22 Survey of Oyster Bars, Somerset County, Md. 



Coast and Geodetic Survey. These areas are given in small figures in parentheses on 

 the face of the chart and are usually located within the boundaries of the different areas. 

 The symbols used on the charts for the different kinds of boundaries, triangulation 

 stations, contours of depth of water, etc., require no other explanation than that given 

 in the legend and other notes on the face of the charts. 



LEASING CHARTS. 



The leasing charts of Somerset County, like those for Anne Arundel County, have 

 been prepared under the direction of the hydrographic engineer of the Commission. 

 These charts are constructed on polyconic projections and based on the United States 

 standard datum of the Coast and Geodetic Survey. They are made on the scales of 

 i part in 5,000 or 1 part in 10,000, as the needs of oyster culture may require. Anne 

 Arundel County required 13 leasing charts and Somerset County 12 to cover their oyster 

 bottoms. 



These charts show all the oyster bars, crab bottoms, and clam beds and other 

 boundaries established by the Commission, and also all boundaries of oyster lots leased 

 for the purpose of oyster culture, thus making them comprehensive and valuable records 

 of the results of the operations of the oyster-culture laws. 



The lots leased under the provision of the "old 5-acrelaw" are frequently of irregular 

 shape, but the lots leased under the provision of the new oyster laws must be of rec- 

 tangular shape by the terms of that act. For this latter purpose the leasing charts 

 have been divided by parallels of latitude and meridians of longitude into small rec- 

 tangles of 1 acre or 5 acres, as may be best suited to area under consideration, and 

 prospective leaseholders by the rules of the Commission are compelled to select whole 

 rectangles as far as practicable. 



For reasons of the present changeable nature of the number of lots leased and the 

 large number of charts required, the leasing charts are not likely to be published for 

 some years, but they can be seen at any time on file at the offices of the Commission, 

 in Annapolis. 



PROJECTIONS. 



The polyconic projections" covering Somerset County waters are 13 in number and 

 on the scale of 1 part in 10,000. They were all constructed by draftsmen of the Coast 

 and Geodetic Survey, who also plotted the sextant positions on the smooth projections 

 which determine the location of the legal boundaries of the oyster bars, crab bottoms, 

 or clam beds as delineated by the Shell Fish Commission. 



A copy of each of these projections, with all the plotted positions of triangulation 

 stations, shore line, sextant positions, and boundaries of oyster bars, was made under 

 the direction of the hydrographic engineer of the Commission by pricking through with 

 a sharp needle the intersections of the projection lines and all other points as plotted on 

 the original sheets. 



These projections (in duplicate) are the original records of all oyster bar and other 

 boundaries established by the Commission, one set being filed in the archives of the 

 Coast and Geodetic Survey, at Washington, and the other set in the office of the Shell 

 Fish Commission at Annapolis. 



a For the scheme of these projections see the progress map at the beginning of this publication. 



