Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-12-03

IL seems MS desire was simply 10 own
larger seaboard for his extensive inland
territory. The odd arrangement for
"12-mile circle" was only the odd within
of the moment by which such possession
of seaport accommodation would be
easily acquired.
1t was in 1852 that the deed of enfeoff-
ment from the Duke of York and
Albany was made to Penn, by which he
acquired the circle, and at the same time
Jones county and Whorekills, or New
Dale, was also bought by Penn.
THE THEEE LOWER COUNTIES.
By an act of union in December, 1889,
this territory was added to Pennsylvania
| by Penn, after the state assembly had
| given its consent. II was under these
premises that the peculiar Technology,
"the three lower counties" (of Pennsyl-
vania) arose. The union continued until
1701-4, when the counties separated
themselves from Pennsylvania.
In regard to the 10 miles concession
made by Lord Baltimore to Penn the
latter made the demand it is understood,
for the reason that had the Maryland
proprietor insisted on his rights III re-
| gard to the 40th parallel that line would
have divided the present city of Phila-
delphia giving its southern region TO
Maryland. The present state line in
dictated on the map by d d is the CON
cession delimitation about 10 miles or
so south of the 40th parallel. The
original Baltimore grant line would
have taken In part of New Jersey, then
known as the Jerseys.
The 1s-mile circle also properly takes
in part of New Jersey, but It seems
that Penn relinqushed that right.
Cape Henlopen was originally called
Henlope and Cape Jones, indifferently
Cape James and Cape Jones, the former
very probably after the Duke of York
who was afterwards King James 81
England. The Joneses whose names
appear in early colonial history Of that
time are credited with being well -to.dc
landowners of the lower counties who
gained their fee simples from the roya
proprietaries direct.
DELAwARE's LIMITS.
Section of the jurisdiction act Of the
Laws of Delaware (page of the Re
yised Code) defines the State limits Of
Delaware as follows:
, "The limits Of the State are declared
to be the divisional lines between 1t ont
,, Maryland, run and marked by commits
sioners and approved on the 11th Of
January, 1863; the circular line be
tween 1t and Pennsylvania, surveyed
and marked in 1901, under warran
issued by William Penn, in pursuanc,
of the feoirment from the Duke o
York, dated August Gath, 1852, as I'll,
same has been held, occupied ant
: recognized by the said states respec
lively, ever since that time; low waite
mark on the eastern side of the rive
Delaware, within the i2-mile circle from
New Castle, and the middle of the ba,
below said circle"
Then follow the dividing lines o
New Castle and Kent, and the dividin
lines between Kent and Sussex.
: 1t seems from additional information
that the 13-mile circle around Ney
. Castle was first granted by Charles II
g to his brother James, Duke of York VIII
: then sold 1t to Penn, as stated.
1t Is known that recently when a ney
bridge was needed over Beaver cree
= which meaders back and forth near tn
: circle, the Pennsylvania local commits
:, sioners had the State line moved som
J, 40 feet north of the place it was right
!, fully considered TO be by the tradition
!, of 60 years, and New Castle count
- Levy Court commissioners were force
to pay half the costs of the new bridg
= on the plea that the creek at that poin
. was partly in this State, whereas 1t wa
a always considered wholly in Pennsy
vania.
., In Mr. Brinton's opinion taking tn
|. different modes of surveying into az
count when the first circular line wa
Z run in l70l the surveyors paid no atten
y ton 70 levelling tho chain. But i
Lord Harwick's time, about 1850, wei
a more exact in their work. This woul
y account somewhat for the slight dispar
= ties on the 12-mile circle radius measure
ments.