Chap. 299.—An ACT to amend the charter of the Newport News shipbuilding and
dry dock company by amending and re-enacting section 4 of chapter 51, acts of

assembly, 1885-1886, entitled an act to incor porate the Chesapeake dry dock and
construction company, etc.

Approved February 11, 1898.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That section
four of chapter fifty-one of acts of assembly, eighteen hundred and
sighty-five and eighty-six, entitled an act to incorporate the Chesapeake
dry dock and construction company as amended and re-enacted by chap-
fer two hundred and thirty-five of acts of assembly, eighteen hundred
und eighty-nine and ninety, entitled an act to change the name of the
Chesapeake dry dock and construction company to New port News ship-
building and dry dock company, and to amend and re-enact sections
one, four, six, seven and eight of chapter fifty-one of acts of assembly,
eighteen hundred and eighty-five and eighty-six, entitled an act to in-
corporate the Chesapeake dry dock and construction company, as
amended and re-enacted by chapter twenty-two of acts of assembly,
eighteen hundred and ninety-one and nincty-two, entitled an act to
amend the charter of the Newport News shipbuilding and dry dock
company, by amending and re-enacting section two of chapter fifty-one,
acts of assembly eighteen hundred and eighty-five, and eighty-six, entitled
an act to incorporate the Chesapeake dry dock and construction company,
and section four of chapter fifty-one of acts of assembly, eighteen hundred
and eighty-five and eighty-six entitled an act to incorporate the Chesapeake
dry dock and construction company, as amended and _ re-enacted by
chapter two hundred and thirty-five, acts of assembly eighteen hundred
and eighty-nine and ninety, entitled an act to change the name of the
Chesapeake dry dock and construction company to Newport News ship-
building and dry dock company, and to amend and re-enact sections
one, four, six, seven and eixzht of chapter fifty-one acts of assembly
eighteen hundred and eighty-five and eizhty-six, entitled an act to in-
corporate the Chesapeake dry dock and construction company, be
amended and re-enacted so as to read as follows:

§ 4. That thesaid Newport News shipbuilding and dry dock company
is hereby authorized and empowered to build and repair steamships,
ships, vessels, and boats of any and every character and description, of
wood, iron, steel, or other materials ; and to this end it may own, con-
struct, maintain, ‘and operate suitable and proper vards, shops, whar ves,
piers, ‘bulkheads, docks, machinery, and such other works and appli:
ances as may be necessary or convenient for operating or conducting its
business, and may grade and fill in along the water front of its proper.
ties to the line of navigability, subject, however, to the rights of private
property.

The said company may acquire by lease or purchase, or by condem
nation under the state’s right of eminent domain, where the directors 0
the said company cannot. agree on the terms of purchase with those
entitled thereto, the title to such personal property under water, right
to land under water, water-fronts, and water-rights, whether leasehold:
or otherwise, and licenses or privileges under water exercised or enjoy ec
opposite its ‘said properties, as it may deem necessary and convenien
for its said purposes: provided, however, that the public right of navi
gation be not thereby obstructed : and provided further, that. th
quantity of lands, licenses, leaseholds, privileges to be acynired by con
demnation, shall not exceed two hundred acres. But nothing hereit
shall be construed as giving the right to said company to condemn an:
right of the state of Virginia in any land above or under water. The saic
company may also acquire by lease or purchase title to real estate
licenses, leaseholds, and privileges not exceeding in quantity five hun
dred acres. The proceedings for such condemnation, whether the same
be to acquire title to personal property under water, or to rights under
water, water-fronts, or water-rights, or licenses or privileges as aforesaid
shall conform as nearly as may be practicable to the provisions and
requirements of chapter forty-six of the code of Virginia and the acts of
a mmbly amendatory thereof.

. This act shall be in force from its passage.