Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1838-01-25
NAVY DEPARTMENT, }
Dec. 26th, 1897. {

NATY DEPARTMENT,
Dec. Goth, 1887.
Sir-In obedience To the resolution of the
House Of Representatives Of the 18th of
October last, directing the Secretary Of the
Navy to report 10 the House, at its next scs-
sion, his opinion as to tho cxpediency of
establishing a navy yard for sloops of war,
and other ships Of u similar class, at Charles
ton, S. Carolina, or some other portion Of
the Southern coast, together with my in.
formation he may possess upon that subject,
l beg leave 10 report:
That, in a printed document Of the SEN
ate Of the United States, Of the 9th Of Nav.
1886, (24th Congress. LIST session, No. 3GO,)
will he found n report Of the Secretary Of
the Navy. communicate to the Senate on
the Odd OF January. 1886, with TWO letters
and a report FROM Captain Learucy, of the
U. States Navy, and an extract from the
report or the survey of the coast of Florida,
made by Lieut.. James Ramage, of said
Navy, together with documents accompany
ing the report of the Secretary of The Navy.
containing valuable information as TO the
propricty Of establishing n Navy Yaid ut
Charleston, for the building and repairing
sloops of war, and smaller vessels upon u
consideration of watch, / have heretofore
expressed the opinion that The harbor of
Charleston might lie jusiit iousiy selected
for a'Navy Yard for the building and re-
pairing of such vessels; and that "thc 20
sition of that harbor, with respect to our
squadron in the Yves, Indies and Gulf OF
Mexico. affords a strong argument in favor
of selecting it as a naval station, inasmuclI
as it is often important to ob,ain recruits
of seamen and supplies of provisions end
stores for our vessels, without the incou-
venicnce and delay Of visiting our Northern
ports.'
1t appears to me that the harbOr of
charleston presents many advantages, a.
rising from the wealth aud business of tho
place, its number of mechanics and labor
ers, its facilities for recruiting seamcn, and
for obtaining supplies and provisions for the
navy; all which are entitled to much con
sideration in selecting n proper station
The growing Importance of employing 4
large squadron in the West Indies afford
additional evidence of the cxpcdiency of
establishing a navy yard at Charleston, or
some other portion of the Southern coast
between the Chesapeake aud Pensacola
The selection of such station must depend
upon a view of all the comparative advan-
tagcs Of the different ports examined and to
be examined.
l beg to refer to a report from this De-
partment of the 2Sth Of December last, to
the Senate of the Unitcd States, (24th Con-
gress, I'd session, No. 104,) under a resolu-
ton of that body of the 24th Of May, 1886,
requesting the Executive to cause to be
made the necessary examinations and sur
vcys Of the several barbors south of the
Chesapeake bay, and a report upon The
comparative facilities and advantages of
the same for the establishment of n navy
yard; under which resolutions, Commodore
WOolsoy, Capt. Claxton, and Commander
Shubrick, Of the Navy, were appointed
commissioners to make such examinations;
together with their report upon the same,
by which il will appear that those commits
sioners give a preference to the harbor of
Brunswick, Georgia.
The documents referred to contain the
information called for.
Lieut.. Wilkes, of the Navy, is now en-
gagged upon "A survey Of the harbors Of Beau
fort aud Wilmington, in n. Carolina, and a
survey of May river, from Tybee bar to the
Hunting Island. His report, as soon as it
can be obtained, will be communicated to
Congress.
! have the honor tn be, Sir,
Very respectfully, your obj serv't.
MAIlLON DICkERSON.
Hon. James X. Polk,
Speaker Of the Fl. of Rep. U. S.