The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1826-11-30

on Saturday next.
..-sMs...
foR THE REPUBLTCAr.
Some observations appeared in tl,c hi
crUco.m of the 18th inst. published "A
Providence, OF the Report of the Board O
Engineers, relative to the works lnr ,ho
deicncc Of NarragoDsct, Bay, apd ohIcct
ing 10 the contemplated plan of DikIng the
West Passage; on the grouud 'SHt il
would prove extensively injurious 10 then
: navigation. The object OF the Govern
mcnt in adopting the Recommendations o'
the Board of Engineers for thc defence Of
the Atlantic Coasts, is 10 defend eifcctu.
Oly, the whole maratime frontier, because
when that is secured against the incur
sions of powerful enemy, the interior is
safe. The HGrbor gf .Ncwpoi, which il
not once mentioned in the Report alluded
! 10, is capaciGus enough to contain the
whole Navy Of the United States, and al
/ they will probably have sor q century ~
, come, riding at single ancbor, in the SAT
. est and best anchorage within the United
. States, whore with all tl,c public yropnrty
/ which might be located there, it naght be
/ protected against al! t!c force which could
, be bTouFh, against il ~nbcu. n'kiry the
/. West Pussags--bW Guild leBsc bali the
object CT the Govcrrrcnt unaccomplishcG,
;bY leaving sur wealthy rcigh5ors of Prov
,idcGce, &c. and tier ynst Manufacturing
establishments, open 20 the incursions an
ravagCs Of any margiiuc en"ny. whU
mlght choose 10 EsSGil tber. Y IS con
ttCmplatod 10 Dixie ihe West Passage
solnc diatapco north of Patch Island, l.,
an artificial Ledge, so as 10 leave but nj
teen feet OF water: which wcTld prcvcni
, Frigaies, Uad Gig!r t5'scis Of Hur. from
passing it.-Th,s is considered the mos,
economical, as we'll IA the most cfEcctual
mode of defence by the Engineers; for
, Forts and Steam figatss M,,v bc over
/ powered, CT passed With iar sid brisk
/ gale, while n ledge cannot; and although
as 1t Is stated, seven -eighths of the YES
Scls sailing To and from Providence, ma V
/ probably enter and depart by that passage,
there would he ED Inconvenience in then
passing IN au'I out of the min pas.sro-
! but with the depth of water contemplated
. 10 be lett, ripe .ren.hs Of them might con
/ tlnuc to pass uniU,erruptcd, and .hs other
tenth, whcb m consequence ~ ibis draft
Of water, might bo obliged To ctteY al the
main passage, subject 20 no other inter.
ruptiou than a risd .trom Ire oG;cos ef Nc
. Rernuc et Ntwpo,'.
, phc main passage is accessible with all
winds; foT So Mea- is the ha,bor to the o.
ecan, that sny ordinary sailing vessel viii
seat up ia orc tide, particularly whei the
nood tide is strengthened aa i would be.
two or three knots ~ tie obstructioFs in
itbG west rHssagC--afId If aEy were SO dull
that they could not bcas mp with the wind
ircm north east to east north cas., which
are the Gully lss,e winds 10. catcr,gg the
irGin rvsSNge, Ly which the west passage
San be asadc, Dutch Island harbo, would
Do open to them, whe,c there is good an.
chcvsgc, aud where they now aiWaye m.
chor when tEe wir1 is sdyerso, HG,l IL
changes,
But, saws tie Nicrocosm, " ;ader-f.H
cfhe serious injury TO he pdSsagc of res.
SETS, IL is Lciier,f by many Sdo are Gtee,,d
Competent Judges Hdt Il wGi isss.s ti. ad.
Ser "a Prorjd.ace on, cr tUc fts' Gnr setsing
hack The Rood tide" Now il IS known to
sYcty one who has the least kNowlgjre in
by Sfv0,stic,,, that water VIII seek ns i,sei:
that the fdse, is the west Sassagc was en-.
tirely closed, wts;id y'se % It's full hcighth
at Providence, and ~ .csr ,San one half
the water in the Ray and Eis.v, ccl.d bc
vented by Tie main passage dTsa,c Shc
cbb, the water would fall but about half as
rDrch at Providence as 1t now does, which
wonld be infinitely advantageous to their
T1atigatioN; eNd IN rroporti-n as that ,as.
sage is ,'.,S;ifcic1. a tha, proportion will
tie heghth Of the ya,Cr st low tide hc in.
creased az Providence, and at all places 6.
boyc ,'.c obstruction. In tins position We
arc verified by the unerrng laws Of ma.
turc, as well as by practical experience.
rNe sainc fears were entertained by hoS,
vhO pcrc 6tsmsd c'anreisrs jadysS a,
fauS,cr whcH il was ~ ccldEmg!stien tc
hi az. the Eas' gassugc ut Hcwland's fer.
~ but uhlt las StsG fhc 5fect; As
vri.,ol f.1,y and ;lir Drsw c.t q, ~.
Stnnc t',dar AZ linv'SHds 'irrv, cs7iid
ac, y"s, mVrr ,haH tws-thirds a 'hh water
which previously passed ott C: be,l, pas
sagca ~ Sob tide, tie water has never
iu'icn 50 low lsy more than foot as /. for.
morly dsdat Taunton R.idscy or p. any
place abJ,s Nciat Hope Bsy.
We ..s willing the Gorcfrmcnt should
pursue tbs p'sn CT dtts,Tcr, recommended
by the Beard OF Ergincsrs. being aFn o,
Science, ,he most competent Jgasss. and
hc source whence those recclamenda-
ton, should s,ow-but should We surgest
ans VaricsNn from The plan recommended
by them. 70 would be To- hlrup the West
lf.r...t. .,tt.,ix. ,,,J -,atp "A fn..,,N.,s