Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-03-03

seen any thing of the object Of her pur-
suit. Captain Ham, of the Cutter, put
into all The neighborins rivers that were
naviga5le, and made particular enquiry
OF the inhabitants in their vicinity, after
The said sclr. informing them al tie same
tine at tic strong presumption OF her be-
Ing iilirti oui tor piraiicai purposes--lut
could gain no Intelligence Of iier.-We
learn. however, from The iniorinatiop of
Mr. W Hams, Il Pilot, of this Town, who
uiri,ed yesterday from East. River, that
the schooner pat INTO North River, where
she was laying concealed fronl The view
OF the Cater, whiclIai one lime WAS with
IN short distance Of her. The inllabi-
lanlS OF Mathews county OIL learning
Tie supposed character oi their visitor,
armed themselves and went IN a body 10
take her, which lii,y did without meeting
with any resistance. But beng undeter-
mlned how 10 proceed, they Wnly took
chargr al the schr. and her armament,
bu! dii NOT dej5in tie crew, WHO shortly
after engaged IL Small schooner Ia take
them Ia Baltimore, tcsca,,!s which place
they pr 'cee led. HitcAeii, the Captain,
however, chose 10 remain, with view ,o
he recovery of the vessel! h tx pity
that this lawleSs band were not ,ieiain al.
as they have II now as much i'm their pow
or TO commit depre'iatious, as they had
before Their vessel was taken from ihem.
Herald.
Report eftis commissioners appoiat-a {, sqrery
Zee loireF pert u Cnec. apeaise Bag.
O!d Point Comfort, Hampton Roads,
2ith Jan. 1918.
The undersigned commissioners, appointed
TO examine the lower part ot Chesapeake Ilay
namplon Roads, and York river, for the rur
pose OF determining whether the entrance ia to
the former conid beprevented by fortilications
extending from the Horse Shoe to the Middle.
u ound whether the latter could ne so forIi-
ned as 10 prevent the entrance of hostile
force, nave the houor 10 state, that from vari-
Gus causes, they were not enabled TO assemble
unili the idtt part ut the month at Dece mber
iol! that they commenced 10 discharge tiiei,
duties assigned them on The Ist OF January
1878, al Odd Point Comfort From the aiya,i.
ced stage OF the season, and thcsubsrGuent I'M
cecainty OF having such weather lis would O.
nable the commissioners To effect q thorough
examination OF the waters OF Chcasapeake
Bay, and the entrance OF York river, they re.
comluenualat the execution of their duty in
relation 10 those places, may be postponed un.
I'll the first OF May next.
The date of this report, frem the Isl Of Janu-
AIRY, the commissioners have been employed
IN surveying Gid Point Comfort the Rim
Rap ohoal, and the entrance into Hampton
Roads. The result of this examination, is a
conviction on the part of the commissioners
mat tie passage into .ioSe roads can be so for
thed as TO prevent the entrance of any hostile
LEGATIONS. Will depend upon the decision OF In e
government as TO the length ofthne wI.ich the
works should be enabled TO withstand tue at
tack OF Il combined naval and land force of
given magnitude.
II the amount of resistance TO be made at
t'fis pass be merely AN obstruction of the en-.
trance INTO hampton Roads, without any re-
terence To q iand attack, the commissioners be-
a 1.
constructed 70 such an effect AS however
tie object OF forcing an entrance into Hamp.
ton Roads, might lie deemed by an enemy
worth the expense of II regular siege the com.
niSsioners deem II their duty to recommend
system of defence equal to such an exin encv
Such system would embrace the occupation
OF the hip Rap Shoal, with a castellated fort !:
me channel betw en- that shoai and Old Point
CoDlfoTt, with boom raft and Old Point il.
| SELF, with an inclused work, the whole TO be so
| located hb TO afford Il mutual pTotectio and
10 embrace, III the total, the power o resist a.
ny force WHICH may bc brought against the
| pass into Ham ton Roads. The commissioners
have not as set been able to collect sufficient
DATA 10 authorize them TO offer yon Il conpIet lie
! Plan.-iiie magnitude Of the work may affe CT
| the prices OF materials and werk maiishp, and
as the natnre OF the substratum AT the scites
| mas not yet been sufficiently ascertained no
dctermin:ie amount OF expense can be estiina
! ted upon Which The commissioners can with
| safety rely.
| VI al Gchti VIEW Oi the subject tue
mIssIoners present the enclosed charts, which
| Will eAhihlt the pos tons that should be eccu
! pea, and may enable you u form some opini-
| Oh Of the approximate expense which tile a..
| d0ptiun OF III. system wonid involve in aid {
when they also enclose an estimate Tor work
| OH the Rip Rap Shoal which, is predicated on
| the suppOsiiiOn that the substratum of that
scite IS solid, and upon tie usual principles of
materials, and workmanship in this section of
the union.
II is the wish of the commissioners to laybe-
tore you their reasons III detail upon the pro
posed system to which effect the commisso
ners Can with usefulness employ their time till
May next, IN acquiring further information.
ana In digestiIIg as periecta plan as the nd.
tuTe ofthc case viii admit.
The commissioners deem it their duty to
state to yOu that majors Rotterdam and Kear
ney, and lieutenant Bldkey have attended the
commissioners and have By assiduous attenti
on, been materially beneficial in surveying aud
drawing.
Respectfully submitted.
(SiSned) J. g SWIFT, Br. Gen.
l.. WARRINGTON.
w. X. ARMISTEAD.
W.M'REA,
J. ID. ELLlOT.
10 The Hon. Il. w .CRowNINsMELD,
Secretary oftbe Navy.
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