be percieved by a perusaLof the following
extract from the sanitary report of the
surgeon of the fleet uow at Port Royal.
Sanitary report Xorth Atlanti Fleet 1S75.
* * * Port Royal Sound having been
made the rendezvous for the fleet, sov
eral vessels have been permanently located
there and it has been visited by nearly
all. The advantages of the position o*
these waters for the purpose designated
are very obvious. The winter is mild.^
and the heat of the summer ihod*'*5'"
*- 3 lv?. MmnSP3
teuipereu uy (IIUJWI uuiuf'?rv
breezes. Facilities f(vt('t^ng are excellent
aqd there is d**b* communication by rail
with Charleston, and Augusta.
question of a supply of water for
the fleet became one of great importance,
especially during the summer months,
when the annoyance and bad effect of the
extreme heit occasioned by the fires
necessary for the purpose of condensing
watei' became very apparent Several ineffectual
attempts to obtain good water
were made, and after leaving Port Royal
I requested Surgeon J. C. Spear, to devote
special attention to the subject; to
make thorough examinations of all water
that could >e suppled in sufficient quanti- 1
tv from the vicinity. The letter of Dr.
Spear, which is appended, shows that the
desired result has been obtained; that an
adequate supply of excellent water exists
iu the immediate vicinity of Port Royal.
At my request Dr. Spear has also prepared
tables of temperature and relative
humidity, which are of great value, as !
are the statements in his able sanitary report,
all of whieh papers are appended.
It will be seen that the region is pecu- !
liirly healthy; that in a sanitary point of J
view it compares most favorably with
anf other portion or the coast
* * * * * * 1
S. F. Coues,
Surgeon oj the Fleet.
The following is the report of Dr. j
Spear referred to iu Jiurgeon Coues' '
report: t
united states steam el dictator,
Second Rate, i
Port Royal. S. C., Septtmkr 30, 1875. I
Sir?I respectfully report that in July i
the water contractor, Mr. D. II. Small, S
discovered near Beaufort, Soutk Caroli- j
na, a soucre of water supply for. vessels of
war rendezvousing here. It is a spring i
on Albergottie Creek, a tributaiy of i
Beaufort river five miles above the vjwu t
of Beaufort. The water flows' frou a i
wooded hill side, composed of clean wHte a
sand. It is very clear and cool, is agree- g
able to the taste, and contains very little t
organic matter. The Dictator, Pawnee, c
and Pinta have used it two months, and ,
all agree that it is wholesome, keeps well <
iu tank', and is in every respect much j
better than the water we formerly had .
from Charleston. The contractor, since i
leasing the spring has built a small sedi- i
ment tank of brick and Roman cement
and a large receiving tank with a capacity
of nine thousand one hundred and thirty
cillnn* Hp has also DUt UD iron uiDe
for a distance of one hundred and fifty-six
feet, to connect the receiving-tank with
the water-boat in the creek below. The
spring has now a capacity of hiueteen
thousand gallons daily, and in the rainy
season it will probably be more. At high
tide a vessel drawing seven feet can
reach the spring and load in time to get
out on the next high tide.
Very respectfully,
John C. Spear,'
Surgeon United States Xary.
Medical Inspector Samuel R Coues,
U. S. N. Fleet Surgeon, N. A. Station.
These two papers prove clearly that an
adequate supply of fresh water can be
obtained at Port Royal, and it is reasonable
to infer that the expense of obtainiug
it is considerably reduced from what it
was when it had to be brought from
Charleston, a distance of seventy-five
miles. The estimate therefore that 4'with
- - t* ,
the force oow making rendezvous at rort
Royal. the cost for drinking-water will
cot be less than Si00,000 yearly" is
based upon a state of facts that no longer
exist, and upon difficulties that have
long since been removed. That fresh
water cannot be obtained at any port for
vessels without some expense is a fact
beyond dispute. I think I have fully
met the objections to Port Royal upon the
water question. *But supposing these
objections to be still true, does the port of
Savannah afford any superior advantages
in this respect ? I think not. At any
rate, let us see. It is stated by Commodore
Ammen, who seems to differ in regard
to the comparative merits of Port
I
\
- I V
Royal and Tybee Island as a naval ren- j
davfous with almost every naval officer
CO with the Morth Atlantic
squadron, aud with almost every Army
officer who has any knowledge of the two
places, that l,pure fresh water is found at
all seasous of the year at the head of
"" t i A *
.Eiioa tsiana, or at u ui&iaucc ui ?wuc icu
miles frop? 'he entrance of the river, and
sev*^1 miles lower down during a c n?derable
part of the year.''
Admitting that the ater obtained at
the head of Elba Island is of a character
fitted for naval use, pure, wholesome, and
keeps well in tanks, equal in every re
spect to the water at Port Royal, can it j
be obtained at any less expense than tnat
procured at Port Royal ? Certainly no.',
for the depth of water in the Savannah
River at Elba Island is not sufficient at
any stage of the tides to permit vessel's of
heavy draught like the Wabash and
otheis now stationed at Port R?tyal to
cross the the bar at Elb* Island and
reach the head of the island where this
pure fresh water can be obtained, so that
it will bare to he hroucht to them in the
same manner as at Port Royal. In this
respect, therefore, Elba Island affords no
advantage over Port Royal in the facilities
for obtaining water; in both places it
must be carried to the fleet. In proof of
my assertion in regard to the depth of
water in the river at Elba Island, I hold
in my hands a communication fiora Captain
Patterson, superintendent of the
United States Coast Survey, in which, in
answer to certain inquiries from me, he
states that the depth of water on the bar
it the lover end of Elba Island is eleven
feet ?t mean low water and seventeen and
three-fourths feet at mean high water,
while on the bar at the middle of the
Island, which bar must of course be
jrossed in order to reach the head of the
Island, the depth of water is only nine
feet at mean low water and fifteen and
,hree-fourths feet at mean high water.
As to the water lower down the river,
n the neighborhood of Cockspur Island,
lothing need be said in addition to what
s contained in the report of Assistant
Surgeons Roberts and Niles. These
gentlemen state:
"The water of the river in this vicinity
s generally brackish, This condition is
nodified by the state of the river and the
ides, being almost fresh when the former
s overflowed by rains from the up country
ind ouite salt at hisrh tides and a low
itate of the river. This evidently affects
he evolution of malaria, the freshened
surrent, in a high state of the river,
saturating the soil almost to the surface,
which, upon the subsiding of the water,
is left exposed to the heat of the sun.
producing the tonus of paludal fever
tnon incidental to interior fresh water
streams and swamps."
Now. Mr. Chairman, I think I have
sufficiently discussed the claims of Tybee
Island, 9o far as relate to its superior advantages
ever Port Royal as a place for a
naval rendezvous. A few words in regard
to its claim to equal advantages with
Port Royal and I am through. It is
asserted that Port Royal possesses no
superior advantage in depth of water
over Savannah, ''the depth of water," it
is said, "over the entrance of Port Royai
and Savanuh being the same, namely,
nineteen feet at mein low tide. In this
respect, therefore, m superiority can be
asserted for the former, each allowing
vessels of the same draught." This
statement, in mild language, is simply
incorrect.
Referring again to the communication
from Captain Patterson, I find that while
the depth of water in the Savannah
River at the outer bar is eighteen and
one-half feet at mean low water, yet on
#
the inner bar below the deeo anchorage
at the nor; h endofTybee Island, the depth
of water is only seventeen feet at mean
low water. As this inner bar has to be
crossed in order to reach the anchorage
intended for the fleet, the eighteen and
one-half feet on the outer bar is of no
importance whatever, since there is only
seventeen feet on the inner bar. On the
other hand, the depth of water at Port
Royal entrance at mean low water is
twenty-one feet or two and one-half feet
more than on the outer bar at Savannah
and four feet more than on the inner bar,
while vessels can go up the Beaufort
River to Battery Creek, which is twenty
miles from Port Royal entrance and four
miles above the present anchorage of the
fleet, and find at the bar on the mouth
of that creek nineteen feet at mean low
water, one-halt" foot more water than is
found on the oufer bar at Savannah.
Uxtsd States Coast Survey Ozfice,
Washington. May 18, 1876.
De\R ^IR: I take pleasure in appending
below the information called for by
yoir note of yesterday.
First. Depth on bar at Port Royal ennance
(outer bar) at mean low water,
twenty-one feet; at mean high water,
... J *U O
iweiuy-seveu <*uu iuicc-xwun.ua xcci.
Second. Depth that can be taken up to
Batter}7 Creek, Beaufort River, at mean"
low water, nineteen feet; at mean high
water, twenty-five and oue half feet. Note
that the least depth just stated is on a
narrow bar near the mouth of Battery
Creek; but the water is several feet deeper
inside of it.
Third. Depth on bar at Tybee entrance
(this refers to the outer bar Savannah
River) at" mean low water, eighteen and
one-half feet; at mean high water twentyfive
and one Ifclf feet. Depth ou inner
bar below the deep anchorage at north
end of Tybee Island, at mean low water,
seventeen feet, at mean high water,
twenty-four feet.
Fourth. Depth of water on each side
of Cockspur Island on the bar of the
channel leading to north side of the
island, twelve ieet at mean low water,
and at mean high water, nineteen feet.
On the bar leading to the south side of
the island, at mean low water, eight and
one-half feet; mean high wajer, fifteen
and one-half feet; there Being a depth of
from eighteen to twenty-nine feet at mean
low water inside and abreast the ea3t end
r?f thf> island.
inglorious death of contagious and malarial
disease in consequence of bad legis'ation
by sending the men to a sickly port
like Key West or Tybee Island near ,
Savannah, is not what the country requires
as long as such a course can be
avoided. Wnen men in their capacity
as legislators who in the face of the honest
facts and figures which in the most
glaring manner disprove their ill-advised
schemes, gotten up. for the furtherence
of their own political ends, have
the audaciousness to propose and advocate
a measure which on tne very face of
the case and as can be seen "fter very
little investigation, is to the county's
disadvantage, then indeed is it high time
that such representatives, sent to Congress
by a democratic constituency, look
to their laurels. !
- - " - * ;?
Judging iroui me copies ui owl-uu reports
made to their Department by some
of Jthe ablest naval officers, whose acquaintance
with Port Royal sound Moes
not date of last year only when the fleet
was ordered to rendezvous there, but has
its origin in the early days of the war, we
are glad to say that there seems to be little
danger to the good people of Port
Royal of losing their naval rendezvous.
In conversation with some of the eminent,
thoroughly responsible and high
minded officers of the navy who more
than once have crossed the bar of Port
Royal Sound on a fla g-ship drawing
between 20 and 24 feet of wafer, your
correspondent has heard informaljopinious
wnich based upon scientific principles and
the welfare of the U. S. Naval service
sounded like an argument of which Port
Royal may well be proud.
Foremost among those who presented
their protest against this attempted wrong
was your townsman the Hon. Robert
Smalls,'who, as an experienced seaman
had fortified himself with a battery ol
Fifth. Depth of water in Savannah
River up to Elba Island, n the bar at
lower end of the island, eleven feet at
mean low water; seventeen and threefourths
feet at mean high water; on the
bar at the middle of the island, nine feet
at mean low water and fifteen and thre
fourths feet at mean high water.
For the " comparative merits of Port
Royal Sound and Tvbee Roads as a sheltered
anchorage for large-draught vessel."
I beg leave to refer you to the chart sent
herewith, upon which both anchorages
are given on the same scale.
Yours respectfully,
C. P. Patterson,
Superintendent Vunited States Cost Surrey.
Hon. E. W. M. Mackey.
House 0/ Represen'atives, Washington, D. C.
The amendmedment of Mr. Mackey
was not agreed to.
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
Editor Standard and Commercial:
Port Roval is a right " royal port " indeed
! Such a one as judging from what
has beeu said about it, from official
sources, by our Representatives iu Congress,
and printed in the Congressional
Record ana other papers, the United
states Naw will never 'urive ?d,/ either
in peace or in war, without a*most gallant
fight.
In speaking thus of the United States
' Navy we refer to those elements in it that
are worthy of their title, whoso knowledge
is based on solid scientific education
and whose judgement is rendered with
anojjinion untrammelled by political partisanship.
The Navy is called upon to decide
a question of momentous importance
concerning its own interests and, through
them, the interests of the country.
What it decides and reports to the House
will according to yester-day's decision of
that body, become a law. Now, to have
the officers and men ot the naval sendee,
trained and educated to their profession
at the expense of their country, die t he
letters and official figures and facts, thus
I leading the defense through a large democratic
majority in the House to the harbor
of safety, as he once led the steamer
"Plauter" into Charleston harbor,
through the dangerous passes and ob
struct ions piled up by the eoemy.
The same as fourteen years ago he had
mniifl :i mark in rhf> liistnrv r?f t.Kp war.
he yesterday gave a new evidence of his ,
en rues: 11 ess and perseverance in the cause
or Ilia constituency and indeedr&ke United
States. Overawed by Geuerar Smali's
argumentative documeuts, read, by unanimous
consent of the House at his request
by the clerk, . Mr. Hartridge of
Georgia who had the floor, repeatedly
declined to yield the same to the gentfeman
from South Carolina, who was well
aware of the advantages he had already
gained and which he was eager and ready
to follow up, in a tactical manner, with a
well supplied reserve force. The Georgia
member consumed the full time he was
eutitied to, knowing as he did that his
side of of the qucs ion could not afford to
sustain any more damage. His successor
in the debate, the Hon. E. W. M. ^ /
Mackey of Charleston, armed to his teeth
as it were, with an infallible array of facts
obtained from the U. S. Coast Survey
office and the Medical report of the U. 8.
Army, had prepared a well set and
lengthy argument comparing the advant
ages of Fort Royal with those of Tybee
and Cockspur Island, in point of depth of
the harbors, supply of fresh water and
sanitary condition in the two localities.
The able manner in which the important
and difficult task of defeating the
designing Georgia delegation was accomplished
and the retention of the naval fleet
at Port Royal was advocated by the Hon.
Robert Smalls and Mackey earned them
the support of the House in the decision
that the matter concerning the establish
ment of a naval station and rendezvous
upon the coa>t of Georgia" or South
Carolina, shall be "referred to a navpl
board consisting of the three senior
officers in the navy, for examination
and repflft at the commencement of the
next session of Congress."
Now this, you will agree with me, is a
victory; for not only will the fleet remain
where it is for the time being, but the de
- ? - i ?.i
cisioo of its future location is vested witn
meu who e profession alone, not to speak
of their honor and reputation as gentlemen
and high officers of the American
uavy, forbids them to shape their verdict
otherwise than the good of the service
deman s. The matter therefore cannot
be in better hands. The same officers
who one year ago moved the station from
Key West to Port Royal, will, after the
excellent test the latter place has stood,
not be apt to report in favor of a removal
to a locality as bad or worse than the
one they had vacated a year before.
Moreover, when they moved to Port Royal
they did not do so on a venture or
without kuowing what they were doing;
the advantages of Port Royal were as
well known to them then as now.
We learn from the Hon. R. Smalls,
that he is in receipt of a memorial signed
by the town councils of Beaufort and Port
Royal in regard to the el&use in the naval
appropriation bill, proposing to remove
the naval station firom Port Royal.
The memorial came too late to be read
in the House of Representatives at the
time of the discussion of the bill, but as
\?e all understand, it has been referred to
Senator Patterson who will present it in
the Senate when the bill in question
reaches that body.
A. H. G.
Strawberries to day at Robert's,
V2\ cts, per qts. ^
8ft- Egyptian Sugar Pates, 20 cts per
lbs. at Robert's.
ft- Choice Currants, 15 cts. per lbs.
at Robert's.
8ft- Go to Robert's for your Confectionery.
H7 M. STUART, M. D.,
Cor. Bmy & Eighth Streets,
Beaufort, 0. O.
DKALF.B IK 4^*
DRUGS, AND CHEMICALS.
FAMILY MEDICINES,
FANCY AND TOILET ARTICLES
STATIONERY, PERFUMERY,
BRUSHES, Ac., Ac., Ac.,
Together with many other articles too numerous
o mention. AH of which will be sold at tbelewes
priee for cash. Physicians prescriptions carefully
feb.l*!
^miijiuuiiuvu.
BANKING HOUSE,
Wm. H. Lockwood,
BAY ST., BEAUFORT, 8. C.
GOLD AND EXCHANGE
?ON?
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Collections made on any point in the
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