on, —~ 53 or minerals underthe surface of private lands, all property which at the time of the cession belonged, underthe law of Spain then in force, to the various harbor works boards of Puerto Rico, all the harbor shores, docks, slips, reclaimed lands, andall public lands and buildings not heretofore reserved by the United States for public purposes, 1s hereby placed under the control of the Government of Puerto Rico, to be administered for the benefit of the people of Puerte Rico; and the Legislature of Puerto Rico shall have authority; subject to the fee teecene amma means OT Src. & That the harbor areas and navigable streams and bodies of water and submerged land underlying the same in and aroundthe’ Island of Puerto Rico and the adjacent islands and waters, now owned by the United States and not reserved by the United States for public purposes be, and the same are hereby, placed under the control of the Government of Puerto Rico, to be administered in the same manner and subject to the limitations as the property enumerated in the preceding section; Provided that all laws of the United States for the protection and improvement of the navigable waters of the United States and the preservation of the interests of navigation and commerce, except so far as the same maybe locally inapplicabic, shall apply to said Island and waters and to its adjacent islands and waters; provided, further, that nothing in this Act contained shall be construed so as to affect or impair in any mannerthe terms or conditions of any authorizations, permits, or other powers herctofore lawfully granted or excreised in or in respect of said waters and submerged land in and surrounding said Island and its adjacent islands by the Seeretary of Warorother‘authorized officer or agent of the United States; and provided, further, that the Act of Congress approved June eleventh nineteen hundred and six, entitled ‘An Act to empowerthe Secretary of War, undercertain restrictions, to authorize the construction, extension, and maintemunce of wharves, piers, and other structures on lands underlying harbor areas in navigable streams and bodies of waterin or surrounding Puerto Rico andthe islands adjacent thereto,’ andall other Jaws and purts of laws in conflict with this section be, and the same are hereby, repealed. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, as used in this section (1) submerged lands underlying navigable bodies af water include lands permanently or periodically covered by tidal waters up to but not ubovethe line of mean high tide, all lands underlying the navigable bodies of water in and around the island of Puerto Rico and the ad- sk limitations imposed uponail of its acts, to legislate with respect to all such matters as it may deem advisable; Provided, that the President may fromtime to time, in his discretion, convey to the people of Puerto Rico such lands, buildings or interests in lands or other property now owned by the United States and withinthe territorial limits of Puerto Rico as im his opinion are no longer needed for purposes of the United States, And he mayfromtime to time acceptby legislative grant from Puerto Rico any lands, buildings or other interests or property which may be needed for public purposes by the United States. Votwithstanding any other provision of law, as used in this section ‘control’ ineludes all right, title and interest in and to and jurisdiction and authority over the aforesaid property and includes proprictary rights of ownership, and the rights of management, adinin‘astration, leasing, use and development of such property.”