The jurisdiction and control of this State have been granted and ceded to the United States in and over the several following described pieces, parcels and tracts of land and land covered with water hereinafter described, to wit:

(1) All that tract or parcel of land and land covered with water, situate, lying and being on the west bank of Cooper River, in Charleston County measuring and containing seven hundred and sixty acres, more or less, abutting and bounded to the north by lands formerly of Mrs. W. W. Lawton and by the Cooper River, on the east by the Cooper River, on the south by Ship Yard Creek and on the west by Ship Yard Creek, as is delineated on a map of the city of Charleston and vicinity, made by J. H. Dingle, city surveyor, December 1900, conveyed by J. Adger Smyth, as mayor of the city of Charleston, by deed, dated August 12 1901, and recorded in the office of the register of deeds for said county at page 247 of book X 23 to the United States for the purpose of a naval station in accordance with the limitations set forth in the act of the General Assembly approved February 8 1901 (Acts 1901, p. 607);

(2) All that certain piece, parcel and tract of land, containing one hundred and seventy-one and three one-hundredths (171.03) acres, bounded on the north by Noisette Creek, on the east by Cooper River, on the south by lands formerly of Cecilia Lawton and on the west by other lands belonging to the city of Charleston, constituting a portion of Chicora Park and specifically shown and designated on the plat of said park made by A. J. Menocal, engineer, United States Navy, being wholly within the red lines laid down on said plat, conveyed to the United States by deed of said J. Adger Smyth, mayor, dated August 12 1901, recorded in the office aforesaid in book X 23 at page 245;

(3) All that certain piece, parcel and tract of land, situate, lying and being in said county of Charleston on the west bank of the Cooper River, containing two hundred and fifty-eight and eleven one-hundredths (258.11) acres, more or less, bounded on the north by lands of the city of Charleston known as Chicora Park, on the east by Cooper River, on the south by lands formerly of Mappus and J. C. H. Claussen and the Old Clement's Ferry Road and a body of marshland, and on the south by lands formerly of said Cecilia Lawton, being the tract of land conveyed by said Cecilia Lawton to the United States by deed dated August 14 1901 recorded in the office aforesaid in book X 23 at page 234; and

(4) All that certain piece, parcel and tract of land situate, lying and being in Charleston County westward of and adjoining the United States navy yard and containing ninety-six and one-half (96.5) acres, more or less, and having such shape, metes, marks, bounds, dimensions and distances as is represented on a plat thereof made by J. W. G. Walker, civil engineer, United States Navy, on September 9 1902 and being the parcel conveyed to the United States by said J. Adger Smyth, mayor, by deed dated July 12 1902 recorded in the office aforesaid in book F 24 at page 30;

Excepting, however, that portion of one or more of such tracts or parcels of land that the United States, through the Secretary of the Navy of the United States, did by deed dated April 16 1903 recorded in the office aforesaid at page 156 of book F 24 reconvey in fee simple unto the city of Charleston more particularly described as follows: All that certain piece, parcel and tract of land situate, lying and being in Charleston County on the south bank of Noisette Creek, containing one thousand eight hundred and twenty-six and seven-tenths square feet, more or less, and bounded as follows, that is to say: On the north by Noisette Creek, on the southeast by a line running in continuation of the northwestern boundary line of the naval hospital tract from the point where such line intersects the western boundary line of the navy yard tract to said creek and on the southwest by the western boundary line of the navy yard tract, from the point where said line is intersected by the northwestern boundary line of the naval hospital tract to said creek.

Service of process. - This State retains and shall retain jurisdiction, concurrent with that of the United States, in and over said pieces, parcels and tracts of land and land covered with water so far as that civil process and writs in all cases not affecting the real and personal property of the United States and any and all criminal or other process and writs lawfully issued in the name and under the authority of this State against any person charged with crimes, felonies or misdemeanors committed against the peace and dignity of the State within and without the limits of said pieces, parcels and tracts of land and land covered with water and not incompatible with the cession may be executed at any and all times within the limits of said pieces, parcels and tracts of land and land covered with water in the same manner as if no jurisdiction had been so granted and ceded.

Exemption from taxation. - Said pieces, parcels and tracts of land and land covered with water, so long as they shall be and remain the property of the United States and shall be used for the purposes for which they have been heretofore granted and conveyed as aforesaid, shall be and continue wholly exempt and exonerated from and of any and all taxes, assessments and other charges whatsoever which might otherwise be imposed by and under the authority of this State.

HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 39-117; 1952 Code Section 39-117; 1942 Code Section 2042; 1932 Code Section 2042; 1907 (25) 548.

Code Commissioner's Note

1997 Act No. 34, Section 1, directed the Code Commissioner to change all references to "Register of Mesne Conveyances" to "Register of Deeds" wherever appearing in the 1976 Code of Laws.