a notary public may be described as an officer of the law, whose public office and duty it is to
- draw, attest or certify under his official seal deeds and other documents, including wills or other testamentary documents, conveyances of real and personal property and powers of attorney;
- authenticate such documents under his signature and official seal in such a manner as to render them acceptable, as proof of the matters attested by him, to the judicial or other public authorities in the country where they are to be used, whether by means of issuing a notarial certificate as to the due execution of such documents or by drawing them in the form of public instruments;
- keep a protocol containing originals of all instruments which he makes in the public form and to issue authentic copies of such instruments;
- administer oaths and declarations for use in proceedings
- note or certify transactions relating to negotiable instruments, and to draw up protests or other formal papers relating to occurrences on the voyages of ships and their navigation as well as the carriage of cargo in ships.
