126 FOREST commissioner's REPORT. 



The County of York was incorporated in 1640 and embraced 

 the whole of Maine until Nov. 2, 1760, when the Counties of 

 Cumberland and Lincoln were created by act of the Provincial 

 Legislature. 



Other counties incorporated while part of Massachusetts were 

 Hancock and Washington, May 2, 1790; Kennebec, April i, 

 1799; Oxford, March 4, 1805; Somerset, June i, 1809. 



The French at times claimed the coast of Maine as far West 

 as the Kennebec, but the only French grant recognized was that 

 of Louis Fourteen in April, 1691, to Monsieur de La Motte 

 Cadillac, grandfather of Madame De Gregoire w^hich was con- 

 firmed to her by Resolve of Massachusetts July 6, 1787, as to 

 such part as the Commonwealth then had title to. (This grant 

 was part of Mt. Desert and nearby islands.) 



Also Indian deeds of certain lands between the New Hamp- 

 shire line and Damariscotta have been held good. 



By 1 7 16 the whole region between the Piscataqua and the 

 St. Croix was united at last in a single political division, but 

 the Kennebec was still an important boundary. Unappropriated 

 lands on the Eastern side of the River still belonged to the 

 Crown. The right to govern the territory had been granted to 

 Massachusetts, but the right to the soil remained in the King. 

 It followed as a matter of law and was provided in the Province 

 Charter that while the general court might of its own motion 

 dispose of lands West of the Kennebec, no grants East of the 

 River could take effect until they sihould be approved and con- 

 firmed by the King. This distinction continued during the 

 remainder of the Colonial period. 



The powers of government and territorial rights reserved by 

 the King, as well as those previously conveyed by Charter, 

 passed finally by conquest to the State of Massachusetts, and 

 was formally relinquished by the Treaty of Peace between Great 

 Britain and the United States concluded Sept. 2, 1783. 



It will be seen from the above abstract that at an early date 

 the entire coast from Portsmouth to the Penobscot, including 

 the islands, had been covered by these grants of the Council of 

 Plymouth. 



Maine's Title to Islands. 



It is a popular theory that Maine in her sovereign right as a 

 state has title to all islands and ledges in the sea not previously 



