State of Rhode Island, &c. In G^l Assembly March Session A. D. 1794. An Act empowering the United States to hold Lands for Fortifications. Whereas the Congress of the United States, at the present Session, passed an Act for the defence of the Port and Harbour of Newport and empowering the the President of the United States to receive from any State for Behalf of the United States a Cession of the Lands on which any Fortifications stand, or when such Cession shall not be made to purchase such Lands, on Behalf of the United States; provided that no such Purchase shall be made where such Lands are the Property of a State: Be it therefore Enacted by this General Assembly, and by the Authority thereof it is hereby Enacted, that there is and it hereby granted unto the United States of America all the Right, Title and Claim of this State to the Lands on which the Fortifications on Goat Island in the Township of Newport stand, together with the unimproved Lands which have been heretofore improved by this State for the Purpose of Defence. And it is further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, that a Post and may be erected in the Town of Newport or any other Town in this State, by any authorized Person in the State, by and with the Consent of his Excellency the Governor, to sell and deliver, for the President of the United States, for the Use of the United States, all such Lands as shall be deemed proper to erect Fortifications upon, for the Defence of the Port and Harbour of Newport, and to extend such thereof in our Town of Said — And if the Owner of any Land in Newport or any other Town or any Individual, shall not agree with the Person or Persons who may be appointed, by the President of the United States to purchase such Lands, on the Value thereof, then and in such Case his Excellency the Governor is hereby empowered to appoint three suitable Persons to appraise the said Lands, and upon Payment of the Value thereof at such Appraisement, or upon the Tender thereof being refused, the Fee and Property of such Lands shall vest in the United States, by [undecipherable: conveyance] Provided nevertheless, and it is further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, that all civil and criminal Process issued under the Authority of this State, or any Officer thereof may be executed on the Lands which may be so ceded, and within the Fortifications which may be thereon erected, in the same Way and Manner as if such Lands had not been ceded as aforesaid. A true Copy. Witness, Henry Ward, Sec^ry