CHAPTER 198

An Act to authorize the Governor and the Attorney General to execute, in
the name of the Commonwealth, a deed conveying unto the United
States of America certain formerly submerged lands in the James
River at Newport News, Virginia. CH 476]

Approved March 6, 1958

Whereas, between the years 1940 and 1942, the United States of
America reclaimed, by bulkheading and filling, certain submerged lands
from the bed of the James River, abutting on the property of Newport
News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, and erected thereon, all with
the consent of the aforesaid company, shipways, buildings and other per-
manent improvements for the construction and repair of naval vessels, all
in the interest of the National Defense; and

Whereas, the United States now desires to perfect its title to the said
reclaimed lands by obtaining a conveyance thereof from the Commonwealth
of Virginia; and

Whereas, it is in the public interest that the Commonwealth so convey
its title to such reclaimed lands to the United States of America, subject
only to the jurisdictional and other limitations and reservations contained
in § 7-21 of the Code of Virginia of 1950, notwithstanding anything to the
contrary contained in § 7-25 of the Code of Virginia of 1950; now,
therefore,

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. The Governor and the Attorney General are hereby authorized in
consideration of the premises and of the payment of the sum of ONE
DOLLAR ($1.00) to the Commonwealth of Virginia by the United States
of America, to execute, in the name of the Commonwealth of Virginia,
and deliver to the United States of America, a proper deed of conveyance,
under the lesser seal of the Commonwealth, conveying forever, subject only
to the jurisdictional and other limitations and reservations contained in
§ 7-21 of the Code of Virginia of 1950, notwithstanding anything to the
contrary contained in § 7-25 of the Code of Virginia of 1950, all of its
right, title and interest in and to the following described property :

All those two certain tracts, pieces, or parcels of formerly submerged
land lying and being situate at Newport News, Virginia, and being more
particularly bounded and described as follows, to-wit:

FIRST: Beginning at the southerly tip of the edge of the north 4-foot
chamfer located at the northwest corner of Shipway No. 9 abutment of
Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company; from the point of
beginning thus established, thence along the face of said chamfer N 18°
87’ E a distance of 5.66 feet to the northerly tip of said chamfer; thence
along the northerly edge of the concrete wall of said Shipway No. 9 N 63°
87’ E a distance of 290.84 feet to a point; thence N 26° 23’ W a distance
of 374.00 feet to a point; thence in an approximately northerly direction
and following the meanderings of the mean low-water line of the James
River as it existed in January 1940, prior to the reclamation and fill of the
lands herein described a distance of 3000 feet, more or less, to a point
marking the northeast corner of the herein described property; thence
S 63° 87’ W a distance of 292.94 feet to a point; thence S 26° 23’ Ea
distance of 399.75 feet to a point; thence S 63° 87’ W a distance of 58.58
feet to a point; thence N 26° 23’ W a distance of 200.00 feet to a point;
thence S 63° 37’ W a distance of 145 feet to a point; thence S 20° 06’ Ea
distance of 201.21 feet to a point; thence S 46° 26’ W a distance of 507.10
feet to a point; thence S 63° 37’ W a distance of 1282.87 feet to a point;
thence S 26° 23’ E a distance of 668.38 feet to a point; thence S 63° 37’ W
a distance of 5.00 feet to a point; thence S 26° 23’ E a distance of 380.00
feet to a point; thence N 68° 37’ Ea distance of 5.00 feet to a point; thence
S 25° 27’ E a distance of 233.86 feet to a point; thence S 44° 13’ Ea
distance of 261.91 feet to a point; and thence S 71° 49’ E a distance of
103.13 feet to the POINT OF BEGINNING; said parcel containing 53.8
acres, more or less, and being more particularly shown as PARCEL A on
District Public Works Office, Fifth Naval District, Drawing No. 51,837,
dated 10 January 1958, revised 14 January 1958, and entitled, “U.S. Naval
Industrial Reserve Facility, Newport News, Virginia, PROPERTY MAP,
Showing Reclaimed Submerged Lands of the Commonwealth of Virginia
Proposed for Acquisition”, to which drawing reference is here made.
SECOND: Beginning at a point forming the southeasternmost corner
of the lands of Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, located
approximately opposite the foot of 31st Street; and from the point of
beginning thus established, thence along the extreme southerly boundary
of lands of the said Shipbuilding Company S 68° 37’ 00” W a distance of
10.60 feet to the TRUE POINT OF BEGINNING of the parcel of land
herein described; and from the TRUE POINT OF BEGINNING thus estab-
lished, thence continuing S 63° 37’ 00” W a distance of 141.50 feet to a
point; thence N 26° 23’ 00” W a distance of 1313.65 feet to a point; thence
in an approximately southeasterly direction and following the meander-
ings of the mean low-water line of the James River as the same existed in
January 1940, prior to the reclamation and fill of the parcel of land herein
described, a distance of 1426.00 feet, more or less, to the TRUE POINT OF
BEGINNING; said parcel of land containing 5.06 acres, more or less, and
being more particularly shown as PARCEL B on District Public Works
Office, Fifth Naval District, Drawing No. 51,837, dated 10 January 1958,
revised 14 January 1958, and entitled, “U. S. Naval Industrial Reserve
Facility, Newport News, Virginia, PROPERTY MAP, Showing Reclaimed
Submerged Lands of the Commonwealth of Virginia Proposed for Acquisi-
tion”, to which drawing reference is here made.
2. An emergency exists and this act is in force from its passage.