Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1816-06-15
FOR TIE ENQUIRER.
No. III.
70 The Commissioners Of the Navy Board.
No. IL.

In my hrSt letter, 4 endeavpred to SheW
you. that York river and town, posse ssed
natural. advantages, inviting the cs-
adjustment of a Navy yard, than any other
river or place which has been mentioned
in the discussions OH this subject and IS
Dscallv furnished all those he quisites you
deem important, SUI, h as the flee and easy
egress and ingress to ships of the largest
draft of water, at all seasons of the year !;
hea.thness OF situation security against at
tack by land, or by water good harbor !;
a stream Of water for docking ard labour-
saving machinery; facility in getting to
sea with guns. provisions, and sen stores
OH board facility in procuring timber"
have stated many other local adv ant ges
presenting themselves at this situation,
which are found no where els. l viii no
longer detain you on this part of the sub
Iect, but leave to your superior Judgments
10 say, when you visit York, whether /
have formed correct. or incorrect opinion
of the place.
Permit me now to ask Your attention,
while / attempt, as sur cinctly as possible.
to refute some objections made. to York ri
yer, by writer in the " Norfolk Ledger -
over the signature of Is friep,. of the Ma
WI VIII not follow him into the wide
field OF bare assertion,he has taken to as
sert, is not to reason; Assertions do not
always carry conviCtion.-I will endeayour
TO convince. This writer, not satisfied with
vindicating the place of his residence.
seems Qike Sme!fungus on his travels,) to
have set out determined to quarrel with
avery thing he sees. with every place.
which shall dare to compete with Norfolk
for public patronage.
The objection to York river, which
-l,~tt 81.
is understood to be straight, from the high
est point 70 which frigates can ascend, to lts
mouth" HIS acquaintance with York river.
ought 20 nave guarded him against this err
ror: By the compass before me. I pcr
ceive, the course of the river, from the
highest point navigable for frIgates, to York
town, is South, 40 degrees East: from
York town to the mouth Of York river, the
course is East here then considerable
angle is formed from the mouth of the
river the channel takes Course, South.
thus directed by ShOal, called the Split"
70 its extreme point; where - York -riyer
channel" ESQ called) terminates here
again, we had another angle from an East
TO a South course: instead then Of the
channel being straight, as asserted. we find
three angles IN It's course one formed by
its course from above, to the town; the
second, by the course from the town, to the
mouth OF the river; the third, by the
course from the lnoatn of the river. to the
point of the Split; the two latter NAV be
termed acute angles; if this be straight
course, it is the most tor,nous one Ihaye
ever read Of. Pursuing these courses. we
immediately perceive the fallacy of another
assertion, that I" any wind between South
and East, is as adverse to the egress from
York river, as the winds from the other
quadrant OF the compass are adverse to the
egr IS from Elizabeth river An East
wind only, would be adverse to ships GOING
to sea. from York town, to- the mouth from
tine mouth, to the point of the Split, a
South wind only, is adverse anu with
III s. adve: Sc winds, the superior width of
Tdrk-river channel, would certainly admit
OF ships being beaten TO sea. ia less time.
with eater facility, and with more GER
tainty, then through the narrow channel of
Enzaneto river,with winds equally adverse.
Again-1h.s writer asserts, that " it is
as diff ult to wor,> ship in MANI harts of
York river, as i is to work her through the
burrows OF E6z beth river."--He does not
state III zvfat tiarts, it is as diff, nit ; con-
sequentiy l cannot direct my observations
TO any particular point. The channel of
York river, is from six to eight hundred
yards in With the channel of Elizabeth
river, suppose to be, from enc hundred,
30 one hundred and fifty yards at most; can
It be possible, that as much difficulty will
be encountered, in working a ship in the
wider, as IN the narrower channel 2--is it
rational to suppose, that equal difficulty,
and laoour will be experienced in working
ship in channel half mile wide. as in
one OF an hundred and fifty yards width /?
will the t0cks necessary to be made. to
work snip against adverse winds, be as
frequent III wide, as in narrow channel
to your superior nautical skill, Gentlemen.
leave the solution of these questions.
Again, you are told, that Z" from West
Point to the ocean, North wind finds ma
wig to break its force ; and form the trans
atlantic shores to West Point, a Southeast
err passes over no Iand"-The writer
admits, that g ships of war prepared for
sea, may safely ride in York RIVER" net.
outstanding these exposures. but pro-
oeeds :" do mean to suggest, that your
small craft at all nmes and your larger
vessels. while carsening at your wharvcs,
would be greatly hazarded, when the vio-
renee OF either Of these winds IS met by An
opposing tide" Had The writer have view
eu the place aidsd by Compass, he would
nave discovered, that South East wind.
passes over considerable space Of Conn
w al that lies between "Back Greek -
any York river; all that tract from
Wormley's Creek" 4" Good wins land'
~ TIE South point Of York river. Wharves
erected on the York shore, weuld be pro-
.s0te d from a Southeastern, by this land, and
sne high banks Of the river. He could have
Osen tarihsr infcrfnsd I.I Id. ,, .-,,, e,,,,.,.