable to find at the 

 Land Office or elsewhere any record of their work. In such 

 an investigation they must have considered such questions as the 

 location and validity of the ancient grants, the construction of 

 the various deeds of some of the larger groups of these islands ; 

 in fact must have considered all phases of the state's title to 

 islands on every part of the coast — from a close examination of 

 the results of their work, as shown by the islands they sold, I 

 know they did. A complete record of their work at that time 

 would have aided very materially in any later investigation, and 

 probably made any such investigation unnecessary. The want 

 thereof, being so obvious a loss, has prompted me to make this 

 report somewhat fuller than a compliance with the resolve 

 under which I am acting would necessitate. 



The next year the following act was passed by the Legisla- 

 ture: 



Laws of 1877, Chapter i66 — Approved February 7, 1877: 

 "The Land Agent under the direction of the Governor and 

 Council, is hereby authorized to sell either at public auction or 

 private sale, any islands on the coast belonging to the State." 



The report of the Land Agent for 1877 is as follows: 



"Under the acts of the Legislature of 1876 and 1877 seventy- 

 seven islands lying in the sea along the coast of Maine were 

 sold during the past year, as appears in schedules annexed. 

 Several remain which were withheld from sale on account of 

 the uncertainty of title." 



Under the above Act, during this year, the islands above 

 mentioned, lying in front of Washington County, were disposed 

 of. They were sold in blocks to seven purchasers, and the State 

 realized $251.00 from the sale. They were disposed of under 

 a Council order similar to that of November 17, 1876. 



An act passed in 1878, Chapter 51 of the Laws of that year, 

 authorized the Land Agent under the direction of the Governor 

 and Council to convey islands. 



These conveyances in 1877 ended the attempt by Maine to 

 dispose of all of its islands, the state at that time considering 

 the task completed, as shown in the Land Agent's report for 

 1878: 



