Subject: LATXUS nailed!<br/>
Date: Dec 16, 2003 @ 02:53<br/>
Author: Lowell G. McManus (&quot;Lowell G. McManus&quot; &lt;mcmanus71496@...&gt;)<br/>
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<div id="ygrps-yiv-1174269098">In a decree dated May 16, 1977 (431 U.S. 161), the Supreme Court held:<br/>
___________________<br/>
<br/>
That the offshore lateral boundary between the States of Texas and Louisiana<br/>
seaward from the point Latitude 29°38&#39;37.329&quot; North, Longitude 93°49&#39;30.940&quot;<br/>
West (end of jetties) is a line running South-Southeasterly from said point on a<br/>
constant bearing of South 13°44&#39;45.8&quot; east true to the seaward limit of<br/>
Louisiana&#39;s Submerged Lands Act grant. Texas&#39; historic boundary then continues<br/>
offshore on the same bearing to the point Latitude 29°32&#39;06.784&quot; North,<br/>
Longitude 93°47&#39;41.699&quot; West.<br/>
___________________<br/>
<br/>
This bearing is a simple extension of the median line between the two jetties.<br/>
There is no wrap-around.<br/>
<br/>
Thus, the location of LATXUS is at the southwestern extremity of Louisiana&#39;s<br/>
state waters as depicted on the Official Map of Louisiana 2000 at<br/>
<a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.avenza.com/MPcomp/2001/maps/GenPurp_Snead.jpg">http://www.avenza.com/MPcomp/2001/maps/GenPurp_Snead.jpg</a> .<br/>
 This is where the 3nm line measured from the Louisiana jetty meets the extended<br/>
jetty median line.<br/>
<br/>
Curiously, the three-marine-league (3ml) limit of Texas waters does not have an<br/>
arc from the Texas jetty, as does the 3nm limit of Louisiana waters from the<br/>
Louisiana jetty.  If Texas had received a 3nm grant under the Submerged Lands<br/>
Act, its limit would have measured from the Texas jetty.  However, Texas had<br/>
proved its right to the 3ml limit held by the Republic of Texas prior to its<br/>
1845 annexation into the USA.  The Texas seaward limit is measured 3ml from the<br/>
historic coast as of 1845.  The jetties were constructed in the 1880&#39;s and<br/>
extended to their current length of 3.1 miles in 1936.<br/>
<br/>
In case anyone wonders why the lateral boundary of Texas is measured from the<br/>
Texas jetty when its seaward boundary is not, the Supremes opined that there was<br/>
never any offshore boundary established between Texas and Louisiana, so they<br/>
were working in virgin space as of the 1970&#39;s.  Therefore, they applied the<br/>
contemporary Geneva principles, which measure median lines from &quot;the outermost<br/>
permanent harbour works.&quot;<br/>
<br/>
Lowell G. McManus<br/>
Leesville, Louisiana, USA</div>