court comissioner of the circuit court; commissioner of any federal court within the state who has filed with the clerk of the circuit court of the county in which he resides his certificate of appointment or a certified copy thereof; county clerk; register of deeds; notary public; justice of the peace. Out of the state and within the United States, by a judge or clerk of a court of record; notary public; justice of the peace; master in chancery or other officer authorized by the laws of such other state; commissioner appointed by the governor of Wisconsin for such purpose. If executed within the jurisdiction of any military post of the United States not within Wisconsin, the commanding officer thereof is qualified to take acknowledgments. Unless the acknowledgment be taken before such commissioner, notary public, clerk of a court, or commanding officer of a military post, with their seals attached, it must be authenticated by a certificate from the clerk of the proper court. Out of the United States, by a notary public or other officer authorized by the laws of such country to take the acknowledgment of deeds therein; minister plenipotentiary, minister extraordinary, minister resident, charge d'affaires, commissioner, or consul, of the United States, appointed to reside in any foreign country. Wyoming.-Acknowledgments of deeds and other instruments may be taken within the state, by a judge or clerk of a court of record; county clerk; United States commissioner; notary public; justice of the peace. Out of the state and within the United States, by a commissioner of Wyoming appointed by the governor; any officer authorized by the laws of the state or territory where the acknowledgment is taken. In the latter case there must be attached a certificate of authentication from the clerk, or other proper certifying officer, of the court of record of the county where the acknowledgment is taken. Out of the United States, by a consul-general, consul, or vice-consul, of the United States. Every notary public, justice of the peace, or commissioner of deeds for Wyoming shall add to his certificate the date of the expiration of his commission or term of office.

PROVINCES OF THE DOMINION OF CANADA

British Columbia.-- Acknowledgments of deeds and other instruments may be taken within the province, by a registrar or deputy registrar of titles; stipendiary magistrate or justice of the peace; judge or registrar of a court having a seal; notary public. Without the province and within the British dominions, by a judge, clerk, or registrar of a court having a seal; magistrate of any town or district within such dominion having a seal of office; notary public; commissioner appointed for taking acknowledgments out of the province. Without the British dominions, by a British ambassador, charge d'affaires, minister, consul,

or consular agent; judge of any court of record having a seal; notary public. In case the acknowledgment be taken by one of the last two named officers, it must be accompanied by a certificate of authentication from some of the above-named British officers, or from the governor or secretary of the state, province or territory. In joint deeds, the wife must be examined separately and apart.

Manitoba.-Acknowledgments of deeds and other instruments may be taken within the province, by a commissioner for taking affidavits in the king's bench; registrar or deputy registrar of the county where the land conveyed is situated; judge of any of the superior or county courts; justice of the peace. Without the province and within the British dominions, by a judge or prothonotary of any of the superior courts of law or equity; notary public. Without the British dominions, by a judge of a court of record; notary public; mayor of any city or town corporate, certified under the common seal of such city or town; British consul or vice-consul.

New Brunswick.-Acknowledgments of deeds and other instruments may be taken within the province, by a judge of a court of record; registrar; notary public. Without the province and within the British dominions, by a judge of the high court of Great Britain or Ireland, judge or lord of session in Scotland, or judge of any court of supreme jurisdiction in any British colony or dependency; notary public; mayor or chief magistrate of a city, municipality, borough, or town corporate. The handwriting of any such judge is to be authenticated under seal by a notary public. Without the British dominions, by a notary public; mayor of a city or town; governor of any state; British minister, consul, or consular agent. Proof of the execution of any deed may be made by the oath of a subscribing witness before any of the above-named officers, or a commissioner for taking affidavits.

Nova Scotia.—Acknowledgments of deeds and other instruments may be taken within the province, by a judge of the supreme court; registrar; notary public; justice of the peace. Without the province and within the British dominions, by a commissioner to take affidavits without the province; judge of a court of record; mayor of a city; justice of the peace; notary public. Without the British dominions, by a British consul, or any of the above-named officers. Proof of the execution of a deed may be made before any of the above officials by the oath of one of the subscribing witnesses.

Ontario.—Acknowledgments of deeds and other instruments may be taken within the province, by a registrar; justice of the peace; commissioner appointed for that purpose by the courts. Without the province, by a notary public; judge of any court of record; mayor or chief magistrate of any city or town; commissioner of deeds appointed for that purpose; British consul or vice-consul. Proof of all deeds,

mortgages, and other instruments, for registration, is made by an affidavit by a subscribing witness before any one of the above officials. One credible person who can read and write will suffice as a witness.

Quebec.-Mortgages and deeds affecting the title of lands held under the French system must be passed before a notary public. Where the lands are held in free and common socage, such deeds may be passed either before a notary, or before two witnesses, one of whom makes affidavit to the signatures, in order to prove their authenticity. Dee ds of real property in this province made by parties residing in the United States are valid if executed and acknowledged according to the laws of the locality where made.

ALIENS

An alien, resident or non-resident, may take and hold property, real and personal, either by purchase, descent, or devise, and may dispose of and transmit the same by sale, descent, or devise, in the same manner as a native citizen, in Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada (except Mongolians), New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming. The same is true of England and all of the provinces of Canada, except in New Brunswick and Ontario, where there are restrictions on the right of an alien to acquire title to British ships.

Resident aliens may take and hold real estate in California, Connecticut, Iowa, Kansas, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. A resident having made bona-fide declaration of his intention to become a citizen of the United States, may hold and transmit realty in Delaware, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, and Washington.

The following are special provisions in certain jurisdictions:

Arizona.-If property descend to an alien, he has 5 years to become a citizen, and take possession of, or sell, the same, provided that treaties of the United States with the nation of the alien do not otherwise direct; and provided that aliens may take and hold by descent from an alien or citizen in the same manner in which citizens of the United States may take by devise or descent within the country of the alien.

California. -No non-resident foreigner can take by succession unless he appear and claim such succession within 5 years after the death of the decedent to whom he claims succession; otherwise, aliens are under no statutory disability.

Connecticut.-Aliens residing in the United States and subjects of France may hold and transmit land; other non-resident aliens may hold and transmit lands for mining and quarrying purposes.

Delaware.-Resident aliens in this state, having declared their intention of becoming citizens of the United States, may hold and transmit real estate. If aliens die intestate their heirs may take, even if the heirs be aliens, provided that they reside within the limits of the United States at time of the intestate's death. All purchases,

conveyances, and devises made by or to an alien prior to January 1, 1897, shall be as good and effectual as if such alien had been a citizen. An intermediate alien is no bar to descent, provided the one claiming is capable of taking. The personal estate of a deceased alien who has died intestate is distributed as if he were a citizen. The widow and children of an alien now take the same estate that the law gave him, and legal proceedings for the conveyance of the estate of such widow and children shall be as effectual to transfer the property as if said alien had been a citizen.

District of Columbia.-Aliens cannot acquire or own real estate, except where the right is secured by existing treaties.

Illinois.-Aliens may acquire property in the same manner as citizens, but must sell real estate within 6 years after acquiring the same if 21 years of age, or within 6 years after becoming 21 years of age, if a minor when lands were acquired. Becoming a citizen within the 6 years relieves from the penalties of the statute.

Indian Territory.-There is no law as to the disposition, transmission, inheritance, or as to acquiring in any way lands and other property, as all lands in the Indian Territory are held in common by the members of the Indian nations.

Indiana.-Real estate may be acquired by aliens by purchase, devise, or descent and enjoyed by them the same as citizens, whether resident of the United States or a foreign country; but lands in excess of 320 acres so acquired and held, and remaining unconveyed at the end of 5 years after such acquisition, or after the alien has arrived at the age of 21 years, if a minor, escheats to the state, unless the owner shall meanwhile become a citizen of the United States.

Iowa.-Non-resident aliens or corporations incorporated under the laws of any foreign country, or corporations organized in this country, one-half of the stock of which is owned or controlled by non-resident aliens, are prohibited from acquiring title to or holding any real estate in this state, except as hereinafter provided, save that the widow and heirs and devisees, being non-resident aliens of any alien or naturalized citizen who has acquired real estate in this state, may hold the same by devise, descent, or distribution, for a period of 20 years, and, if at the end of that time such real estate have not been sold to a bona-fide purchaser for value, or such alien heirs have not become residents of this state, such land shall escheat to the state. Provided, that nothing in this act contained shall prevent aliens from having or acquiring property of any kind within the corporate limits of any city or town in the state, or lands not to exceed 320 acres in the name of one person, or stock in any corporation for pecuniary profit, or from alienating or devising the same.