The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1814-03-05

III. y
fordinr a point of sec.ritv 20 tie ;nh. h;,, ~
in the vicinity of the Fort in cas-. os ,he in.
ssu7rcf;on ofneproe,. / cons dor pou, o.,
worthless.
ss have the honor. &c.
al. SWIFT Col
&c Chief En-;n,ar
"Gen. Arustro,e.
Secretary of War"
Your COMMITTEES f,rhear to .o,,, .:
Their on the delav az this renlv ~ ,,
nicatior, SO t,.eujv insrres,;r~ y, .,,;. ~
mopvea,tb. or mon tke ey, ,.,o.,;.: ,'
racter OF the preceding letters. They will
barely suggest, that this commonwealth has
never found 1t ssarv 70 call upon the u.
states to secure hep sei:ose against an irte
rsor enemy, nor Ssscs she at present urge
any soSn claim fas - 5,son. Il is equal
~ lnse 70 resees sfst. this Gem men W aith
ifvn sseeesrss dawn q a r,sesieah. indepen-
oence 20 tue present day, had never failed
zeatousiy TO Cooperate N maintaining the
rights, the security and honor of her Sister
states and OF the union.
Your committee are required By the i'm
Porsance OF the subject, on which they are
called 20 decide, and the presence Of p hos
tile Meet within the wat,rs cf the common,
wealth. 90 present the iFiowing facts 10 the
view OF the house That in the progress
"ND seAt A&COSI- ~"
Fowna'an' was early Considered and occu
pied by the government f Virginia as po
sni N best adapted to the defence of the RI
yer, aHaihst the approach OF A hostile fleet,
oefnS calculated III the pp MON of the best
Engineers of that day e protect the shin
ping and property at the ports of CITY o;nt
and Burmuda Hundred, and the towns of
Petersburg and RichmGd.
1t is we'll koown that this position attract
H. r
ington when this Comm o,wesIth was ;nva
ded by Arnold.
In the wear. 1907 and .soo ,,. p-;so.
of the CJn;,ed St,,es 80 n-: s'.,'e.'
repair to Fort Powh,tapTwho atss, y"
fui survey r.nor,ed :, oh ,,o,;,;l -
for dee,nce IA sa,o I"''''oi ensioie
enemy the prex;d.nt - =; - az.
port, the IJn;ted S,s,es oa;.5 q. si,s
commonweaI,h . 80; ,.o'.' .n's
ground ON which RI q 1rI.ent fsn,;r ". eHe
were erected, which heclne .l,s snoI,'s;us
property of the United a,a.ee nee,i, 60,
thousand dollars have bes, there exnen,IeS
For several vs.ra s.; 'ue' eH?o"''eo'
eat war. and at the t;,ns rs &c I.o W. p;es
troops of the United Slabs wers s,.,;,,n.J
at the Fort. Manv mil;Iarv ch.-ac,.." ~
the present day, whose on;s;ons s~e sn,;..
led to great RESPECT ard tnrs,Ianra $50
with the opinion formerly emit, a;ned con.
corning this place. as (, m;i;tarv eta.;o, e.,
defence against a naval nowec 90,
committee are persuadel thar ,he ne. 80
primary Importance tn 1bs r-,d,, -, 20
and THAI not a m omen. shou,d he loo, - -,
tending and conpt+sinp is works ana &c.
tlbishIng a conape,epg garrison for heir
maintenance and defence. The Fort &c sta.
TONED on high bluff. on the south side of
James River, The channel ne ,hich g -
ia one hundred yards Of the works. which
are erected ON the edge and On an eIevatior,
of cne hundred feet above the level Of the,
water. The river is al this point abopt 400
yards wide, & large bars obstruct the mas.
sage OF vessels, and also confne them IN n
narrow anannel and retard their proeress
under any wind.
be Fore is by land IS miles distant from
Ri, nrnosd, IS from Petersburg, and IL or
ID bslow the Ports Of CITY POINT 8, Rermu-
da Hundred, situated at the confidence os
Nppo5natox * James Rivers A recnrrcnce
to the map OF Virginia will furnish iurthsr
eVide.ce of the Importance Of this posi-
t'ion.
The private property at Richmond and
Petersburg, is es inaied ut sum UPWARDS
of 50 millions. The immepsa y.Irs IS ~
lie property in both towns j, s, well Known
az scarcely to require Comment The
she his supplied her citizens with tier
arms which they must nave otheywise claim
ed OF the United STATES, the banks. on the
security OF which the value of the whole n.