N.Y. State Law Section 24
Cession during ownership by the United States, with reservation of right to serve process


Title and jurisdiction to the following tracts or parcels of land have been ceded to the United States by this state, on condition that the jurisdiction so ceded should not prevent the execution thereon of any process, civil or criminal, issued under the authority of the state, except as such process might affect the property of the United States therein, and that such jurisdiction shall continue in the United States so long only as the land shall remain the property of the United States:

1.

At West Point. A tract of land under water described as follows: “Beginning at a point at high water mark on the west shore of the Hudson river on south line of lands belonging to the United States and northeast corner of lands belonging to Edward V. Kinsley, and running thence into the river from high water mark S.70Á E., 125 feet; thence N.31Á E., 3165 feet, to a point fifty feet east of the most easterly point at high water mark of a point of land at base of ’Battery Knox’; thence N.20Á E., 1350 feet, to a point sixty feet east of high water mark at ’Gee’s Point;’ thence N.52Á 20’ W., 1375 feet; thence N.75Á 30’ W., 445 feet, to a point fifty feet north of the northwest corner of the ’North dock’; thence N.47Á 25’ W., 2175 feet, to a point three hundred feet east of high water mark; thence N.23Á 45’ W., 1420 feet, to a point one hundred feet east of high water mark; thence N.7Á 55’ W., 1718 feet, to a point fifty feet east of high water mark; thence N.9Á 5’ W., 1803 feet, to a point one hundred feet east of high water mark, and in range with the north line of the United States lands; thence N.89Á 20’ W., 100 feet, to a bolt set in a rock for the northeast corner of said lands of the United States”; acquired for the purpose of erecting and maintaining docks, wharves, boat-houses, batteries and other needful military structures and appurtenances. Certain lands in the county of Orange, adjacent or contiguous to the military reservation at West Point, heretofore purchased by the United States, for the erection and maintenance thereon of forts, magazines, military academy, hospitals, docks, piers, and other needful buildings and for other military purposes of the United States Military Academy; and any roadways thereon not public highways across said reservation and also land under water of Hudson river adjacent to and lying in front of said purchased lands, for a distance toward the middle of said river not less than fifty and not more than one hundred feet from high water mark on said lands, for the erection of wharves and docks and for other military purposes of the United States.

2.

At Governor’s island. A tract of land under water contiguous to the lands of the United States at Governor’s island, described as follows: “Beginning at a point fifty feet from the head of the main wooden dock, commonly known as the quartermaster’s dock and on a line with the north face of said dock, running thence S.5Á 13’ W., 137 feet; thence S.14Á 44’ W., 595 feet; thence S.29Á 25’ W., 490 feet; thence S.53Á 58’W., 622 feet; thence N.78Á 27’ W., 1088 feet; thence N.18Á 55’ W., 1565 feet; thence N.17Á 4’ E., 535 feet; thence N.79Á 58’ E., 318 feet to a point fifty feet from the head of the Castle William’s dock and on a line with the west face of said dock; thence N.89Á 48’ E., 584 feet; thence S.74Á 23’ E., 786 feet; thence S.45Á 44’ E., 751 feet to a point fifty feet from the head of the stone dock, and on a line with the north face of said dock; thence S.20Á 33’ E., 222 feet to the point of beginning, ”acquired for the purpose of erecting and maintaining docks, wharves, boat-houses, sea walls, batteries and other needful structures and appurtenances.

3.

At Bedloe’s island. A tract of land under water contiguous to the lands of the United States at Bedloe’s island, described as follows: “Beginning at a point fifty feet from the head of the main dock or wharf and on a line with the southwest face of said dock; running thence S.41Á 13’ W., 424 feet; thence N.72Á 13’ W., 423 feet; thence N.24Á 23’ W., 548 feet; thence N.20Á 19’ E., 639 feet; thence N.62Á 1’ E., 262 feet; thence S.27Á 7’ E., 1255 feet, to a point fifty feet from the head of the main dock and on a line with the northeast face thereof; thence S.33Á 4’ W., forty feet to the point of beginning, ” acquired for the purpose of erecting and maintaining docks, wharves, boat-houses, sea walls, batteries and other needful structures and appurtenances.

4.

At Ellis’s island. A tract of land under water contiguous to the lands of the United States at Ellis’s island, described as follows: “Beginning at a point fifty feet from the head of the east dock and on a line with the north face of said dock; running thence S.18Á 30’ E., 605 feet; thence S.71Á 30’ W., 202 feet; thence N.81Á 19’ W., 313 feet; thence N.32Á 4’ W., 178 feet, this line being parallel to the head of the west dock, and distant fifty feet from said dock; thence due north 577 feet; thence S.70Á 47’ E., 424 feet, to the point of beginning,” acquired for the purpose of erecting and maintaining docks, wharves, boat-houses, sea walls, batteries and other needful structures and appurtenances.

5.

At David’s island. A tract of land under water contiguous to the lands of the United States at David’s island, described as follows: “Beginning at a point one hundred and fifty feet from the head of the new dock, commonly called the coal dock, and on a line with the northwest face of said dock; running thence N.3Á 20’ E., 755 feet; thence N.79Á 5’ E., 630 feet; thence N.6Á 12’ E., 1096 feet; thence N.52Á 25’ E., 552 feet; thence S.69Á 18’ E., 647 feet; thence S.36Á 28’ E., 604 feet; thence S.35’ E., 1066 feet; thence S.13Á 54’ E., 834 feet; thence S.23Á 55’ W., 427 feet; thence S.71Á 49’ W., 1121 feet; thence N.48Á 18’ W., 1550 feet, to the point of beginning, ” acquired for the purpose of erecting and maintaining docks, wharves, boat-houses, sea walls, batteries and other needful structures and appurtenances.

6.

At Fort Lafayette. A tract of land under water contiguous to the lands of the United States at Fort Lafayette, described as follows: “Beginning at a point ninety-two feet west from the prolongation of the west face of the fort, and eighty feet north from the prolongation of the north face of the said fort, running thence S.67Á 34’ E., 448 feet; thence S.22Á 26’ W., 448 feet; thence N.67Á 34’ W., 448 feet; thence N.22Á 26’ E., 448 feet, to the point of beginning, ” acquired for the purpose of erecting and maintaining docks, wharves, boat-houses, sea walls, batteries and other needful structures and appurtenances.

7.

At Fort Hamilton. A tract of land under water contiguous to the lands of the United States at Fort Hamilton, described as follows: “Beginning at a point at high-water mark on the western boundary line of the United States land there situate; running thence in continuation of said boundary line S.64Á 45’ W., 320 feet; thence due south for 233 feet to a point seventy-five feet from head of the dock (or wharf) and on a line with the north face of said dock; thence S.49Á 37’ E., 1915 feet to a point on the continuation of the southern boundary line of the said United States land; thence along said continuation N.21Á 10’ E., 165 feet to a point at high-water mark, on said southern boundary line of said United States land, ” acquired for the purpose of erecting and maintaining docks, wharves, boat-houses, sea walls, batteries and other needful structures and appurtenances.

8.

At Forth Wadsworth. A tract of land under water contiguous to the lands of the United States at Fort Wadsworth (or Tompkins) described as follows: “Beginning at a point at high-water mark on the northern boundary line of the United States land there situate; running thence in continuation of said boundary line N.73Á 16’ E., forty feet to low-water mark; thence in continuation of said boundary line N.73Á 16’ E., fifty feet; thence S.48Á 23’ E., 1073 feet; thence S.9Á E., 1652 feet; thence S.18Á 57’ E., 700 feet; thence S.40Á W., 850 feet to a point on the continuation of the western boundary line of the said United States land; thence N.30Á 16’ W., for 100 feet along said continuation of boundary line to low-water mark; thence N.30Á 16’ W., for 350 feet along said continuation to a point at high-water mark on the western boundary line of the United States land, ” acquired for the purpose of erecting and maintaining docks, wharves, boat-houses, sea walls, batteries and other needful structures and appurtenances.

9.

At Fort Schuyler. A tract of land under water contiguous to the lands of the United States at Fort Schuyler, described as follows: “Beginning at a point on the boundary line of the land of the United States at high-water mark on the north shore of Throgg’s Neck; running thence in continuation of said boundary line N.21Á 10’ E., 257 feet to low-water mark; thence in continuation of said boundary line N.21Á 10’ E., sixty-three feet; thence S.1Á 21’ E., 988 feet; thence S.41Á E., 1350 feet; thence S.77Á 24’ E., for 906 feet; thence S.44Á 20’ E., for 543 feet; thence S.5Á 17’ W., for 634 feet; thence S.52Á 15’ W., for 622 feet; thence N.63Á 19’ W., for 698 feet; thence N.54Á 13’ W., for 1728 feet; thence N.49Á 33’ W., for 1065 feet to a point on the continuation of the boundary line of the said United States land at Throgg’s Neck; thence on the line of said continuation N.21Á 10’ E., for 77 feet to low-water mark; thence on line of said continuation N.21Á 10’ E., for 123 feet to a point at high-water mark on the south shore of said Throgg’s Neck and on the boundary line of the present United States land there situate; ” acquired for the purpose of erecting and maintaining docks, wharves, boat-houses, sea walls, batteries and other needful structures and appurtenances.

Source: Section 24 — Cession during ownership by the United States, with reservation of right to serve process, https://www.­nysenate.­gov/legislation/laws/STL/24 (updated Sep. 22, 2014; accessed May 4, 2024).

20
Cession without reservation
21
Authorization of acquisition and cession of jurisdiction thereupon without reservation
22
Cession with reservation of right to serve process
23
Authorization of acquisition and cession of jurisdiction thereupon, with reservation of right to serve process
24
Cession during ownership by the United States, with reservation of right to serve process
25
Authorization of acquisition, and cession of jurisdiction thereupon during ownership by the United States, with reservation of right to s...
26
Cession during ownership by the United States and use for public purposes, with reservation of right to serve process
27
Authorization of acquisition by the United States, and cession of jurisdiction thereupon during ownership by the United States and use fo...
28
Cession during use for purposes thereof, with reservation of right to serve process
29
Authorization of acquisition and cession of jurisdiction thereupon, during use for purposes thereof, with reservation of right to serve p...
30
Authorization of acquisition and cession of jurisdiction thereupon, with reservations of concurrent jurisdiction and right to serve process
31
Cession during ownership by the United States and use for purposes thereof, with sundry reservations
32
Cession during use for purposes thereof, with sundry reservations
33
Cession with sundry reservations
34
Cession during use for purposes thereof, with sundry reservations
35
Cession of jurisdiction to lands acquired for light-house purposes
36
Acquisition by condemnation
37
Saving clause
38
Relinquishment of legislative jurisdiction by the United States of America to this state

Accessed:
May 4, 2024

Last modified:
Sep. 22, 2014

§ 24’s source at nysenate​.gov

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