SUPREME COURT OF THE CANAL ZONE.

Fifth. That the said plaintiffs as sole surviving heirs of Feliciano Villalobos, deceased, and his son Jose S. Villalobos, deceased, are the absolute and sole owners in common of the premises. .
The above land being described in a denouncement made thereof by said Feliciano Villalobos, deceased, in the Official Gazette of Panama, No. 34, under date of March 15, 1856, and denounced in the Official Gazette of Panama, No. 1189, at page 1250, under date of September 14, 1898; a translation of said denouncement being as follows:
No. 16. Feliciano Villalobos, as owner of the land called Playa de Flor, whose boundaries and limits are on the front by the ocean at Playa de Flor to the place called Los Pescaderitos in depth, and extending in parallel lines from one to the other extreme unto the place known by the name of Santa Rita, have presented a document with four witnesses made before the Judge of the District of Colon in December, 1855.
Sixth. That the plantiffs herein and those under whom they are claiming have been in the exclusive adverse and actual possession and ownership of the above-described real estate since the year 1855.
Seventh. That all records of title of said property prior to the year 1885 have been lost or destroyed in the burning of the City of Colon in that year, and that there is now no documentary evidence or other records showing title in the above-named plaintiffs excepting such as hereinbefore stated.
In due course proper service was made, and answer of all defendants filed, save and except one who was by the court defaulted.
On July 1, 1908, the United States Government, by counsel, appeared and filed its bill of intervention, claiming and maintaining absolute title and sovereignity to premises in question. Leave was granted to such intervenor to be made a party defendant with right and time to answer in due course. Such answer being filed, and the complainants having likewise answered the bill of intervention, the Clerk of Court caused a land title notice, naming defendants and "all to whom it may concern," to be published for three consecutive weeks as provided by law. Proof of publication being filed, issue was joined and the cause advanced to trial, when the evidence of plaintiffs was offered. At the conclusion of the evidence so offered by plaintiffs the defendants filed their demurrer to the testimony, and moved that the case be dismissed on the proof adduced as failing to establish title, and contention of complainants. In the presentation of such motion defendants announced their intention to stand by such motion and offer no proof ci- further defense. The intervenor, the United States Government, joined in the presentation of the demurrer by like-

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