Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-01-14
Onr Territorial Bounds.

To the Editor Of the Dispatch:
Did not the charter granted by hlhg
lanes l. Of England 10 the London ana
Plymouth companies, specify such terrl'o-
~ as Law between the 3ith and 41th degrees
of north latitude? This being true. how
Then did the United States acquire pos
session Of territory north OF the 47th de-
gree. and barring Florida acquired by pur-
chase from SPAIN, south of the Hth de-
,rce or between the 34th and $Ith degrees,
the former the northern limit OF Florida
or course all the territory here asked ABOUT
is east Of the Mississippi river since all
west Of that river was embraced III the
Louisiana purchase. the Mexican ces-
siCus. ana oregon Territory
JUVENIS.
rrder the ROYAL Charter Of April 10th,
1905 90. 81 the whole OF North America
between the saith and 18th degrees north
latitude then called virginia. was claim
Ell for the crown Of England-and 1t
granted to two companies-called THE
First Colony OF Virginia" and "The Sec
ond Colony OF Virginia"-the privilege OF
establishing therein two colonies. ana
when these colonies were established the
said companies would then be entitled
10 the limited area OF 100 miles
square. of which their said established
colony was to be the centre. The char
ter was really national instrument,
claiming for the crown n vast territory,
and the enterprise was placed under the
management of a special Royal Council;
but the chief objects Of the companies
themselves was to find a. ready way 70
the South sea. mines OK gold, etc. With
tine and experience ideas changed, and
early I'm 1903, a powerful company was
organized (now known as 1.-The Virginia
Company OF London'D, COZ sicting OF mem
bers Of both Of the old companies and
very many others. whose prime object
was TO secure "A lot or portion in the New
World for the English race and religion
regardless Of the claims of Spain. ana
on May %, 1909 90. 81, James !. granted TO
this company on certain conditions. with
certain provisos. all Of North America
between the 3ith and 10th degrees north
latitude Qhen known as South Nir-
gina').
IN the course Of time Spain yielded q
ENGLAND her claim to America, north OF
"A degrees north latitude. In 1920 another
large company was organized known as
the New England Company, whose prime
object was TO secure the control OF the
northern fisheries, and on November 3.
90. s.. 1920. James l.. adding degrees
to the northern boundary of his claim, IN
order To include the fisheries. granted 20
this company all Of North America be
tween 10 and As degrees north attitude,
and changed the legal name thereof from
North Virginia TO New England.
Tits claim ,whete 1t confiIcted with the
claim of France. far within the land. was
not very vigorously pressed until the
eighteenth century.
In October 1879 Charles J., adding
degrees to IN" southern boundary ~ the
English claim, granted to Sir Robert
Heith the land between 81 and Sc degrees
north latitude. and changing the name
thereof from Virginia" called Il, for
himgelf. Carolina" Nothing material
came OF this grant; the times were not
propitlous. but on the oath Of March. 1865,
tn grant was renewed by Charles IL. to
Edward. Earl of Clarendon. and others.
and the life Of Carolina" as a separate
coicry. began.
Thus, after October. 1929, the English
claimed, under royal charters, the main
land. in the present United States, be-
tweer 81 and As degrees North latitude
from ocean to ocean; but IL took time to
induce other European powers to ac-
Knowledge and yield to these claims
In brief, the English continued TO eX-
tend their claim TO the southwark. until.
in 1899. they claimed all OF North America
north OF 81 degrees north latitude ana
the basis of this fnally-acquired claim
was the discovery of the Cabots during
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