Berkeley and Jefferson intelligencer. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va.) 1802-1810, 1803-12-09

q
dat proof men, when they found them
selves aiittie II ease, might at their own
convenience apply for and obtain com.
niete tides. n the mean time such inn
perfect rights were suffered BY the go
yernn,ent TO descend by Inheritance, and
even 10 be transferred BY private con-
tract. When requisite they have been
siezed BY Judicial authority and sold for
the payment Of debts.
Until within . few years, the govern
Or Of Upper Louisiana was authorized
to make survey Of any extent: Id the
exercise Of this discretionary power,
some abuses were committed . few
small mcnopolies were created. About
three years ago, he was restricted IN this
branch Of his duty since which he has
been authorised 10 make surveys 70 emf.
grants in the following manner Two
hundred acres each man and wife, Fifty
acres for each child, and twenty acres
fer each slave. Hence the quantity Of
Land allowed 10 sellers depended. On the
Inumher in each familyi and for This
| quantity d land they paid no more than
| the expense Of survey. These SURVEYS
were necessary TO enti,lc the settlers I'd
grants and thegovernor, and af.er him
the Intendant 1T Newt Orleans was alone
authorised to exercise grants on the re.
ceipt Of the surveys from the settlers.
The administration Of the land osice Is
IL present under the care Of the pro-
vince. zz= ss&1.8 44is.45EaF si ~ ~ ,
There arc no feudal rights nor no
blesse. s $40 II & S.
Ii Is impossible to ascertain the guam
tity Of lands granted, without calling
oa the claimants 10 exhibit their titles /;
the registry being incomplete and the
maps made by the different surveyors
general having been burnt in fires q
New Orleans Of 1888 and 1894. No
estimate has been Obtained. ga
An the lands onboth sidesof the Mis-
sissippi, from the distance of sixteen
leagues below Newt Orleans 10 Baton
Rouge. are granted fosthe depth of forty.
acres, or near half i league, which Ii
the usual depth Of al grants. ! Some
have double and tribe grants-that isto
say, they have twice or thrice forty acres
in depth; and Others have grants extend
ing from the Mississippi 10 the sea Of the
lakes behind them. In other parts Of
the country the people, being generally
settled ON the hanks Of creeks or rivers,
have front Of from sixty 10 forty acres,
and the grant almost invariably express.
es = depth Of forty acres. All the lands
ungranted in the island Of New Orleans
or on the opposite bank Of the Mississip-
pi, are sunken, Inundated, and atpresent
unfit for cultivation; but may, in part,
be reclaimed At = future day BY efforts Of
the rich and enterprising. IT.
caitipafion ef Sugar.
The sugar cane may be cultivated be-
tween the river Iberville and the city, on
both sides Of the river, and - far back
as the swamps. Below the city, howe
yer, the lands decline 50 rapidly thar be-
yond 6fteenmiles the soil Il not wen q
dapted 20 il, Above the Iberville
the cane would Be affected by the
cold, and in produce therefore be
uncertain. Within these limits, the
best planters admit that, one quarter Of
the cultivated lands Of any considerable
splantation may Be planted in cane, one.
quarter left in pasture, and the remain
ing half employed for provisions, &c.
and reserve for change Of crops.--
One Parison Arpent ofone hundred and
eighty feet square may be expected 70
produce or On average twelve hundred
weight Ofsugar, and fifty gallons ofrum.
From the shove data, admitting that
both sides of the river are planted for
ninety miles in extent, and about three
fourths Of mile hi depth, Il win result
than the annual product may amount IN
round numbers 70 twenty-five thousand
hogsheads Of sugar, with Twelve thou
sand puncheons Of rum. Enterprizing
young planters say that one-third, Of even
one-half Of arabic land might Be culsivat.
ed with cane. The whole of these lands as