31. Cession during ownership by the United States and use for purposes thereof, with sundry reservations. Title and jurisdiction to the following tracts or parcels of land has been ceded to the United States upon condition that the jurisdiction so ceded should not prevent the execution on such tracts or parcels of any process, civil or criminal, issued under the authority of this state; nor the operation within the same of the laws of this state, or the ordinances of the common council of the city of New York, for the general regulation of the civil police of such city, passed before the date of the deed of cession, and not incompatible with the purpose for which such cession was made; and that the United States shall retain such use and jurisdiction so long only as such tracts shall be used for the defense and safety of the city of New York:
1. In the city of New York. A tract of land and land under water, in the city of New York, described in a deed dated May 6, 1808, as follows: "Beginning in the Hudson river at a point in the continuation of the south line of Hubert street, bearing N. 79° 30' W., from the southeasterly corner of Hubert and West streets, distant 200 feet westerly from the permanent line of West street, which said permanent line bears S. 10° 15' W., from the southwesterly corner of the state prison wall; thence N. 10° 15' E., parallel to the said permanent line, 305 feet, to a point in the continuation of the north line of Laight street; thence N. 79° 30' W., 300 feet into the Hudson river; thence S. 10° 15' W., 305 feet to a point in the continuation of the south line of Hubert street aforesaid; thence S. 79° 30' E., 300 feet, to the place of beginning," acquired for the defense and safety of the city of New York.
2. In the city of New York. A tract of land or land under water in the city of New York, described in a deed dated May 6, 1808, as follows: "Beginning at a point in the line of the present battery, six feet southerly of the most southern external angle formed by the main battery and the present bastion, which said point is 497 feet 11 inches on a course S. 36° 20' W., from the southeasterly corner of the brick house situate at the corner of Marketfield street and Broadway, now or lately belonging to Robert Kennedy, and is also on a course S. 89° 10' W., 264 feet 1 inch from the northwesterly corner of Bridge and State streets; thence N. 16° 10' W., 310 feet; thence S. 64° W., 500 feet; thence S. 26° E., 300 feet; thence N. 64° E., 425 feet, to the place of beginning; all of which courses are to be run as the magnetic needle pointed on May 6, 1808," acquired for the defense and safety of the city of New York.
3. In East river. A tract of land under water in East river at the Wallabout bay, and adjoining the navy yard of the United States, described in a deed dated April 3, 1810, as follows: "Beginning at the southerly end of the dam of the pond at the navy yard, at a point designated on the map or chart comprising a delineation of the said parcel of land hereunto annexed, by the letter A, from which point the easterly corner of the commander's house at the navy yard bears N. 29° 45' W., the steeple of the Reformed Dutch Church at Brooklyn bears S. 62° W., and the south corner of the dwelling-house of Jeremiah Johnson bears N. 80° 25' E., and running from the said point designated as aforesaid by the letter A, N. 52° 30' E., 2,290 feet to a point from which the north corner of the dwelling-house of the said Jeremiah Johnson bears S. 70° 30' E., designated by the letter B, in the said map or chart, and running from the said last-mentioned point N. 7° E., 1,580 feet, to a point from which the southwest corner of Thompson's house on the Long Island shore bears N. 76° 45' E., the steeple of the Reformed Dutch Church in Brooklyn bears S. 48° 25' W., and the steeple of St. Paul's Church in the city of New York bears N. 79° W., and designated in the said map or chart by the letter C; and running from the said last-mentioned point S. 70° W., 2,480 feet to the north corner of the navy yard, designated in the said map or chart by the letter D; and thence southerly along the navy yard to the place of beginning; all which courses and bearings are taken as the magnetic needle pointed on April 3, 1810," acquired for the defense and safety of the city of New York.
The free and common use of the waters not appropriated by the United States for wharves or fortifications to the eastward of the navy yard of the United States and the westward of the east boundary line of the land above described, is reserved to the people of this state.
Last modified: February 3, 2019