TREASURE TROVE. Found treasure. This name is given to such money or coin, gold, silver, plate, or bullion, which, having been hidden' or concealed in the earth or other private place so long that its owner is unknown, has been dis covered by accident. Should the owner be found, it must be restored to him; and in case of not finding him, the proporty, according to the Eng lish law, belongs to the king. In the latter case, by the civil law, when the treasure was found by the owner of the soil he was considered as entitled to it by the doable title of owner and Ender; when found on another's property, one-half belonged to the owner of the estate and the ether to the finder; when found on public property,it belonged one half to the publie treasury and the other to tbe finder. Lecons du Dr. Rom. 350-352. This in cludes not only gold and silver, but whatever may constitute riches: as, vases, urns, statues, etc.
The Roman definition includes the same things ender the word pecunia; but the thing found must have a commercial value; for ancient tombs would not be ccinsidered a treasure. The thing must have been hidden or concealed in the earth, and no one must he able to establish his right te it. It must be found by a pure accident, and ncit iu otiose quence of search. Dalloz, Diet. Propriere, art. 3, s. 3.
According to the French law, le tresor est touts chose cachee oa enfonie, sur laquelle personne ne peut justifier sa preprieta, et qui est decouverte par le pur effet'clu hasard. Code Civ. 716. See 4 Toullier, n. 84. See, generally, 20 Viner, Abr. 414; 7 Comps, Dig. 649; 1 Brown, Civ. Law, 237; 1 Blackstone, Comm. 295; Pothier, Traite du Droit de Proprieti, art. 4.