Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1870-10-14


principally on the ground that the
mouth Of the NOttoway was situated
on the 37th parallel, and, hence,
more than 80 miles north of the char
ter line. This latitude, however. was
soon afterward ascertained to be 29'
3O' in error, being that much too far
to the north. The controversy con-
tlnued from year to year, without
single step towards its settlement,
when the discussion eliminated in 4
20, in the following proposals, or ar
tlcles Of agreement entered into by
Col. Alexander Spotswood, Lieutcn-
ant-Governor of Virginia, and Charles
Eden. Esq, Governor of North Car
olina, with the understanding that
the boundary should be run in con-
formity thereto, should they be ap-
proved by the King and the Lords
Proprietors of Carolina
1925. "That from the mouth of
Coratuck River or Inlet, and setting
the compass on the north shore there
of, due west line be run and fairly
marked. and if it happen to cut
Chowan River between the mouths of
Nottoway River and Wicocon Creek,
then shall the same direct course be
continued towards the mountains and
be ever deemed the dividing line be-
tween Virginia and Carolina. That
if the said west line cuts Chowan
River to the southwark of Wicocon
Creek, then from point of intersection
the bounds shall be allowed to contin-
ue up the said Chowan River to the
middle of the entrance into the said
Wicocon Creek, and from thence a
due west line shall divide the said two
Governments"
1897. The above propals having
received the assent of the Proprietors
and the approval of the King, royal
order was issued, dated the 2Sth of
March, 1927, directing that the boun-
Diary line "should be laid and Sc tied
agreeably thereto" In obedience to
this order, Sir Richard Everard. Gov
ernor of North Carolina, appointed
Christopher Gale, John Lovewick.
Edward Mosely, and William Little,
Commissioners on the part of the
ProprietOrs, and William Gooch,
Esq, Lieutenant Governor of Virgin
in, appointed William Byrd, Richard
Fitzwiliam. and William cambridge.
Commissioners on the part of the
King. "to cause line or lines of di-
vision to be run and marked between
the two Provinces according to the
proposals above mentioned"
In the instructions given TO the
Virginia Commissioners. it was en-
pressly provided, by royal authority,
that lin case of the refusal or delay
of the Commissioners of the Province
of North Carolina, to act in conjunc.
tion with you in settling the bounda-
ries aforesaid, we do hereby give and
grant unto you. or such of you as
shall be present at the time ard place
appointed for running the dividing
line aforesaid, full power and author
ity to cause the said line to be run
and marked out, conformably to the
said proposals, having due regard to
the doing equal justice to us and to
the Lords Proprietors of Carolina,
any refusal, disagreement or opposi-
ton of the said Commissioners of
North Carolina Notwithstanding.
1928. On the 9th of March, 1928.
the Commissioners assembled at Cora
tuck Inlet, and having examined and
exchanged their respective powers,
proceeded to determine the exact
point from which the line should start.
After some discussion. the point was
agreed upon and marked by "a cedar
post driven deep in the sand" The
surveyors for Virginia were William
Mayo and Alexander Irwin, the latter
being the Professor of Mathematics
at the College of William and Mary,
and in behalf of North Carolina,
William Mosely and Samuel Swan.
The magnetic variationc was deter
mined on the night of the 9TH to be
somewhat less than 50 west, and the
latitude of Coratuck Inlet "by good
observation of the sun at noon on the
9th 20 be $50 81. Col. Byrd de-
scribes Coratuck Inlet to be at that time
$50 shallow that the breakers fly over
it with horrible sound; that it was
not practicable for any vessel what
ever. and that it continued to fill up
more and more, both the wind and
the waves rolling in the sand from
the eastern shoals" In this connec-
tion, it should be stated that during
a violent storm in 1918, n new inlet
was opened through the beach, about
81 miles to the southwark of the one
referred to above, and that it contin-
ued navigable for nearly century af-
terward. In 1928, dune or large
sand hill which, under the influence
of the prevailing winds, had accumu-
lated and was slowly drifting bown
the level sandy plain to the southwark
reached the inlet. filled it up and
passed on. This inlet, called at differ
ent dates. New Currituck, Currituck
and Old Currituck, was situated in
latitude $50 2S', and the dune which
eilaced it is now from one to two hun
dred yards to the southwark of that
position.
The initial point having been estab-
lished, the surveyors attached to the
Commission commenced the measure
ment on the 9Th of March, and pursu-
ing due west course, the line was
carried acro7s the upperpa ofKnott's S
Island, and thence over marsh and
pocoson and through the Dismal
Swamp and about twenty miles beyond
at which distance the line, on the I'd
of April, struck the Blackwater river
one half minute of latitude to the
northward Of the mouth of Nottoway
river. According to the observations
Of I,aWSon Ona Of rho nro .yioue Morfh