The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-02-13
saeat Of tbaeer.,,nrnf.
\ SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
JANUARY %, ISn6,

EIr Mitchell. from the COMMITTEE, +, e,y.,,,
rsterre@, tie memorial oftbe merchants of ",
L9'f' l'tenitfe6 REPORT on tkat bart of tb.
JeMe' qo''e1 reSHfeJ TO tie 1ycneeleG Etmz-
ton Of TIE PORT Of New-york."
Early in the hiitnry of North America. the
harbour OF New-York wa. difcovered bv the
n'u'ch IN be convenient place of refort for
.ps. ouolequent experiment has proved the
Judgment of the Hol,anders to bave been GOOD
lie place where the North river forms y ;nntti.
on with Ions I1and found, is as well if not bet
Ter adapted to navigation: and trade tl:an any
winch the Atlantic coat affords.
ne city at the head of the harbour. is abeut
- mics 'roin The ocean, the ebh aud low of the
tide is about feet. The Giitnefs of the wa.er
IS not mue h inferior to that of the neishbouruy
fea. rug
The harbour is bay or baiin, furroundsd
cWehy ny 'liands. Thcugh the fpacc from the
'ooe o. tne NrveriunS hills, to the mouth of the
'eI Na'iean' and another fpace from Berean
PoiAt' To licnoken are parts of the main land
which ikirt the flores between IN. inInl,r no
ht'ons. The land ismoRly low and is connnC.
ca Principally o. gravel, f,nd, aud loom: and
III certain 'pots ttrata of fold granite apDear.
ihe HAND OF Sandy Hook, where the Iipht
none IL anos, rs little more than beach ring
NOT lar above the level of fpring tides. Staten
'I%'u wells into moderate hills, and prcIents
eiPec'aily on ITS caiiern Gde ieveral bold eIey,.
t'ons. l.onS Hand Whole vcNern extremity
,oes IT'S ridges and iGl.s in the plains OF Flat
A'i"S ana new Utrecht, III. retains at the Mr.
rows "here IT'S ellis are fomewfat' abrup, aud
'"'i''ieht, icveial petitions of comfortable
tfength. In thetc fhores Of the two Ian n1euti-
oned iilands, the army afth enemy was landed
III !77e, and repetition Of fuch an iuva6on
u'Snt be discouraged by the erection of fuita-
p'e "o'Es To oppoie If. Governors Hand has
oeeh areaIy much improved by military works
".'u Is 'ne ipot on which furt>fa ana the min.
cipai other Notifications have been eret}eJ
hed!nw Hand, though very FINAL, has alto hee,,
coa'idcred proper for defeniive operations. and
10 'osne degree prepared to annoy an en.mv.
=, Nlahhattan Hand, where the civ of New.
~ h""os' there was once fort and battery
V'ie nav oeen deinoliihed Of late years, undcr
loH''st'oh or Their unfltrefs, as have likewife
rome mole recent breait works and parane+e
winch though coultru8ed but s or Q Years 400
were within twelve month, aeiroved bv The
people who made them.
Between thete iilands there are deem chan.
neis and rapid currents. Ships of Iarrre forcs
may he brought in from fra and anchored in
'afety abreah of the town. And having once
reached that ita'ion, there is water enoueh to
convey tfigates or even larger Hips, quite to the
city of Hudfon f"''e ~ TIC
10 the ialtncfs, depth, and fwiftnefs of the
t,' Is 10 be aicrihed the oprunefs of the
HARBOUR or New York during the winter. Tn
1850, its furface was covered bv tb;cl IN
HFohg covering of ice. The Ike las meyer b,n.
pence lncc, not even during the rigorous win
yer o. 1905. And it is remarkable that while
l"e be'aware' PataPfco, and Potomac are fro.
Zen' ana fh'Iadelphia, Baltimore, and Ale.xap.
ora are iecured thereby from the fleets of an in
sader, the bay of New-York, thoucb fitnatsd
lu'tner 10 the northward, poiItfies commonly
no iuch protection, but is accefIibie from the
ocean eT,, WITH hut trifling impeachment.
: nc lniecIrity OF the city is evinced bv other
!tcS; WIN final fquadron of fhips in 1914,
sHe i"sn'h TOOK 1t from the Dutch. Shortly
az, arg WARDS 1t was retaken with almott equal
e"ie. NO cauie or attack occurring until the
commencement of the revolutionary war. IL
was found utterly incapable Of defence aea;na
hoitile hect and army is l776, and abandon.
ed to the enemy by the troops arrayed for !,
Pr"ecuon. And that very foe, which then
tH'hed me PoheifIen, held it as carlton until
! 'o9, "hcn on IFS evacuation, the inhabitapts |
were e,iahled to return to their homes, after an
exile ct long years.
"'hce the revolution, New-York has greatly
'hcreaied IN population, extent, capitar and en-
'..P,iZe. the menhorialins fate that there one |
'" WI u'e H't'io revenue IL collected. They
nope 10 important fca port may be thought |
worthy ct an efficient dtfence. And thcv 6eo
tna' a portion of the public treaflire accumu. |
JARED IN that place may be expended in render. |
ing, both that treafure and tie CITY in wbicb i |
is kept, more fccrre.
For the iu' therinforma.ion Of the Senate. the |
committee beg leave to obftrve, that piece of
and has been already purchafcd by the Rate. |
On Statet Hand, conprehending the hip, ooint
w which the tignal poles Of the nero hanfs are
ERECTED. The greater part Of Governors IL. |
anh IS undc'itood to be the property of the
tate, imall part Of it only having been mr.
chh'ed by the nation. On theft pa,c4ls nc
ground the labour of confirm qirc works f. III
matter Of exp'ncc. Aud it il in th;s
poiture of affairs that .hc emorialhs. after rho
Rate has done ~ much, ak the nation to bear
past Of The charge. neeeGarv IN
provide more formidable means of defence md
offence. anu
Exiravagant climates have been made H.,
certain iobbers and projectors. Artificial Il.
lands, and imnenfe piers, and enormous float
ing batteries, and vaft cheviux de frSs, have
been taiked Of; enough 10 abforb the whole
revenue, and to terrify ali fober c1jrnlatora of
the con. The committee have diCniGrd ,bo6e
ichemes, as fapouriag rather of the viGonarv
and magnificent, than of the ufeful and feaGblc