Proclamation 502—Reservation of Lands in Puerto Rico for Naval Purposes

Whereas, by "An Act Authorizing the President to reserve public lands and buildings in the island of Porto Rico for public uses, and granting other public lands and buildings to the government of Porto Rico, and for other purposes," approved July 1, 1902, the President is authorized to make, within one year after the approval of said act such reservation of public lands and buildings belonging to the United States in the Island of Porto Rico for military, naval, light-house, marine hospital, post offices, custom houses, United States Courts and other public uses as he may deem necessary, all public lands and buildings, not including harbor areas, navigable streams and bodies of water and the submerged land underlying the same, owned by the United States in said Island and not so reserved, being granted to the government of Porto Rico upon the condition that such government by proper authority, release to the United States any interest or claim they may have in or upon the lands or buildings reserved under the provisions of said act; and

Whereas, the government of Porto Rico, by an act of the Legislative Assembly of said Island entitled "An Act Authorizing the Governor of Porto Rico to convey certain lands to the United States for naval, military and other public purposes," approved February 16, 1903, has authorized the governor of Porto Rico to release any interest or claim that the people of said Island "now have or may hereafter acquire in and upon any lands or buildings belonging to the United States," for public uses under and by virtue of the power vested in the President under the terms of the act of the Congress above cited;

Now, Therefore, I, Theodore Roosevelt, President of the United States, by virtue of the authority in me vested, and in pursuance of said Act of the Congress, approved July 1, 1902, do hereby declare, proclaim and make known that the following described lands be, and the same are hereby, reserved for naval purposes, to wit:

All public lands, natural, reclaimed, partly reclaimed, or which may be reclaimed, in the island of Porto Rico, embraced within the following boundaries:

1. The public land lying south of the Caguas Road, shown on the United States Hydrographic Map No. 1745 of July, 1898, and for 250 feet north of said Caguas Road, to be bounded on the west by a true north and south line passing through the eastern corner of the railway station shown on said map, on the south by the shore of the harbor, and to extend east 2400 feet, more or less, to include 80 acres; provided, however, that there may be excepted from the foregoing reservation such areas as may by the Secretary of the Navy be deemed requisite to provide suitable access to the City of San Juan across said reservation by railroad or other public highways.

2. The entire island lying to the southward of the above described reservations, and shown on the United States Hydrographic Map No. 1745 of July, 1898, as Isla Grande (or Manglar), said island being more particularly described as situated in the north-eastern part of the harbor of San Juan, Porto Rico, and bounded on the north by the Cano de San Antonio and the strait connecting the Cano de San Antonio with Miraflores Bay, on the east by the strait connecting the Cano de San Antonio with Miraflores Bay and by Miraflores Bay; on the south by Miraflores Bay and by the waters of that part of the harbor of San Juan which separates Isla Grande from Anegado and Largo shoals, and on the west by that part of the waters of the harbor of San Juan which separates Isla Grande from the city of San Juan and the Puntilla.

3. All public lands and the structures thereon, situated on the peninsula extending into the harbor on the south side of the city of San Juan, Porto Rico, known as the Barrio de la Puntilla, or Puntilla Point, bounded on the north by the south boundary of the Paseo de la Princesa, and on the east, south and west, by the navigable waters of the harbor of San Juan, at such port warden's line as may be established by competent authority.

4. The public lands south of the Scarf wall on the Puntilla, known as the Park and the Presidio and bounded on the north by the said Scarf wall; on the east by a line drawn 74 feet east of the north-east corner of the San Justo Bastion; on the south by the south side of Paseo de la Princesa; and on the west by the deep water channel of the harbor entrance.

5. All public lands and buildings thereon, belonging to the United States on the Island of Culebra and adjacent keys, lying between the parallels of 18 degrees 15' and 18 degrees 23' north latitude and between the meridians of 65 degrees 12' and 65 degrees 25' west longitude.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the city of Washington, this 26th day of June, in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and three, and of the Independence of the United States the one hundred and twenty-seventh.

THEODORE ROOSEVELT

By the President:

JOHN HAY,

Secretary of State.