AiV ACT TO CEDE TO THE UNITED STATES VARIOU8 FoRTS AND FoR- No. 1856. TIFICATIO.NS, AND SlTES FOR THE ERECTION OF FoRTS.
I. Be it enacted, by the honoiable the Senate and House of Representa-port9 fort;ijCB. tives, now met and sitting in General Assembly, and by the authority of tions, and sites the same, That there shall be, and hereby is, granted to the United States f''rf'if erection of America, all the right, title and claim of this State to the following t0 the United forts, fortifications, and sites for the erection of forts, in manner following : States.
All the lands reserved for fort Moultrie on Sullivan's island; provided, the same shall not exceed five acres, with all the forts, fortifications and buildings thereon, together with the canal leading from the cove on the back of the fort, nearly up to the same, as delineated on the plan of Charleston harbour by Col. Senf, and is in the secretary of state's office at Columbia.
The high lands and part of the marsh belonging to fort Johnston, as delineated on the said plan of Charleston harbour; provided, the same shall not exceed twenty acres, including the present site of fort Johnston.
The land on which fort Pinckney is built, and three acres around the same.
A portion of the sand bank marked C, on the south easternmost point of Charleston, as delineated on the said plan of Charleston harbour, not exceeding two acres. A quantity of land not exceeding four acres, for a battery or fort, and necessary buildings, on Dr. Blythe's point of land at the mouth of Satnpit river.
The small island in Beaufort river, called Mustard islaud, opposite Paris's island, and a tract of land on St. Helena island, opposite the same, not exceeding seven acres of land, as being a commanding ground suitable for a principal fort.
II. And be it farther enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the following persons, viz: Col. Thomas Grayson, Captain John Jenkins and Wil- Commissioners liam Elliott, Brigadier General Read, the Intendant of Charleston for the appointed to time being, Col. Daniel Stevens, Joseph Alston, Brigadier General Con- J?^8 the 8ald way, and Major Savage Smith, or any two of them, be, and they are hereby appointed, commissioners, and authorized to locate, by proper metes
and bounds, at the expense of this State, so far as the charges of surveyors shall be incurred, all or any the above mentioned sites; and who shall return into the office of the Secretary of this State, on or before the first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seven, fair plats of survey, and accurate descriptions of the said lands, forts, fortifications and sites, so ceded, setting forth the limits and bounds of the same.
III. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if the
United States shall not, within three years from the passing of this Act, and United States notification thereof by the Governor of this State to the executive of theto "IJ.1"'" *he United States, repair the fortifications now existing thereon, or build such tions within other forts or fortifications as may be deemed most expedient by the exe- three years, cutive of the United States on the same, and keep a garrison or garrisons therein; in such case this grant or cession shall be void and of no effect.
IV. And be it farther enacted, That all process, civil or criminal, issued
under the authority of this State or any officer thereof, shall and may be profe88 c;vii served and executed on any part of lands and sites, forts and fortifications, or criminal, so ceded by this Act, and on any person or persons there being and impli- may be "erved cated in matters of law: Provided always, that the lands, sites, forts and lands so'ceded. fortifications so ceded, shall forever be exempt from any tax to be paid to
A. D. 1805. this State: And provided also, the United States shall, before possession be taken of the said sites so to be laid out by the above commissioners, some of which are private property, give and pay due compensation to the owners and proprietors of the same.
In the Senate House, the nineteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord one thou-
sand eight hundred and five, and in the thirtieth year of the United States of
America.
ROBERT BARNWELL, President of the Senate.
JOSEPH ALSTON, Speaker of the House of Representatives.