Potter Stewart

“ I cannot agree. The second California case dealt with a single issue: the meaning of the term 'coast line' for purposes of the third alternative definition of 'boundaries' in § 2 (b) . [2] But Texas does not claim a boundary under that definition, and the term 'coast line' simply does not appear in the definition of 'boundaries' under which Texas does assert its claim. ”

“ It is, of course, true that boundaries may shift when a constant operative definition is applied to changing conditions. But the ordinary understanding of the word 'boundaries' is the resultant line, not the operative definition. Finally, when the phrase 'as they existed' is appended to the word 'boundaries,' it simply does not make semantic sense to interpret 'boundaries' as a general definition rather than a particular line. ”