Chap. 206.—An ACT authorizing the United States government to acquire
jurisdiction over submerged lands belonging to this Commonwealth. adjacent
to Federal military and naval reservations which may be required for the
purpose of enlarging such reservations, or for the purpose of carrying out
plans for seacoast defenses for the Chesapeake Bay and its tributary waters.

Approved March 12, 1908.

Whereas, it appears by communication from the executive of this
Commonwealth that the United States government desires to acquire
title to, and jurisdiction over, certain submerged land, containing about
thirty-one acres under the waters of Mill creek, in the county of Eliza-
beth City, adjacent to the military reservation of Fort Monroe, for the
enlargement of said reservation and for the purposes of the said Federal
government in connection with the seacoast defenses of Chesapeake bav
and the waters tributary thereto; therefore,

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That the con-
sent of the Commonwealth is hereby given to the United States gov-
ernment to acquire title to and jurisdiction over any submerged lands
belonging to this Commonwealth adjacent to any Federal military or
naval reservation, for the purpose of enlarging or improving such
reservations, and for the purposes of said government in connection
with the seacoast defenses of Chesapeake bay and the waters tributary
thereto, so that congress and the authorities of the Federal government
shall have lawful power and control over and in the same, as provided in
article one, section eight, clause seventeen, of the Constitution of the
United States; and whenever the United States desires to acquire title
to such submerged land belonging to the Commonwealth, and an appli
cation has been heretofore, or is hereafter, made by the secretary 0
war, the acting secretary of war, or the secretary of the navy, or acting
secretary of the navy, or by any other duly authorized official of th
United States government for the acquisition by, and the conveyance
to, the United States of any such submerged land, such application shall
be accompanied by a description of the submerged land, or lands, so
required by the United States for its said purposes. . When such appli-
cation and description shall have been presented to the governor of the
Commonwealth, he is hereby authorized and empowered to convey such
submerged land or lands and to cede jurisdiction over the same to the
United States by deed, duly executed and acknowledged by him; pro-
vided, however, that the consent and authority herein given shall not
apply to more than one hundred acres of submerged land in any one
body, which may be acquired under the provisions of this act; and pro-
vided, further, that the State of Virginia hereby expressly reserves all
rights incident to the execution and service of civil process issued by or
from her courts, magistrates or other State officials in pursuance of
law, and in all other matters not incompatible with the consent herein
given; provided, further, that any conveyance and cession made under
the authority of this act shall be subject to the rights of any persons
claiming any rights to or interested in any such submerged lands under
any grant, lease or assignment, or under any contract with the Com-
monwealth or her duly authorized representatives.

2. No tax shall be charged or collected for the recordation of any
deed or deeds made pursuant to this act, and the fortifications, buildings
and structures which may be erected thereupon by the United States
government are hereby expressly declared to be exempt from all taxa-
tion so long as the same shall be held and used by the Federal govern-
ment for the purpose, or purposes, hereinbefore mentioned, but not
longer.

3. It being necessary that the title to a tract of submerged land lying
adjacent to Fort Monroe, in the county of Elizabeth City, Virginia,
under the waters of Mill creek, be acquired by the United States as soon
as practicable, an emergency is hereby declared to exist, and this act
shall. therefore, take effect from its passage.