Section 31. Cession during ownership by the United States and use for purposes thereof, with sundry reservations

Title  and  jurisdiction  to
  the  following  tracts  or  parcels of land has been ceded to the United
  States upon condition that the jurisdiction so ceded should not  prevent
  the  execution  on  such  tracts  or  parcels  of  any process, civil or
  criminal, issued under the authority of this state;  nor  the  operation
  within  the  same  of  the  laws of this state, or the ordinances of the
  common council of the city of New York, for the  general  regulation  of
  the  civil  police  of  such city, passed before the date of the deed of
  cession, and not incompatible with the purpose for  which  such  cession
  was  made;  and  that  the  United  States  shall  retain  such  use and
  jurisdiction so long only as such tracts shall be used for  the  defense
  and safety of the city of New York:
    1.  In  the city of New York. A tract of land and land under water, in
  the city of New York, described in a deed dated May 6, 1808, as follows:
  "Beginning in the Hudson river at a point in  the  continuation  of  the
  south   line  of  Hubert  street,  bearing  N.  79°  30'  W.,  from  the
  southeasterly corner of  Hubert  and  West  streets,  distant  200  feet
  westerly  from  the  permanent line of West street, which said permanent
  line bears S. 10° 15' W., from the southwesterly  corner  of  the  state
  prison  wall; thence N. 10° 15' E., parallel to the said permanent line,
  305 feet, to a point in the continuation of the  north  line  of  Laight
  street;  thence N. 79° 30' W., 300 feet into the Hudson river; thence S.
  10° 15' W., 305 feet to a point in the continuation of the south line of
  Hubert street aforesaid; thence S. 79° 30' E., 300 feet, to the place of
  beginning," acquired for the defense and safety of the city of New York.
    2. In the city of New York. A tract of land or land under water in the
  city of New York, described in a deed dated May  6,  1808,  as  follows:
  "Beginning  at  a  point  in  the  line of the present battery, six feet
  southerly of the most southern external angle formed by the main battery
  and the present bastion, which said point is 497 feet  11  inches  on  a
  course  S.  36° 20' W., from the southeasterly corner of the brick house
  situate at the corner of Marketfield street and Broadway, now or  lately
  belonging  to Robert Kennedy, and is also on a course S. 89° 10' W., 264
  feet 1 inch from the northwesterly corner of Bridge and  State  streets;
  thence  N.  16°  10' W., 310 feet; thence S. 64° W., 500 feet; thence S.
  26° E., 300 feet; thence N. 64° E., 425 feet, to the place of beginning;
  all of which courses are to be run as the magnetic needle pointed on May
  6, 1808," acquired for the defense and safety of the city of New York.
    3. In East river. A tract of land under water in  East  river  at  the
  Wallabout  bay,  and  adjoining  the  navy  yard  of  the United States,
  described in a deed dated April 3, 1810, as follows: "Beginning  at  the
  southerly  end  of  the  dam  of  the  pond at the navy yard, at a point
  designated on the map or chart comprising  a  delineation  of  the  said
  parcel  of  land hereunto annexed, by the letter A, from which point the
  easterly corner of the commander's house at the navy yard bears  N.  29°
  45'  W.,  the  steeple of the Reformed Dutch Church at Brooklyn bears S.
  62° W., and the south corner of the dwelling-house of  Jeremiah  Johnson
  bears  N.  80°  25'  E.,  and  running from the said point designated as
  aforesaid by the letter A, N. 52° 30' E., 2,290 feet  to  a  point  from
  which  the  north  corner  of  the  dwelling-house  of the said Jeremiah
  Johnson bears S. 70° 30' E., designated by the letter B, in the said map
  or chart, and running from the said last-mentioned point N. 7° E., 1,580
  feet, to a point from which the southwest corner of Thompson's house  on
  the  Long  Island shore bears N. 76° 45' E., the steeple of the Reformed
  Dutch Church in Brooklyn bears S. 48° 25' W., and  the  steeple  of  St.
  Paul's Church in the city of New York bears N. 79° W., and designated in
  the  said  map  or  chart  by  the  letter  C; and running from the said

  last-mentioned point S. 70° W., 2,480 feet to the north  corner  of  the
  navy  yard,  designated  in  the  said map or chart by the letter D; and
  thence southerly along the navy yard to  the  place  of  beginning;  all
  which  courses  and bearings are taken as the magnetic needle pointed on
  April 3, 1810," acquired for the defense and safety of the city  of  New
  York.
    The  free  and common use of the waters not appropriated by the United
  States for wharves or fortifications to the eastward of the navy yard of
  the United States and the westward of the east boundary line of the land
  above described, is reserved to the people of this state.