CHAPTER 5
OF PUBLIC LANDS.
AN ACT to cede to the United States title to, and jurisdiction over lands for sites of light-houses, beacons, life saving stations, or other aids to acquire title navigation within the limits of, the State of Delaware.
SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Delaware in General Assembly met, for the site That whenever the United States shall desire to acquire a title to land of any kind belonging to this State, whether covered by the navigable waters within its limits or otherwise, for the site of any light-house, beacon, life saving station, or other aid to navigation, and application is made by a duly authorized agent of the United States, describing the site or sites required therefor, the Governor of the State shall be authorized to convey such site or sites to the United States, and to cede to the United States, jurisdiction over the same ; Provided that no single tract desired for any light-house, beacon, or other aid to navigation shall contain more than ten acres, or for any life-saving station more than one acre.
SECTION 2. And be it further enacted, That all the lands, The ceded lands, rights and privileges hereby authorized to be ceded, and all to be exempt the buildings, structures, improvements, and property of every kind erected and placed thereon by the United States shall be exempt from taxation so long as the same shall be used for the purposes before mentioned.
SECTION 3. And be it further enacted, That this act shall in no manner abrogate or interfere with the jurisdiction and right of this State to serve and execute any legal process, civil or criminal, within the limits of any tract of land hereby authorized to be ceded for the purposes aforesaid ; and that the title to any land hereby authorized to be ceded as aforesaid, shall escheat and revert to the State, unless the construction thereon of the light-house, beacon, life saving station, or other aid to navigation, for which it is ceded, shall be commenced within two years after such conveyance shall be made, and shall be completed within ten years thereafter; and this act shall take effect from the date of its passage.
Passed at Dover, Feb. 9, 1875.