Chap. 498.—An ACT to amend and re-enact section 2164 of the code of Vir-
ginia in reference to when license to dredge oysters granted to residents:
application therefor as amended and re-enacted by act approved March 5,
1894.

Approved February 27, 1896.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That sec-
tion twenty-one hundred and sixty-four of the code of Virginia,
eighteen hundred and eighty-seven, as amended by an act approved
March fifth, eighteen hundred and ninety-four, be, and the same is
hereby, amended and re-enacted so as to read as follows:

§ 2164. When license to dredge oysters granted to residents; appli-
cation therefor—The said board shall on and after the first of Jan-
uary, eighteen hundred and eighty-five, provided the police force
established in this bill is fully equipped and in operation, or if, in
the judgment of the board, said police force is sufficient to protect
the grounds in which dredging is prohibited, authorize any resident
of this state to take and catch oysters with dredges or instruments
other than ordinary oyster tongs in the Chesapeake bay; but this
privilege shall not extend to Pocomoke sound, Hampton roads, Mob-
jack bay, or Tangier sound, or west of a line drawn from the light-
house on Rappahannock spit to the light-house on Wolf Trap spit,
or west of a line drawn from the lower end of Guinea marshes to York
spit lught-house and thence to Back river light-house, nor to any inlet,
creek, or river, nor to the mouths thereof, except the river Potomac
and the following rocks in Tangier sound—to-wit: Johneon’s rock,
Thoroughfare rock, Hoxe’s island rock, and California rock: provi-
ded that for the purposes of this act the southern boundary of Poco-
moke sound shall be a right line running through the southeast buoy
on Watt’s island bar, it being buoy number three and the outer buoy
at the mouth of Chesconessex creek: provided that no dredging
shall be permitted between the fifteenth day of March and the fif-
teenth day of October of any year. Any resident desiring to dredge
for oysters shall make application for such privilege to the inspector
of the district and county in which he resides, which application
shall be sworn to and shall plainly state the name of his vessel, the
owner or owners thereof, the commander or person in charge, and
the tonnage at which she is rated. Such statement shall further
show the district or county in which the owner or owners reside;
that they are and have been residents of the state twelve months
next preceding the application; that no non-resident owners, in
whole or in part, own said vessel, and that she is not held with any
intention or under any agreement to return her at any subsequent
time to a non-resident. Upon being satisfied of these facts the in-
spector shall register such vessels, and shall thereupon issue to such
person a license granting him the privilege of dredging for oysters
within the prescribed limits and season, which shall be plainly set
forth in the license; and the inspector shall also furnish him two
numbers, twenty-two inches long in black painted on canvas or
domestic, which shall be placed on the side as herein prescribed ;
the number on his mainsail to be placed above the balance-reef in
the centre of the sail half-way between the gaff and said reef, on
the jib above the bonnet in centre of jib and on the opposite side of
that of the mainsail. For such registration he shall pay to the in-
spector a fee of one dollar: provided no boat propelled in whole or
in part by steam shall be used for purposes of dredging for oysters
in the waters of this commonwealth. The form of the application
and license required by this section shal] be prescribed by the audi-
tor of public accounts and blanks furnished to each inspector.

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