New-York tribune., 1869-03-05

M
rb. o..,lls+ with other documentary evidence OF
,.,,,I.ri.s b.t,ren Virginia and Maryland. was
i,,,,lt from, ENGLAND i'm 1861 by Col. Mcdonald Of
1.;,;,;, win, WINS y commissioner appointed by the
c.o.o f,r Tint purpose. These documents comprised
,,.;,o ,,lr,r. of manuscript and ono book OF rare
and valuable Haps" They were among the archives
cf virginia when Richmond was taken in 1862 ana
Won, carried away and hidden during the disorder
mat uluyai,ea subsequent 10 the occupation ol INC
cit, by the Federal troops since which time all traces
o., them have hycn lost Col. Mcdonald holds that
n,e oiieiual Relation" which WAS III Latin, uhe
1893 COPY being translation pnced the whole ol
the Potomac River within the limits OF virginia;
but C.Ht John Smiths map Of The chesapeake Day
began in laa5 and finished in lC-9 locates Chqu"'N'
mentioned IN Lord Baltimorcs charter so"" I" "f
CoaN tank Of tie Io'0mGc. Gpd on ne Gag So'6 an"
in Nortanaer', History. published in Germany in
1870 or previously. Lord Baltimores southwestern
boundary is the south bank Of the Potomac. Nir-
gina las often especially in her compact with Mary
land in lis5 recognized this as the charter bouhoaiy
of Maryland.
There should be q clcarly-dcfncd boundary 'ho
across tie Chesapeake Bay. dividing the waters
rlai,ucd by NaryIard from those which virginia
claims The suljcc: has been discussed ana guar
relied over Tor more than goo years. ana although Ne
territory IN dispute is hardly worth the expense Oh
,l,, yayIous surveys and conferences and committee
toprs arA pamphlets and bills that have naturally
rc,It,d from thc difference of opinion concerning H.
10 say nothing OF tlc lives that have been lost IN ho
rcud between the jealous adhcTcuts oi both PaieS'
the pcouliar legislation Of the two States on te SUD
ect Of the oyster fishery renders some deh'' pg'eo-
mon. ir.s.ncusalfc To decide upon the where
ncn.s of watkins Point at this late day is an utter
b,ro.,Hn,ify. and instead of wasting more time III
1,,,,,,,ipc its latitude and longitude, ii were bet
zen t forget tlat it ever helped 70 impede nayiga-
io aud with an eve sim cc 70 the interests ot The
rr,Iipa people og the two GsputDG States Their leg
j.lat,rs lhould make new treaty, draw new Ihe'
revise and amend and otherwise improve their oyster
llvy. and make tie immense wcnth hidden behcalh
the waters Of tie Ch,.Gp,akc pay into the emp'!
treasures ten times the revenue they no" ccil'e
from IT, The line proposed 10y the NniEiah"
Commissioners. namely, From Smiths Icint n'
the mouth Of tie Potomac River by 'H'
shortest line 90 tie fouthcrmost angie OF N"'|'s
Point las row lrUwnl, AZ Cedar Straits; thence 10
thc channel oi the TUcomote River; thence W'tA tAe
channel up 70 Tont opposite to iho ocsMhhE o'
the lis l.nc and thence ly iat line 20 The Ai'ah-
ticr seems 20 Gi,iEter,HtCd person both reasohd'e
and so;tallc. 4 comparison o! the old charts with
the mans Of orr dHv shows that about twenty -'r''
ora,o miles Of t,nitry properly belonging 10 Mary
and or, now contained within the limits Of Virginia.
Change OF ownership duc, without doubt TO some
crror in smyryirg. Gen. Jones, Chairman OF the
Nerylaud Commission, and now Aucuey-Gcnciai
cf tie State expresses tho opinion That II iIc hhs
! were drawn as proposed by lis Commission Only
sirbt ,ougrc miles of Maryland IN land would fall
south uf il, leaving Virginia s;ill Tire gunner brSlu'''
lie SAYS tic Ash and oysters III th0 waters adjacent
that part OF Somerset County have, ever since the
sottom,ut ol the country. been tie principal source
a. g f.iu ..sFf fHN a..
they are many miles remote from any portion Of the
people Of Virginia. Besides, tie State # Maryland
her citizens and others arc deeply interested ms
s!o, .holdcrs IN the Eastern Shore Railroad COm-
pany. which las expended nearly million dollars in
tie construction OF link in great chain Of
| railway internal improvements by means Of a
| line Of magnificent steamers from Crisieid
10 Norfolk forming the most direct, and Of The
most important tlolouclfarcs Of freight and travel
from Maine 10 Texas. Virginia is also deeply inter
cstcd in the success Of tlis liac q communication
! The luolorration of the Calvert and Scarborough
line 10 Tancicr Sound would leave the railroad and
del ot in Maryland, but would cross tho southeast
/ anglo cf the wharf leaving the lalbUr and tie
| waters uf tie Little AnnamcssiN River ON The Nig-
! gtHia side Cf Tie line. IHc channel OF that river.
! tLouch deep is narrow and toItuous. aud to 80 oId
free and unObstuCtcd access 10 the port # CiIrc.d
at all tines especially to the regular line Of steam
and 10 protect tine EaTDor aud channel Tor h"F-
lice. armed Win proper auIholl'F' DO pit'tHl' ana
always ready for the prompt discharge OF thelr dniy.
IL VIII al once be seen thai ne exercise ot Two Jnii
diet iOls over La!l Dor divided by water me Womb
be luU!dCtcahe. IL is Waufostly for the Interests
| of both Virginia and Maryland. that these waters
should remain hereafter ~ they have always boen
! heretofore. under the jurisdiction Of Man! !laLd'
At the regular session OF tho Maryland Legislature
! last year. Oyster Police fOrco WAS provided tar
/ and immediately organized. The commander OF the
force, at one tme wi oihceI III ihe l. .. Navy was
not long in making himself acquainted with !he dli-
| Gcuiti-s that had previously hnIcrcd the execution
! OF the oyster Law, ana ~ the simplest way III the
| world paved tho way Tor speedy ana rHtCtlal srt-
| tl,mont Of fcUd Of 200 years standing without
troubling the Legislature aud better still, without
eutaiug expense upon the people OF the State. lie
proposed 10 the Chief Inspector Of Oysters ot the
State OF Virginia that thcy should meet at some con
! vtueut point and after full and free discussion.
| enter into an arrangement which, II sanctioned by
the Legislatures OF their respective States, might e
made the basis Of AN enduring treaty The two OH
! Gers met at Crsicld on the llth Of December last,
and IN The course OF few hours drew UP aud signed
! the following agreement:
| CaruxLD soSEE,Er CouSrr Nd, Dee H. 1913
| We the undersigned, tho Commander OF the Stao
oyster Police Force OF the state of MARYLAND, the Chcf
Inspector OF oy.ltis l1r tle sia,e :" ngha GO tti,
dcscrIbcd defining the limits Of operations Uudcr
tine oyster Laws Of our respective states TO the eject
that the oyster Police force OF the State Of Mary
land shall not interfere with any vessel boat or person
that may he engaged i'm the ovster trade 10 the south
ward OF said boundary line ard that tho Virginia Oyster
Force shall not interfere with any vessel boat or person
may be engaged IN the oyster trade to the northwGrd
PrOrided That said boundary line shl have reference
only to The uutS Of the Chesapeake Bay aud the Tan.
gier Sound ana IN way affect any property per
son any iand whatever:
ITOrided als0 That said boundary line shall have
10 reference whatever TO TIE estabbshment Of
boundary line hereafter by the proper nuhorities, bo-
tween respective States; hut be constructed only
establishing line which limits iIe operations ~ tho
oyster forces Of the States of Maryland and Virginia
the Udeys Of the Chesapeake Bay aud Tsugier sound
subject at any time To mOdIhclOu auuunent by the
authorities Of those States OF OF the oyster forces respec
lively.
Toe oyster boundary line shall NJ the south
of lying het the Ittlr Anne