Executive Order 5710—Naval Air-Space Reservation and Defensive Sea Area

By virtue of authority vested in me as Chief Executive and by the provisions of section 4 of the Air Commerce Act approved May 20, 1926 (44 Stat. 570), and section 44 of the Criminal Code (U.S. Code, title 18, sec. 96), I hereby declare the air space over and waters within a radius of 5 miles of latitude 37° 43' 12", longitude 76° 04', in Chesapeake Bay near the southern end of Tangier Sound, to be a naval air-space reservation and a defensive sea area, respectively, for purposes of national defense and other governmental purposes from October 1931, to October 20, 1931, both inclusive, unless sooner terminated by the Secretary of the Navy.

During the aforesaid period no aircraft or vessel shall navigate within the areas herein created except such as are authorized by the Secretary of the Navy in connection with national defense operations or for other governmental purposes: Provided, however, That surface vessels following regular channels may navigate within the aforesaid defensive sea area but in no event within a radius of 2 miles of the point above stated.

Any violations of the provisions of this order shall be subject to the penalties provided by law.

HERBERT HOOVER

The White House,
September 14, 1931.