CLASSIFICATION IN RELATION TO WATEB BESOURCBS. 163 



of the public survey or tracings of them, and the status of the lands 

 as to ownership is ascertained by examination of the records of the 

 General Land Ofl&ce and indicated on the township plats or tracings. 

 All patented lands are eliminated from further consideration. Lands 

 which are covered by location or entry but title to which still remains 

 in the United States are included in withdrawals to the end that the 

 order of withdrawal may become effective if for any reason the lands 

 do not proceed to patent. Such withdrawal in no way affects the 

 rights of an entryman who proceeds with the acquisition of his claim 

 in accordance with the law, but it immediately becomes operative in 

 case the claim is abandoned or for any reason becomes invalid. 



Definite description of the surveyed lands to be withdrawn is made 

 by legal subdivisions in conformity with the official survey. Unsur- 

 veyed lands are described by townships and some lands in town- 

 ships that are partly surveyed by sections, in accordance with the 

 probable protraction of the public survey ; also by distance from the 

 stream or streams having value as a source of power, in some such 

 phrase as " all land within half a mile of Snake Eiver." 



All withdrawals are so made as to include the least area that will 

 effectively protect the resources involved. Where data are meager or 

 defective the withdrawals are at first necessarily of relatively great 

 extent but are eventually reduced as more definite and reliable data 

 are acquired. The area of the land to be withdrawn in each town- 

 ship is compiled from the plats of the public survey, or estimated for 

 unsurveyed lands, and the total area of the withdrawal is computed. 



4. Preparation of order of withdrawal. The draft of a formal 

 order of withdrawal is next prepared, together with a letter to the 

 Secretary of the Interior transmitting the order and recommending 

 its approval. On approval by the Secretary of the Interior orders 

 of withdrawal are transmitted to the President for his consideration 

 and become effective on his approval. The following order is typical 

 of the present form of withdrawals under the acts of June 25, 1910 

 (36 Stat., 847), and August 24, 1912 (37 Stat, 497) : 



Department of the Intebioe, 



United States Geological Suevey, 



October 12, 1912. 

 Tlie honorable the Seceetaby of the Intebiob. 



Sie: In accordance with your general instruction, I recommend the with- 

 drawal for water-power sites of the following areas, involving 240 acres. This 

 order of withdrawal includes no lands covered by enlarged-homestead designa- 

 tions. 



Very respectfully, Geo. Otis Smith, 



Director. 



October 19, 1912. 

 Respectfully referred to the President with favorable recommendation. 



Samuel Adams, 

 Acting Secretary. 



