Chap. 246.—An ACT to approve, confirm, and ratify the award made
by the arbitrators appointed to ascertain and fix the boundary be-
tween the states of ‘Virginia and Maryland, and procure the assent
of the congress of the United States thereto.

Approved March 14, 1878.

Whereas, by an act of the general assembly of Virginia,
approved March twenty-eight, eighteen hundred and seventy-
four, and an act. amendatory thereof, approved February
tenth, eighteen hundred and seventy-six, it was provided
that the settlement and determination of the truco line of
boundary between the states of Virginia and Maryland
should be referred to the Honorable Jeremiah 8S. Black of
Pennsylvania, the Honorable James B. Beck of Kentucky,
and the Honorable Charles A. Jenkins of Georgia, with power
to make and deliver their award in writing, any two of them
concurring therein; and did thereby pledge the faith of this
state to accept and abide by the award of said arbitrators,
as to said boundary line, as final-and conclusive, with the
proviso and saving Glauses as to private rights as in the said
acts sot forth: and whereas the -said arbitrators did proceed
in the premises to examine into and ,ascertain the true line
of said boundary, and did award as to the same in words
following, to wit:

AWARD.

And now, to wit: January sixteenth, anno domini eigh-
teen hundred and seventy-seven, the undersigned, being a
majority of the arbitrators to whom the states of Virginia
and Maryland, by acts of their respective legislatures, sub-
mitted the controversies concerning their territoria! limits,
with authority to ascertain and determine the true line of
boundary between them, having heard the allegations of the
said states, and examined the proofs on both sides, do find,
declare, award, ascertain, and determine that the true line
of boundary between the said states, so far as they are con-
terminouar with one another, is as follows, to wit:

Beginning at the point on the Potomac river where the
line between Virginiw and West Virginia strikes the said
river at low-water mark, and thence, following the meander-
ings of said river, by the low-water mark, to Smith’s point,
at or near the mouth of the Potomac, in the latitude thirty-
seven degrees, fifty-three minutes, eight seconds, and longi-
tude seventy-six degrees, thirteen minutes, forty-six seconds;
thence crossing the waters of the Chesapeake bay, by a line
running north sixty-five degrees, thirty minutes east, about
nine and a half nautical miles, to a point on the western
shore of Smith’s island, at the north end of Sassafras bam-
mock, in latitude thirty seven degrees, fifty-seven minutes,
thirteen seconds, lonyitude seventy-six degrees, two minutes,
fifty-two seconds; thence across Smith’s island, south, oighty-
eight degrees, thirty minutes east, five thousand six hundred
and twenty yards, to the centre of Horse hammock, on the
eastern shore of Smith's island, in latitude thirty-seven
degrees, fifty-seven minutes, eight seconds, longitude seventy-
five degrees, fifty-nine minutes, twenty seconds; thence south
seventy-nine deyrees, thirty minutes east, four thousand,
eight hundred and eighty yards, to a point marked “A” on
the accompanying map, in the middle of Tangier sound, in
latitude thirty-seven degrees, fifty-six minutes, forty-two
seconds, longitude seventy-five degrees, fifty-six minutes,
twenty-three seconds, said point bearing from Jane’s island
light, south, fifty-four degrees west, and distant from that
light three thousand five hundred and sixty yards; thence
south ten degrees, thirty minutes, wert four thousand seven
hundred and forty yards, by a line dividing the waters of
Tangier sound to a point where it intersects the straight line
from Smith’s point to Watkins’ point, said point of intersec-
tion being in latitude thirty-seven deyrees, fifty-four minutes,
twenty-one seconds; longitude seventy-five degrees, fifty-six
minutes, fifty-five seconds, bearing from Jane’s island light
south, twenty-nine degrees west, and from Horse hammock,
south, thirty-four degrees, thirty minutes east; this point of
intersection is marked -“B” on the accompanying map;
thence north eighty-five degrees, fifteen minutes, east, six
thousand seven hundred and twenty yards along the line
above mentioned, which runs from Smith’s point to Watkins’
point until it reaches the latter spot, namely, Watkins’ point,
which is in latitude thirty-seven degrees, fifty-four minutes,
thirty-eight seconds; longitude seventy-five degrees, fifty-two
minutes, forty-four seconds; from Watkins’ point, the bound-
ary line runs due east seven thousand eight hundred and
eighty yards, to a point where it meets a line running
through the middle of Pocomoke sound, which is marked
“C” on the accompanying map, and is in latitude thirty-
seven degrees, fifty-four minutes, thirty-eight seconds; longi-
tude seventy-five degrees, forty-seven minutes, fifty seconds;
thence by a line dividing the waters of Pocomoke sound,
north forty-seven degrees, thirty minutes, east five thousand
two bundred and twenty yards, to a point in said sound
marked “D” on the accompanying map, in latitude thirty-
seven degrees, fifty-six minutes, twenty-five seconds, longi-
tude seventy-five degrees, forty-five minutes, twenty-six
seconds; thence followiog the middle of the Pocomoke river
by a line of irregular curves, as laid down on the accompa-
nying map, until it intersects the westward protraction of
the boundary line marked by Scarborough and Calvert, May
twenty-eight, eighteen hundred and sixty-eight, at a point
in the middle of Pocomoke river, and in the latitude thirty-
seven degrees, fifty-nine minutes, thirty-seven seconds, longi-
tude seventy-five degrees, thirty-seven minutes, four seconds;
thence by the Scarborough and Calvert line, which runs five
degrees, fifteen minutes north of east, to the Atlantic ocean;
the latitudes, longitudes, courses, and distances here given
have been measured upon the Coast Chart, number thirty-
three, of the United States coast survey, (sheet number
three, Chesapeake bay), which is herewith filed as part of
this award, and explanatory thereof; the original charter
line is marked upon the said map and shgded in blue; the
present line of boundary, as ascertained and determined, is
also marked and shaded in red, while the yellow indicates
the line referred to in the compact of seventeen hundred and
eighty-five, between Smith’s point and Watkins’ point; in
further explanation of this award, the arbitrators deem it
proper to add that—

First. The measurements being taken and places fixed
according to the coast survey, we have come as near toa
perfect mathematical accuracy as in the nature of things is
possible; but in case of any inaccuracy in the described
course or length of a line, or in the latitude or longitude of
a place, the natural objects called for must govern.

Second. The middle thread of Pocomoke river is equi-
distant as nearly as may be, between the two shores, without
considering arms, inlets, creeks, or affluents as parts of the
river, but measuring the shore lines from headland to head-
land.

Third. The low-water mark on the Potomac, to which
Virginia has a right in the soil, is to be measured by the
same rule, that is to say, from low-water mark at one head-
land to low-water at another, without following indentations,
bays, creeks, inlets, or affluent rivers.

Fourth. Virginia is entitled not only to full dominion over
the soil to low-water mark on the south shore of the Poto-
mac, but bas a right to such use of the river beyond the
line of low-water mark as may be necessary to the full
enjoyment of her riparian ownership, without impeding the
navigation or otherwise interfering with the proper use of it
by Maryland, agreeably to the compact of seventeen hun-
dred and eighty-five.
In testimony whereof we bave hereunto set our hands the
day and year aforesaid.

J. S. BLACK, of Pennsylvania.
CHARLES J. JENKINS, of Georgia.

A. W. Granam, Secretary.

And which award 1s now deposited, with the map accom-
panying the same, in the office of the secretary of the com-
monwealth; now, therefore,

1. Be it enacted by the gencral assembly of Virginia, That
the said award is hereby approved, accepted, confirmed, and
ratified, and that as soon as the same is also approved,
accepted, confirmed, and ratified by the general assembly of
the state of Maryland, and by the Congress of the United
States, thereupon and immediately thereafter the said award
and survey, matter and thing therein contained, shall be
obligatory on the state and the citizens thereof, and shall be
forever fuithfully and inviolably observed and kept by this
state and allits citizens, according to the true intent and
meaning of the same, and to that end the faith of this state
shall stand pledged.

2. The governor is hereby requested to forward a copy of
this act to the governor of Maryland, with a request that the
general assembly of said state shall also enact a law in accord-
ance herewith; and shall also forward a copy to our senators
and representatives in congress, with a request that they
procure such legislation on the part of the United States as
may be needful in the premises for their assent to and ratifi-
cation of said award.

3. This act shall be in force from its passage.