N.Y. State Law Section 31
Cession during ownership by the United States and use for purposes thereof, with sundry reservations

Title and jurisdiction to the following tracts or parcels of land has been ceded to the United States upon condition that the jurisdiction so ceded should not prevent the execution on such tracts or parcels of any process, civil or criminal, issued under the authority of this state; nor the operation within the same of the laws of this state, or the ordinances of the common council of the city of New York, for the general regulation of the civil police of such city, passed before the date of the deed of cession, and not incompatible with the purpose for which such cession was made; and that the United States shall retain such use and jurisdiction so long only as such tracts shall be used for the defense and safety of the city of New York:

1.

In the city of New York. A tract of land and land under water, in the city of New York, described in a deed dated May 6, 1808, as follows: “Beginning in the Hudson river at a point in the continuation of the south line of Hubert street, bearing N. 79Á 30’ W., from the southeasterly corner of Hubert and West streets, distant 200 feet westerly from the permanent line of West street, which said permanent line bears S. 10Á 15’ W., from the southwesterly corner of the state prison wall; thence N. 10Á 15’ E., parallel to the said permanent line, 305 feet, to a point in the continuation of the north line of Laight street; thence N. 79Á 30’ W., 300 feet into the Hudson river; thence S. 10Á 15’ W., 305 feet to a point in the continuation of the south line of Hubert street aforesaid; thence S. 79Á 30’ E., 300 feet, to the place of beginning,” acquired for the defense and safety of the city of New York.

2.

In the city of New York. A tract of land or land under water in the city of New York, described in a deed dated May 6, 1808, as follows: “Beginning at a point in the line of the present battery, six feet southerly of the most southern external angle formed by the main battery and the present bastion, which said point is 497 feet 11 inches on a course S. 36Á 20’ W., from the southeasterly corner of the brick house situate at the corner of Marketfield street and Broadway, now or lately belonging to Robert Kennedy, and is also on a course S. 89Á 10’ W., 264 feet 1 inch from the northwesterly corner of Bridge and State streets; thence N. 16Á 10’ W., 310 feet; thence S. 64Á W., 500 feet; thence S. 26Á E., 300 feet; thence N. 64Á E., 425 feet, to the place of beginning; all of which courses are to be run as the magnetic needle pointed on May 6, 1808,” acquired for the defense and safety of the city of New York.

3.

In East river. A tract of land under water in East river at the Wallabout bay, and adjoining the navy yard of the United States, described in a deed dated April 3, 1810, as follows: “Beginning at the southerly end of the dam of the pond at the navy yard, at a point designated on the map or chart comprising a delineation of the said parcel of land hereunto annexed, by the letter A, from which point the easterly corner of the commander’s house at the navy yard bears N. 29Á 45’ W., the steeple of the Reformed Dutch Church at Brooklyn bears S. 62Á W., and the south corner of the dwelling-house of Jeremiah Johnson bears N. 80Á 25’ E., and running from the said point designated as aforesaid by the letter A, N. 52Á 30’ E., 2,290 feet to a point from which the north corner of the dwelling-house of the said Jeremiah Johnson bears S. 70Á 30’ E., designated by the letter B, in the said map or chart, and running from the said last-mentioned point N. 7Á E., 1,580 feet, to a point from which the southwest corner of Thompson’s house on the Long Island shore bears N. 76Á 45’ E., the steeple of the Reformed Dutch Church in Brooklyn bears S. 48Á 25’ W., and the steeple of St. Paul’s Church in the city of New York bears N. 79Á W., and designated in the said map or chart by the letter C; and running from the said last-mentioned point S. 70Á W., 2,480 feet to the north corner of the navy yard, designated in the said map or chart by the letter D; and thence southerly along the navy yard to the place of beginning; all which courses and bearings are taken as the magnetic needle pointed on April 3, 1810,” acquired for the defense and safety of the city of New York. The free and common use of the waters not appropriated by the United States for wharves or fortifications to the eastward of the navy yard of the United States and the westward of the east boundary line of the land above described, is reserved to the people of this state.

Source: Section 31 — Cession during ownership by the United States and use for purposes thereof, with sundry reservations, https://www.­nysenate.­gov/legislation/laws/STL/31 (updated Sep. 22, 2014; accessed May 4, 2024).

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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
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Accessed:
May 4, 2024

Last modified:
Sep. 22, 2014

§ 31’s source at nysenate​.gov

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