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of the soil, after setting out one for the discoverer, and one for the crown. But in New Spain there is no law to this effect, although the owner of the soil, as well as any other person, may afterwards register a mine if he pleases. Fourth, because it is to the advantage of the public, that ores should be searched for, and that mines should be explored and worked by the people generally, and the owner of the soil has therefore no right to prohibit them from doing so, nor can he have any right to deprive another of the fruits of his diligence. And this applies not only to mines of the precious metals, but also to any mineral deposits, as was determined by the senate of Granada, in a decision which is illustrated by Larrea, in his collection, where he shews, that upon the ground of utility to the public, any other person may work upon the continuation of the original vein. And Corradini, in his Tratado de el derecho de prelacion, puts the question in express terms, and comes to the conclusion, that the proprietor of the ground has no right of priority, if the veins belong to the sovereign, but that, if they belong by right to the private owner, he is to have the benefit of them, unless some other person have commenced digging, or have laid out money on them, in which case such latter person shall be preferred, upon the ground of his having taken earliest possession.‡

CHAPTER V.

OF REGISTERING MINES OF GOLD AND SILVER, AND OF ENTERING IN THE REGISTER THE SALES, TRANSFERS AND ALTERATIONS OF THE BOUNDARIES OF SUCH MINES; HOW AND BEFORE WHOM SUCH REGISTRY IS TO BE MADE; AND THAT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN REGISTRY AND DENOUNCEMENT IS ONLY IN FORM, AND NOT IN SUBSTANCE.

ORDINANCES XVII. XVIII. XIX. LXIX.

XVII. Also we ordain and command, that whoever shall discover a mine of gold, silver or other metal whatsoever, shall be bound, within 20 days after discovering or finding the ore, to register such mine before the mining justice within whose jurisdiction it shall be situate, and in the presence of a notary, producing the ore which he shall have found. And that the regis ter shall describe the person who has made the discovery and registry, and also the place where the mine is situate, and where the ore produced was found. And that the person making such registry shall, within sixty days

* Ordinance 2, of the viceroy Don Francisco de Toledo, in Escalona, lib. 2, cap. 1. page 105.

+ Larrea, dec. 44, n. 21. "Quasi publicæ utilitati quæ in metallorum indagatione consistit, maxime expediat a pluribus metalla perquiri et effodi." L. 1, Cod. de metallariis.

Corradini, de jur. prælat. q. 67 per totam.

from the making thereof, be bound to send, and shall send an authenticated copy of such registry, to our administrator-general, if there be one in the district, and if not, then to the administrator of the department, within which the mine may be situate, in order that the interest which each person may have in such mines, may be noted and entered in the book of registry, and so that all the mines which shall be discovered, may be known, and an account thereof taken. And that in case such registry be not made in the manner and within the time aforesaid, any person may register such mine, and shall thereby have and acquire the right which such discoverer or other person, who might have required the registry, would have had, if he had caused the registry to be made as aforesaid.

XVIII. Also, forasmuch as many new and old mines which have been discovered and registered previous to the time of issuing these our ordinances are occupied, but are kept at a stand and unworked, and there is no complete information as to these mines, the registries of which have been made in an irregular manner :-We ordain and command, that all persons who, previous to the issuing of these our ordinances, shall have explored and registered old or newly-discovered nines, shall be bound to renew and make such registry again, within the term of two months, according to, and in the manner prescribed by the last ordinance, with respect to such as may hereafter be discovered. And that they shall be bound, within the further period of 60 days, to send, and they shall send such registries to our administratorgeneral aforesaid, if there be one within the district, and if not, then to the administrator-general of the department within which the mine shall be situ ate; and that if they shall fail to do this, and to procure an authenticated copy of such registry, they shall be deemed to have forfeited, and shall for feit the right they may have acquired or may claim, to such mine, and that any person who shall take the proper steps, agreeably to this our edict, shall have the mine.

XIX. Also, we ordain and command, that the mining administrators of each district shall keep a book, in which shall be entered all the registries made in such district, concerning all the mines already discovered, or which may be discovered, taken, sold, or dealt with in any other manner, and such administrators shall send to the office of our principal accountant, each for his own district, a report of the state of the mines of these our kingdoms, and of what shall have been done concerning them, signed with his own name; and that after having sent the first report, they shall send, every six months, a like report of all that may have taken place, or been done in respect of the

same.

LXIX. Also, we ordain and command, that all persons who shall seek for, find and take, mines or streamworks of gold, as well the first discoverers as others, shall, in regard to the taking possession of, registering and staking out the boundaries of such mines, observe the provisions of such of these or

dinances as relate to the taking possession of, registering and staking out the boundaries of silver mines, and under the same penalties as are therein imposed; and that they shall be bound, in conformity with the last-mentioned ordinances, and under the like penalties, to transmit the registries to our administrator-general, or to the administrater of the department, and that the last-mentioned officers shall keep books of registry, for the mines of gold, in like manner as is provided in regard to those of silver.

CONTENTS OF THE COMMENTARY ON THESE ORDINANCES.

1. Of the necessity of registering the mines, and the time prescribed for that purpose. 2. What registry is.

3. It is the basis of the title to the property of the mine.

4. Arguments showing the advantage and necessity of such a proceeding.

5. One object amongst others, is to furnish the respective governments with information concerning the mines.

6. Of the book of registry, its object and advantages. It is to be kept by the administrator of the department.

7 and 8. There being no such officers in the Indies, these books are to be kept by the governors and chief alcaldes, to prevent mistakes or false entries. A notice of a very strict order to this effect, issued by the Marquess de Casa Fuerte, in the year 1727. 9 and 10. There must be a new registry for every change of owner, and the like upon an alteration of the boundaries.

11. In Peru there is a mining notary in each province.

12. The hour of making the registry must be entered, and why?

13. Several questions on the subject of registry proposed and answered.

14. The registry is not to be made before the officers of the crown.

15. Practice of the government in the case of new discoveries. Of the authority of the viceroys, and of the right of the presidents and governors to arrange matters concerning the government of the mines.

16 and 17. Delay in making registry is corrected, provided no other person shall have made registry in the mean time.

13. Of the facility with which the registry may be made, and which renders its omission inexcusable.

19. In Peru, the discoverer of a mine, not making registry within the time prescribed by the ordinance, loses the privilege of a discoverer.

20. Two exceptions to this rule, one when it is found impossible to do so, and the other in cases where the Indians are concerned, their ignorance being a sufficient excuse. 21 to 25. Registry and denouncement are substantially the same, although differing in form; which is proved by several arguments, and by inference from several of the ordinances.

COMMENTARY.

1. The three first of these ordinances agree with the 16th, 17th and 18th of the old ordinances, with the 4th chapter of the edict of the year 1559,†

* Law 5, tit. 13, book 6, Collection of Castile, cap. 16, 17 and 18.

Law 4, cap. 4, eod.

and with the ordinances of Peru,* in this respect, that all these laws direct that newly-discovered mines of silver shall be registered. The like provision is made with regard to gold, by the 69th ordinance. The ordinances of Peru, however, allow 30 days for making the registry; but in New Spain, the law of Castile is followed, which fixes 20 days.

2. Registry is nothing more than a public description of the person who has found the mine, and the place where it is situate, and an exhibition of the ore, to be made before a justice and notary. The practice in the mining districts of New Spain is, to present a written document stating the particulars above mentioned, and the signs by which the mine may be known, setting forth the mines and stakes of other proprietors contiguous to it, and mentioning the name by which it is to be distinguished. All the trial pits, whether large or small, pits, trenches and other works within the boundaries, are to be likewise registered. The justice then declares the mine to be registered, and gives permission to work it; after which the miner must sink it to the depth of three estados; subsequently also, he prays to have possession given to him, and the boundaries assigned.

3. The registry is the basis of the title to the mine, and the attributive cause of the subject's right of property in it; the crown having subjected the proprietor to this obligation when he made the mines common. And no mine can be lawfully worked, until registry is made, without which it is liable to be registered by any other person, the form of the ordinance not having been complied with.

4. The reasonableness of this regulation is evident. First, because the mines are not allowed to be worked without permission from the crown, or from the justice in the king's name ;§ which permission is granted at the time of making the registry. Second, because, as the revenue is interested in a share of the produce, it is incumbent on the discoverer to give information of his discovery, and by the civil law, concerning treasures, if he suppressed the discovery, he was liable to forfeit the whole of the treasure found, and double the value : and therefore, the discoverer, if he would preserve his right, should give notice of the discovery of the mine, and make himself known. Third, because, by another of the ordinances, no one can register another person's mine, or a mine which any other person has discovered and registered; and therefore the person who has discovered. the mine, ought to declare himself. Fourth, because, as is provided by another of the ordinances, no mine is allowed to be worked, unless both a vein and metallic ore be actually present," on which account the ore must be

* Ordinance 4. Escalona, Gazophil. lib. ii, p. 2, cap. 1, pag. 105. † See chap. 16. ord. 35 and 36.

Law 1, tit. 19, book 4, Collection of the Indies.

Gutierr. Pract. q. 37. n. 63.

** Chap. 14, ordinance 30.

L. 3. §. fin. ff. de jur. fisci. Law. 1, tit. 13, book 6, Collection of Castile.
See chap. 6, ordinance 20.

produced, and an oath must be taken, as provided by the ordinance of Peru, cited above, that it was found at the place described, in order that it may appear that the pit, which is proposed to be opened and worked, is not so proposed under a false or malicious pretence. Fifth, because, as all the mines, whether those taken by the first discoverer, or ordinary mines, must have some determinate limits and boundaries assigned to them, their sight to be made known and pointed out for that purpose. Sixth, because, as a preference is given in measuring out the boundaries of the mines, according to the longer or shorter time which has elapsed since making the registry,† it is requisite that it should be made in due form, and consequently, if no registry be made, the title is defective. Seventh, because it frequently happens, where a communication is made between the workings of two mines, that it is alleged that one or the other of them was commenced upon dead ground, not containing a vein or ore. And although, under certain circumstances, which will be noticed in their proper place, the registry is not conclusive evidence to the contrary, yet it may be of much assistance in establishing that the mine was properly commenced, if, as is generally the case, no clearer proofs of malice or fraud be adduced.

5. Besides the above-mentioned, another important object is attained by means of the registry, namely, that of having an account of all the mines which exist, or which may be discovered, as the ordinances express it; by. which means, not only the rights of individuals in relation to the mines, are assured, and this important class of property preserved in a regular course of succession; but the withholding of the tenths or fifths payable on the silver which may be raised from them is prevented, and the government is furnished with authentic information concerning the mines, and is enabled to make proper arrangements in relation to their economy and government. With this view therefore, it is ordered, not only that the mine owners shall transmit their registries to the administrator-general, but that the mining administrator of each district shall keep a book, in which he is to enter all registries which may be made of mines already discovered, or to be discov ered, taken, sold or dealt with in any other manner within his district; and that he shall send a report to the office of the principal accountant every

six months.

6. Properly speaking, the register is the book in which deeds and grants are entered, for the perpetual remembrance thereof; so that if they be lost, torn or defaced, or if any question be raised as to their identity or authority, recourse may be had to the book of registry, as appears from the law of the Partida, agreeable to which all gifts and grants are registered in the public

Chap. 10, ordinance 23.

† Chap. 11, ordinance 25.

Law 8, tit. 19, part 3. "And we declare that the register is, in other words, a book to preserve the remembrance of the deeds and grants which may be made. And it is of much use for if the grant or deed be lost or torn, or if the writing be effaced, by age or by any other means

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