An Act to provide for the sale, transfer or quitclaim of title to certain lands in Florida
PL 82-185 (H.R.2684), enacted 10/20/1951

65 STAT.] 
PUBLIC LAW 185—OCT. 20, 1951 
571 
ing three thousand three hundred twenty-two and forty-three one-
hundredths square feet. 
And upon acceptance of such title to such parcel of land, the Secre-
tary of the Interior, acting for and on behalf of the United States 
of America, is authorized and directed to convey, without cost to 
the United States of America, to the grantor of the above-described 
tract of land, all right, title, and interest of the United States of 
America in and to the following-described tract of land owned by 
the United States of America and located in the District of Columbia, 
more particularly described as follows: 
Parts of lots 9 and 10, square 1194, as per plat recorded in the Office 
of the Surveyor of the District of Columbia in Book G. T. 2, at page 
23, described as follows: 
Beginning for the same at a point on the south line of M Street, 
said point of beginning being the northwest comer of lot 9 and running 
thence along the south line of M Street east thirty-nine and fifty-five 
one-hundredths feet to the northeast corner of lot 10; thence along 
the east line of said lot 10 south twenty-four feet; thence south twenty-
eight degrees sixteen minutes fifty seconds west eighty-three and 
forty-seven one-hundredths feet to a point in the northerly line of 
Pennsylvania Avenue, said point being the southwest comer of said 
lot 9; thence along the west line of said lot 9 north ninety-seven and 
fifty-one one-hundredths feet to the point of beginning, containing 
two thousand four hundred two and eighty-six one-hundredths square 
feet. 
The deeds of conveyance from the United States of America shall 
contain such conditions, covenants, or restrictions as the Secretary of 
the Interior, after consultation with the National Capital Park and 
Planning Commission, shall see fit to impose in connection with the 
future widening of Pennsylvania Avenue. 
All land descriptions set forth in this Act are in accordance with a 
plat of computation recorded in the Office of the Surveyor of the 
District of Columbia in survey book 161, page 309. 
Approved October 20, 1951. 
Deeds of convey-
Public Law 185 
CHAPTER 523 
AN ACT 
To provide for the sale, transfer, or quitclaim of title to certain lands in Florida. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled^ That the Secretary 
of the Interior shall, as soon as reasonably possible, make an investi-
gation to determine whether or not certain lands between the shore line 
of the Gulf of Mexico and township G south, range 12 west, Tallahassee 
meridian, Florida, as represented on the official plat approved in 
April 1834 are unsurveyed public lands. The Secretary shall promptly 
notify all interested persons of his determination in such manner as 
he may find appropriate. 
SEC. 2. If the Secretary finds any such unsurveyed public lands, he 
shall cause them to be surveyed. If such lands have not been appro-
priated under the public-land laws, the Secretary shall appraise such 
lands and oifer them for sale for a period of thirty days at their 
appraised price to the owners of the adjoining uplands in such 
township. 
SEC. 3. If the Secretary determines that the areas investigated under 
this Act are not unsurveyed public lands, he shall, upon request of 
October 20,1951 
[H. R. 2684] 
Florida. 
Sale, etc., of certaui 
lands. 
572 
PUBLIC LAW 186—OCT. 20, 1951 
[65 STAT. 
Acceptance of con-
tributions. 
any adjoining upland owner, issue a quitclaim deed to the owners of 
adjoining upland for the lands between the original meander line and 
the shore line, without making a survey. 
SEC. 4. For the benefits of this Act the ownership of such adjoining 
uplands shall be determined as of the date of October 2, 1946. Any 
adjoining upland owner receiving a conveyance of lands under the 
provisions of this Act, who shall have prior to receipt of such con-
veyance conveyed or contracted to convey any part of such lands, shall 
through any conveyance made under this Act take title in trust for 
any such grantees and their successors in interest. 
SEC. 5. In order to facilitate prompt execution of the investigations, 
examinations, surveys, or other action which may be necessary to carry 
out the provisions of this Act, the Secretary may accept contributions 
to be used for such purpose. 
Approved October 20, 1951. 
October 20,1951 
[H. R. 1764] 
Public Law 186 
CHAPTER 524 
AN ACT 
To authorize the Secretaries of the Army and Air Force to settle, pay, adjust, 
and compromise certain claims for damages and for salvage and towage and 
to execute releases, certifications, and reports with respect thereto, and for 
other purposes. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
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^ United States of Amerioa in Congress assembled, That the Secretaries 
Certain maritime of the Army and Air Force, under the direction of the Secretary of 
'''^™^" 
Defense, are hereby authorized to consider, ascertain, adjust, deter-
mine, compromise, or settle claims for damages caused by vessels of 
or in the service of their respective departments, and for compensation 
for towage and salvage services, including contract salvage, rendered 
to such vessels, and to pay the amount of any claims so determined, 
compromised, or settled, and upon acceptance of such payment by the 
claimant, and not until then, such determination, settlement, or com-
promise of such claim shall be final and conclusive for all purposes, 
any law to the contrary notwithstanding: Provided, That this section, 
as respects the determination, compromise, settlement, and payment 
of claims, shall be supplementary to, and not in lieu of, all other 
provisions of law authorizing consideration, adjustment, determina-
autiwrized''^^**""^ ^^^^"i Settlement, and payment of claims: Provided further. That all 
payments of claims made under this section shall be made out of 
applicable appropriations which are hereby authorized: And 
provided 
further, That the payment of any claim on which a net amount exceed-
ing $500,000 is determined to be due from the United States, or which 
is compromised or settled at a net amount exceeding $500,000 payable 
by the United States, shall not be authorized by this section, and all 
claims determined, compromised, or settled hereunder at a net amount 
exceeding $500,000 payable by the United States shall be certified by 
the Secretary concerned to the Congress. 
SEC. 2. The Secretaries of the Army and Air Force, under the direc-
tion of the Secretary of Defense, are hereby authorized to consider, 
ascertain, adjust, determine, compromise, or settle claims for damage 
cognizable in admiralty in a district court of the United States and 
all claims for damage caused by a vessel or floating object to property 
Limitation of au 
thority. 
Damage claims 
favor of U. S.