We, the undersigned, justices of the peace for the county of Washington, do hereby certify that Joseph M. White, a party to the foregoing deed, did, in our presence, acknowledge his signature and seal to the same, for the purposes therein mentioned. JNO. N. MOULDER, J. P. R. S. BRISCOE, J. P.

To all to whom these presents shall come, greeting:

I certify that John N. Moulder and R. S. Briscoe, whose names are subscribed to the annexed instrument of writing, were, at the time of subscribing, and now are, justices of the peace for Washington county, in the District of Columbia, duly appointed and commissioned, and that full faith is due to all their acts as such.

In testimony whereof, I, Henry Clay, Secretary of State of the United States, have hereunto subscribed my name, and caused the seal of the Department of State to be affixed.

Done at the city of Washington, this tenth day of March, A. D. 1828, and of the independence of the United States of America the fifty-second. [L. s.]

TERRITORY OF FLORIDA,
County of Escambia.

H. CLAY.

I, M. Crupper, clerk of the county court for the county aforesaid, do hereby certify that the foregoing deed is recorded in my office, and that there is no other deed of the land therein conveyed by Francisco and Fernando Moreno, of record; and that mine is the only legally authorized recording office for such conveyances in said county.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the said court, this the eighth day of September, A. D. 1828. [L. S.] M. CRUPPER, Clerk,

By J. G. DRAKE, D. Clerk.

X.

Extract of a letter from Commodore Rodgers to the Secretary of the Navy, dated Washington, 3d July, 1829.

"Upon the subject of the lands sold to the Navy Department by Col. Joseph M. White, on his own account, and as agent for Judge Henry M. Breckenridge, and for, Francisco and Ferdinando Moreno, I spent five days in examining the four tracts. The two first, consisting of 1600 arpents, (1200 the property of Col. White,) cost the Department $2700: 400 belonging to Judge Breckenridge cost $2200. These two tracts are bounded on the south by Santa Rosa sound, and on the east and west by lands belonging to the United States. The eastern boundary of the first 1200 arpents being six, and the last 400 about four miles distant from the extreme end of Deer point.

"On the tract purchased of Judge Breckenridge (see plat No.) I should suppose, from the best examination I was enabled to make, that one-fourth of the whole may be considered what is commonly denominated hammock land, the soil from 12 to 18 inches deep, consisting of decomposed vegetable substances and oyster shells, intermixed with the fine white sand forming by nature so large a portion of the soil of Florida, particularly that part bordering on the gulf of Mexico. On one part of these hammocks, one hundred or more live oak trees of large growth are to be seen, and on the others large stumps of the same tree are found; thus furnishing, if not conclusive,

strong presumptive evidence that a soil that had once given growth to such timber might, with care and proper management, be made to produce it again, if not by transplanting young and thrifty trees, at least by sowing acorns taken from trees of large growth while in a sound healthy state. On the adjoining 1200 arpents, purchased of Col. White, (see plat No.,) I am led to believe, taking the whole together, that not more than one sixth part can be properly called hanımock lands. This, particularly the hammock land, is similar in quality to that purchased of Judge Breckenridge, and, from the number of large stumps to be met with, it is inferred that large live oak trees had once grown on it; at present, however, it has but few, if any, of this description, although it contained several thousand young trees, 12 to 20 and 25 feet in height, and 2, 3, and 4 inches in diameter. The timber on the easternmost part of this tract consists principally of a stunted growth of pitchpine, intermixed with scrub, black jack, and water oaks.

"The improvements on the two tracts are as follows: on that purchased of Judge Breckenridge, a frame dwelling, one story high, (not plastered,) containing two large and four small rooms, with a large passage running through the centre, having a portico in front, and another in the rear of the house; a log kitchen, a stable, and other small outhouses; two gardens, the large one having in it several hundred small orange and peach trees; the other, used principally as a vegetable garden, has some small fruit trees and shrubbery. In addition to these, there are two new rough log buildings, sufficiently capacious to accommodate 20 negroes. On the tract purchased of Colonel White there are no improvements other than the remains of two small log buildings, said to have been built by General Call. At the time I visited these lands there were twenty hands employed in cutting down, and clearing out from among the young live oaks, all the undergrowth and other trees, such as white bay, black jack, scrub, black and water oaks, magnolia, &c.; and in this way, it was judged by Mr. Davis, the overseer, who accompanied me, that nearly or quite 200 arpents had already been cleared, in addition to two avenues in a north and south direction, and another in the centre running east and west, that had been cut through the woods to give free circulation to the air, and prevent injurious effects from fires, such as these lands had previously been subjected to from Indian hunters and others. On the lands thus cleared, the overseer assured me that there were now growing 173 full grown trees, 126 of six inches and over in diameter, 11,635 between two and six inches, 9,965 of two inches and under; making, in the whole, 22,202 which he had already counted.

"From the limited examination I was enabled to make of these lands, it is impossible for me to say with precision how many acres had been cleared, or how many live oak trees they contained; but from what I did observe, (and my whole attention was given to the subject,) I am strongly inclined to believe that the overseer's statement is nearly, if not quite correct.

"Col. White, I found, was at Tallahassee; and as it would have required 20 days for a letter to reach him by due course of mail, I was under the necessity of giving up the expectation of seeing him before my departure; and Judge Breckenridge having left Pensacola for Philadelphia before my arrival, precluded my obtaining from him an account of the expense that had already been incurred, or of the sums necessary to satisfy existing claims against the lands, for the improvement of which he had been appointed the superintendent.

"I now come to the two tracts, one consisting of 1250 arpents, purchased of Col. White for the sum of $2,361 11, the other of 800 arpents, purchased

through him, as the agent of Francisco and Ferdinando Moreno, for the sum of $3,000. In the examination of these lands I spent two days, and was assisted in my researches by Capt. Woolsey of the Navy, and a respectable Spaniard, a native of the village of Barrancas, named Cummings or Cummin.

"The 1250 arpents (see plat No. ) are bounded on the north by the Grando bayou, south by the Grande lagoon, east by the gulf of Mexico. On this tract, which lies about three miles west of the Barrancas, there is a large hammock of about 150 arpents, that contains some large live oaks, and a considerable number of others of recent growth, from 3 to 6 inches in diameter, intermixed with pitch-pine, red bay, black oak, magnolia, and other trees of a small size. This hammock does not appear to differ in the quality of its soil from those inspected on Santa Rosa sound; and from what I was able to observe by passing around it, and into it in two places as far as the undergrowth would permit me to penetrate, I am led to believe that the number of arpents of hammock it was said to contain does not differ essentially from what has been stated. The remainder of this tract consists, one third perhaps of impenetrable swamp, covered with juniper, white bay, and other trees peculiar to such land; the remaining two-thirds of sand, in most places thinly covered by pitch pine, none of which are large enough for spars.

"The tract of 800 arpents is bounded on the north by the Grande bayou, on the west by the village of Barrancas, and on the east by the Navy yard. This tract has on it two hammocks, one containing perhaps 35 or 40, the other 20 or 25 arpents; but although it has, like the other hammocks, a large number of small live oak trees, and some large stumps of the same kind of timber, I saw none of large growth. The soil, like all the rest, is generally very sandy and unfit for cultivation. It is, however, pretty well clothed with small trees, such as pine, red bay, black jack, water oak, and other wood suitable for fuel. Its chief value consists in its vicinity to the Great bayou, the number of springs of good water it supplies, and the fine elevated prospect that part bordering on the bay of Pensacola affords of the sea. It is on this ground that the erection of a hospital is recommended, should one be thought expedient."

Extract added by the Committee on Naval Affairs. (State Papers, H. R., 1st session, 21st Congress, Doc. No. 2, page 236-7.)

"It would be difficult to determine the value of these lands: for, notwithstanding they all contain considerable quantities of timber, suitable for firewood, and those parts called hammocks might be made to produce live oak, it is believed, still, for the purposes of cultivation, there is but a small part, I should think, that is of any value whatever."

Y.

Extracts from report No. 3. of Charles Haire and Thomas F Cornell, agents for the examination and survey of West Florida lands, under instructions from the Navy Department, dated 12th November, 1327. [This part of the report includes the lands purchased by Government for the raising of live oak, and contains the information sought for by the resolution of Congress of the 16th December, 1830, on the subject of the live oak in Florida.]

"The next growth of live oak, in the course of the examinations of the agents, is to be found at the residence of Judge Breckenridge, on the Sta

The

Rosa sound, and which place is noted on the map of Mr. Williams, above referred to. The schedule No. 2 exhibits the growth on this place. accompanying map will show the quantity of the land, in all about ten acres. (This comprises all the live oak land of any value embraced within the three tracts purchased by Government, the rest being barren and unproductive, and of no value.) Rumor having spread abroad in some directions such flattering tales of the large quantity, as well as the fine quality of the live oak growing on this place, whilst in others it communicated quite the reverse, the agents deemed it advisable to be more critical in their examinations here, than if the same quantity of live oak had been found elsewhere. The sound as well as the unsound trees are therefore thus exhibited in full, by which means an opportunity is afforded of knowing both alike, and the proportion of each; at the same time it furnishes a just criterion to test the quality of the soil, as well as the proportion destroyed by fire.

"Much has been said in favor of this peninsula as a favorable site for raising live oak, but the agents are not fully impressed with the practicability of this measure, and, with great deference and respect, take the liberty to suggest, that, before an undertaking of such national importance as the raising of live oak nurseries should be commenced, great attention should be paid in making judicious selections, com.bining as well the advantage of a FAVORABLE SOIL as that of a CONVENIENT SITUATION. The remarks of Mr. Williams, who has written a book, accompanying his map, on West Florida, are in strict conformity with the result of the examinations of the agents. In one place, in speaking of this peninsula, he says, "The pen⚫ insula extending between Pensacola bay and Santa Rosa sound (this is the land selected for a live oak nursery) has not even clay beneath the sand; peat is sometimes found there in extensive beds, with abundance of cypress and cedar stumps, standing far beneath the sand." Again, in another part of the work, he says, "the peninsula between Pensacola bay and Sta. Rosa sound is in general a pine barren, interspersed with black jack ridges and savannahs of moist grazing land. On each shore there are small hammocks, excellent for sea island cotton, and would form beautiful country residences."

"In the course of the examination thus far made by the agents, they are of opinion that as yet they have met with no position around these bays more favorably, situated nor affording greater facilities for its cultivation, particularly in so large a body, (a most important consideration,) than the peninsula dividing the Escambia bay from the Yellow Water and Black Water bays. To illustrate this fact the more forcibly, reference need only be had to the comparative growths of each place, excepting, however, the growth on the hammock, partly cleared by Mr. Garnier, at the eastern extremity of Sta. Rosa sound, and which may as well be considered as being at the mouth of Choctawhatchee bay. The soil on this last named peninsula is of a strong, stiff texture of the kind, mingled more or less with decomposed vegetable matter, together with calcareous substances, formed from various sea shells, and consequently may be expected to be lasting in richness. The soil of the first named peninsula, viz: between Pensacola bay and Sta. Rosz sound, though abounding also in some of the above enriching substances, is nevertheless loose and impoverished in its texture, more particularly so in the interior, while the interior of the other produces all its growth both numerous and thrifty, even down to the pasture itself. The interior growth of the former is scattering and stunted, and the pasturage in most places approximating to barrenness. The live oak growing on the latter is but

little injured by fire, while that of the former has three-fourths of its quantity more or less injured by it.

"The superincumbent soil of the latter is founded upon a stratum of clay, that of the former upon a bed of peat, which may be seen in many places protruding itself into the sound.

"From these facts it may be premised that the soil of the latter will be retentive of its cultivation, whilst the former must soon become almost barren. But these facts aside, which experience has made useful prognostics to the agriculturist, the comparative growth of the live oak on both places will at once suffice to give the latter described peninsula a preference over the former, and at the same time to point out this peninsula as being the most suitable position, containing a body of the best land for the propagation of the live oak, which has as yet come within the observation of the agents, extending from the Perdido river around to the settlement of Mr. Garnier, at the head of Sta. Rosa sound."

"Schedule No. 2." "Of the quantity of live oak on Judge Breckenridge's tract of land situate on Sta. Rosa sound."

"55" trees, "containing 2361" cubic "feet."

"The following is an additional portion of live oak, found, also, in the above described hammock:"

62" trees, "containing 2036" cubic "feet.”

Z.

NAVY DEPARTMENT,

29th January, 1828.

SIR: In making the necessary inquiries to execute the law of last session respecting live oak timber, it has been discovered, among other things, that there is a large tract of land in the neighborhood of the navy yard at Pensacola, which belongs to the United States, and may be reserved with more advantage and less expense than any other probably on the whole coast. There is one objection only in the way; near the centre of it is a tract of 1600 arpents, which belong, to individuals, and which, being in the possession of others, will render it more difficult to protect and guard.

The land has on it some very valuable timber and some improvements. The whole together would form very far the best plantation for live oak which can be found in Florida.

Under these circumstances, I request that authority may be given to purchase the 1600 arpents. The whole cost and expense may be about $5,000, which may, with propriety, be taken from the appropriation in the law of the last session of Congress for the gradual improvement of the Navy.

The only authority required is that to make the purchase: no appropriation is necessary.

It is proper also to remark, that there are some small tracts on the coast of Georgia which it is very desirable should be purchased, and which would not cost large sums. They are not designated, because you will at once perceive that a knowledge that the Government designed to buy