If the title to any part of the lands required by the United States Government for the construction of the aforesaid inland waterway from the North Carolina-South Carolina State line at Little River to Winyah Bay shall be in any private person, company, firm or corporation, railroad company, canal company, telephone or telegraph company or other public service corporation or shall have been donated or condemned for any such use by any political subdivision of this State, the Department of Health and Environmental Control may, acting for and in behalf of the State, secure a right of way of the width aforesaid for such inland waterway upon, across and through such lands or any part thereof by purchase, donation or otherwise, through agreement with the owner when possible, and when any such property is thus acquired the Governor and the Secretary of State shall execute a deed for it to the United States.