sixteen in township five south of range seven west has been put in market and is now subject to private entry at six dollars per

acre.

There are several individuals desirous of purchasing these lands, who were not quite ready at the time they were publicly offered The whole section will unquestionably soon be taken.

UNIVERSITY LANDS.

We have sold of these lands during the last fiscal year 382 48-100 acres; which added to the whole amount previously sold makes the sum total of all sales of these lands after deducting all forfeitures, to be 20,692 2-100 acres. This amount taken from the amount selected (44,416 31-100) leaves a balance now on hand, subject to sale, of 23,724 29-100 acres.

The eighty-six town lots in Beeson's second addition to the village of Niles, in Berrien county, belonging to the University, I have put in market at public auction. Most of them were purchased under the hammer. They brought but little more than the appraised value, which was, no doubt, a judicious valuation. The sales of the 80 lots, taken at auction, amount to $626,50. There are left unsold

lots, appraised in all at 92 dollars.

Agreeably to the provisions of Act No. 26 of 1849, I have of fered at public sale, at Toledo, the University lands by that town.

After carefully examining these lands and obtaining the best information I could as to the course best to pursue for the interest of the fund, I decided to subdivide them into lots, varying in size, from about ten to about forty acres. They were then appraised by Lucius Lyon, D. D. Sinclair and John Allen. And the minimum fixed varies, on the various lots from twelve to thirty dollars per acre. The average minimum of the whole lands, is 19 657-1000 dollars per

acre.

I was disappointed in the value they affixed to these lands. I had supposed they were worth much more. But, on offering them, I found they were valued as high as they would bear. I am sensible, however, that the time is not far distant when they will be worth three times their present value. And were they situated in our own

state, and subject to our own laws, I should addeem it decidedly bad policy to sell them at the present prices, though all other things were equal. But, as it is, it may, perhaps, be as well to let them go. They will undoubtedly soon all be purchased up, if left open for entry at the present minimum, and public information of the fact be generally given.

We sold of these lands, under the hammer, 110 21-100 acres, at an average price of 24 19-100 dollars per acre; amounting to 2,666 25-100 dollars; one third of which was paid down; one third is to be paid on the first of March next, with interest, and the balance in one year from that time, with interest.

On surveying tract No. 7, we found that 44 68-100 acres of the east part ot said tract, were claimed by one Baldwin, and had, long ago, been built upon, fenced and improved. And on examination of the county Register's books at Maumee, we there found that a patent was issued, on the first of July 1831, to John T. Baldwin, who obtained it under the pre-emption law then in force. The land, granted by it, is described in the patent as the "Lower Island [socalled] in the Maumee river, within the United States' Reserve of twelve miles square at the foot of the rapids of the Maumee river, situate opposite lots numbered six and seven, in township three containing seventy-nine acres and eleven hundredths of an acre, according to the official plat of the survey of the said lands returned to the General Land office by the Surveyor General." Now the copy of the official plat, before mentioned, shows such an island laid down in the Maumee river, in front of these tracts. But this showing is altogether erroneous, for no such island ever existed.

A point of meadow land puts out into the river, at the east end of tract No. 7, and extends down the river in front of tracts No. 5 and 6, and from the best information we can obtain, it appears that this point was surveyed and patented as an island, several years after tract No. 7, of which it really forms a part, was selected for the University.

Believing that the claim of the University to all that portion of said point which lies south of the north line of tract No. 7, (extending east to the main channel of the river) can be maintained at law, we had it accurately surveyed and appraised; and offered it at public auction, though, of course, without any bidders. It was

appraised at twenty dollars per acre; amounting to 893 60-100 dollars.

The law, under which said Baldwin obtained his patent, by preemption, was passed in 1830, granting pre-emption rights to all settlers who were on, and had improved lands, in 1829. And Baldwin having been on the lands in 1829, there might possibly arise a question whether he would not hold the lands by possession, having occupied them twenty years. But the provisions of said pre-emption law, grant the privilege of purchase, to settlers upon lands of the United States, not reserved from sale by the General Government. These lands had, long before, been reserved. So he can have no shadow of a claim for possession anterior to the date of his patent, which was eighteen years ago last July. The object, in offering these lands at public sale, was to make a public assertion of the rights of Michigan to the lands.

The University lands at Toledo are known as tracts No. 7, 8, 9 and 10, in the United States Reserve of twelve miles square lying on the Maumee river. They contain, according to United States survey and returns 515 10-100 acres. But on subdividing them into suitable lots to sell to advantage, we made a very careful and accurate survey, giving the particular meander of the river, with aecurate notes. And in summing up the acres in the subdivisions we found the true amount of the whole lands to be 621 31-100 acres. Which is 106 20-100 acres above the United States survey. These surplus lands at the present average minimum (19,657) are worth 2,088 dollars.

Tract No. 10 overruns the government returns by 1 92-100 acres; Tract No. 9, by 1 12-100 acres; Tract No. 8, by 14 68-100 acres; and Tract No. 7, by 83 49-100 acres. So that in tract No. 7, after deducting the 44 68-100 acres claimed by Baldwin, we then have a surplus of 43 81-100 acres. This might induce one to suppose there might be some mistake about the lands claimed by Baldwin, ever being any part of tract No. 7. But the official plat from the general government represents tract No. 7 as bounded on the south and east by the Maumee river. Baldwin's land therefore cannot lie either south or east of this tract unless it be an island. Tract No. 7 is a three cornered piece of land. The north west corner is a right angle from which the west boundary line and the north boundary

line of said tract are drawn, one running due east from said right angle to the Maumee river, and the other running due south from said angle to the river. The river runs by this tract an east-north-easterly direction, and thus forms its boundary on the south and east. I have been thus particular that the legislature may have all the facts that I have been able to collect. And should we lose the Baldwin piece, we still gain by the survey 61 53-100 acres appraised at over, 1,200 dollars.

And

For reasons hereinafter assigned for not having complied with the requirements of Act No. 207 of 1849, we were unable to make the statements by the first of July, to the Board of Regents of the University, required by the first section of Act No. 59 of 1849. for further reasons we cannot in this report, give all the details therein required, not yet having been able to arrive at a clear understanding of all the business transactions relative to these lands while under the charge of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. ter the books and business passed in the hands of Judge Bell, all is clear and straight. From that time to the present, we can give a perfect account of every business transaction of the office. But we will in the course of the winter make out and transmit to the Board of Regents as correct a statement of the facts called for by the said act as we may be able to form.

Af

SALT SPRING LANDS.

Since our last annual report the Secretary of the Treasury has approved of the selection of the 21,084 45-100 acres which had so long remained without confirmation.

But of the 45,348 55-100 acres of salt spring lands that have now been selected and the selection sanctioned according to law, there are twelve sections, containing 7,605 27-100 acres, which had been sold by the general government to sundry individuals, prior to the selection. These twelve sections lie in Wayne and Macomb counties. Those in Wayne are sections number 2, 3, 4 and 5, in town 1 south of range 8 east containing 2,485 27-100 acres. Those in Macomb are sections number 8, 9, 10 and 15 in town 3 north of range 14 east, and sections number 11, 14, 21 and 22 in town 4 north of range

12 east containing 5,120 acres; making in all 7,605 27-100 acres; worth at the minimum price 30,421 8-100 dollars.

The "Board of Education" last May, selected these twelve sections, as a part of the twenty-five sections appropriated for the establishment of a Normal School, by Act number 138 of 1849; as may be seen by reference to schedules marked (B) and (C) appended to this report, giving the description of the twenty five sections selected by that board.

state.

It is unfortunate that these lands have gone beyond our reach, as by their location they would be valuable though in their natural And we are not now certain of getting even other wild lands in their stead; as the period for their selection was limited by law to January 1st, 1840. It will be well however to apply to the General Government through our members of Congress, to have this deficiency made up. And perhaps as the government erred in confirming, as well as Michigan in selecting, it may be disposed to give us in other lands an equivalent in value, to what these lands would now in a state of nature, be worth; which is, at least, the minimum, or four dollars per acre.

That you may have the views of the proper department of the general government on the subjeet, I subjoin the following letter

from the commissioner of the General Land Office.

SIR:

GENERAL LAND OFFICE,
July 6th, 1849.

Referring to the letter of my predecessor, to you, of the 18th December, 1848, on the subject of the reservation, for Saline purposes, of sections two, three, four and five of town one south, range eight east, Detroit-I have now to inform you, that the attention of this office has been again recently called to the subject, and that it is found on examination, that not only the lands above referred to, but also sections eight, nine, ten and 15 of town three north, range fourteen east, and sections eleven, fourteen, 21 and 22, of town four north range twelve east, (likewise selected by the State and reserved by the Secretary of the Treasury, in 1837, for this purpose,) had been disposed off by the Government, prior to the passage of the law authori zing the saline selections.

The question having been submitted to the Secretary of the Interior,