The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-12-12

The territory OF Virginia granted by
King James to Sir Thomas Gates,
Sir George somers and others AFTER
wards incorporated as 1.-The Treasurer
and Company Of Adventures and
Planters of the City of London for the
First Colony in Virginia." by three
separate charters. dated respectively
April 10. 1906, May %, 1909 and March
II, 1911. was very extensive.
The first charter authorized the COM
pany 10 plant colony in that part Of
America. commonly called Virginia, In
some fit and convenient place be-
tween the thirty-fourth and forty-flrst
degrees OF north latitude. and granted
for that purpose all the lands extend
ing from the first seat OF the planta-
ton fifty miles towards the east and
northeast, along the seacoast as Il
lyeth. and running back into the in
terror ono hundred miles, together
with all the islands within one hun
dred miles directly over against the
said sea coast
The second charter granted TO the
company all OF those lands lying in
that part of America called Virginia,
from the point OF land called Cape, or
Point Comfort, all along the seacoast
to the northward two hundred miles.
and from the said point of Cape Com
fort all along the seacoast to the
southwark two hundred miles. and all
the space and circuit OF land lying
from tho seacoast TO the precinct
aforesaid up into tho land. through
| from sea to sea west and northwest;
| and also all the islands lying within
one hundred miles along the coast of
both seas Of the precinct aforesaid.
The third charter granted to the
company all of the islands situated In
the ocean seas bordering upon the
coast OF our first colony in Virginia
and being within three hundred
leagues OF any of the parts heretofore
granted 10 the said company in the
said former letters patent as atore-
said. By these several grants. tho
London company became possessed OF
a front on the Atlantic ocean OF four
hundred miles, taking Old Point COM
fort as center. and extending across
the continent to the Pacific ocean,
with the same front on that coast,
and all OF the islands in both seas w.
I ing within three hundred leagues off
of ard opposite the boundary above
described.
The vast territory granted to the
company by these charters was ro-
( duced before the war OF the Revolu-
/ ton by grants TO other colonies, and
by the treaty Of 1868. between Great
Britain and France, and by the ces-
sion of Virginia to the United States OF
the northwest territory in 1881 and
4 the erection OF Kentucky into a sep
I arate state in 1892.
The government of the colony was
TO he entrusted to local council COM
posed OF thirteen members and was
TO conform to the laws OF England,
/ and there was also to be council of
Ike number established In England
appointed by the king. called the Coun-
ell OF Virginia. which was clothed with
the superior management and direc-
ton OF affairs in the colony.
BY the terms OF the charter not
much latitude was given the local
council. and their duty seems mainly
to have been TO carry out the instruc-
I tons OF the king. which were to be
| the laws governing the colonists. and
he persistently held to this right all
his life to their great detriment.
The details Of the charter having
been arranged the company set about
securing coionists for the enterprise.
and on December l2. 1906. three small
vessels called the Discovery. Good
speed and Susan Constant, with one
hundred and five souls on board. the
whole commanded by Captain Chris
TOPPER Newport. set sail from London
for the new world. The little fleet
arrived safely In Chesapeake bay on