Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1816-06-12

m. M
to fortune and to fame unknovn," bees
leave to address you. A simple farner
he. ieels not the goad of ambition; neithsr
is he dazzled with the splentlor OF wealth
or "ravished with the whistlinp of .
name" He is no osculatng politician. who
is at one period an opponent of the nav
at another its friesd. He is, and ever bs.
been, firm and uniform friend to the NJ.
Wy, from its creation to the present dav
lie has no claim to your attention. save
that OF being citizen of the same free
Commonwealth with yourselves, and a ma.
tive OF the same happy land. He solicits
your Perusal OF his crude ideas if they
possess merit. or furnish any information
your time will not be misspent if the con-
trary, you VIII nave the conscious satisfac.
ton OF having been disposed, to be inform
ed Your reputed characters forbid the,
fear, that this "plain unvarnished taleD
WILL be rejected by you with scorn
lie selection OF sc!te for permanent
naval rendezvous and dock-yard, has re-,
Gently aslta ed the public mintl--it has be-
come fashionable TO address you through
the public prints. Pursuing this fashion.
permit me to ntrude nay IF on your atten.
ton few moments. Among the several
places brought to your view in the various
publications. York Town, in Virginia. has
been deservediy mentioned; it is believed
to possess advantages which no other Mace
IN the southern states enjoys; if we exam
in our MARTINI. frontier. from New-Por,
to ot. Marys. no place viii be found. DOS.
sess'Dg 20 many natural advantages WHICH
Offer such faci tiles for naval building
yard.--l have spoken Of the advantages Of
YORK, Will briefly expose them 10 YOU
~ NoUigation.--Yor YORK. Town is distant
from the CApSs of Virginia, sixty miles:
from the mouth of York river, ten miles
from the CapeS, to what is termed York
RIVER CHANNEL" "a distance of about forty
miles) clear, open unobs ructed navigation
for vessels of any burthen is found York ri
Yer channel, lies between the shoals of
Egg Islands, Powson river and the south
bank OF York, and the shoai called the
Spit, which projects into the Chesa-
peake bay, from the north east point of
land forming the mouth of Y rk river In
cent Coivers atoms with seamen. well
acquainted with the channel, / learned,
that the least depth of water at low tide.
was 10 be foun n the po lit ofthe ssSBit,.a
and this depth to 8 flthom. Here then.
IN the shoales part of YORK river chan
mel, much great, depth Of water is
found, than is necessary to float secure, a
vessel OF ne largest Class now used in Eu-
ropean Navies. From the point of the
Spit, bold, unimpeded n avlgation pre-
sents itself; the channel varyineits depth
from 10 to IS, md more fathoms. ExDeri.
ence, too, gentlemen, Che best instructor
OF man) supports the shove statements
tor, We know that, during the memorable
and important siege OF York, (17SI) where
terminated all the proud hopes OF britain.
and the successful issue of which, sealed
the independence of our county. three
9ic ~ r4t.- y,
then commanded by Compte D'Gra,se.
lay across the mouth of York river. and
thus eficctually proven ed the hostile army
from es aping and again in the winters oe
~, 90, two French armed ships, the Fair
hhodrgue, OF "a guns, and the FindauD,
OF "a guns, rem ined tie greater part os
the winter off York; viii not encrolcb
upon your time & ntlemeu, by a detail of
surveys, or statement OF various efforts TO
ascertain the real depth of water in differ
ent parts of YORK river the report ola
survey, which presume you are in pos
session of, by an officer OF the navy, recent,
iy made by your order, will furnish ample
and better information on this subject.
Cfdefence on the gUater |yom--The
points of HIGHLAND on which the towns of
York and Gloucester stand, project SO cou,
siderably iuto the river, as to narrow the
distance from highland to highland, across
the river, to little more than rsile. The
width fthe river opposite the town is not
three quarters of mile. The perpendi-
cular height of the high land varies the
medium height, abou. fifty feet above the
surface OF the river at high water. Here
IS ample Sp ice to erect batteries of two or
three tier o. guns, which Git of sufficient
callbre) throwing cross fire with the
works which can be erected on GIouces-
ter Point, (where two tier of batteries may
DC ras ed) upon AN Invading enemy. and
particularly il aided by s,eam battery.
would render the river imperyious 10 the
whole naval force, ny European nation
can ever send az linst it.
Defence on me rear or kand side--Tbe
town Of York is nearly insulated. bv the
approximation ofthe head waters of = YORK
Greek" and those Of Wormly's Greek .
=" YORK Greek" empties into the river A.
bove the town, and runs in curve nearly
three-fourths Of the town, 70 the sosth west
aud south" Wormly's Creek" alse eno-
ties i0to the river, below the town. and
taxes curved course westRardly. towards
the head of'' York Greek" A reck Of Land
the width Of about four hundred wards.
on which the public mail road TO Halepton
runs, alone divides the waters Of these
creeks; completely then to insulate tbs