The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1839-09-12
Fem the ch.oaicle.
OBSERVATIONS on THE
RE0PENlNG OF ROANOKE lNi.E'

OBSERVATIONS on rHH
RE0PENlNG or ROANOKE INLET
| The re-oPehiug Of this inleI is a plair
operation; The keeping u permanently o
pen is the great difficulty. II we can as
cribe the filling up Of the inlet 10 some
reasonable hypothesis. We shall probably
be able 10 determine the best means 81
preventing a similar occurrence.
The Engineers who have examined
into aud reported an this subject, seem
10 be 81 the opinion, that the opening Ol
The channel al the marshes, Ihrnngli
which the waters Of Alhemsrle are turn
ed towards Ocraenke inlet, produced the
closing Of Roanoke inlet. There are
some circumstances winch | think are
opposed Ia this theory. Formerly there
we're SIX inlets Which connected Alber-
marie and Psmptieo sounds with the o.
eean. viz: Curriiuek, New. Roanoke.
Gun. HSgIeras aud Ocrscokr; according To
Bricale. in I743. CurIiiuck had Z or s
feet water an lis bar. Rosnoke IOa feet,
HsiIera, IL, and Ocracoke 10. al low
water; fur Of the elk are entirely closed
up, aud the remaining two New aud o.
cracos.) are more shoh now than firm
eTly. II The clusing Of the four aud the
consequent flow nf The waters which
passed out al them. through The Other
two, has not had The efec. 10 incre,se
their capacity; think il admits Of
ioubi, al least. whether The diversion Of
Iac waseEs from ias closed inlrts by tie
opening Of the marshes, had any effect
in closing them. because tie increased
volume thrown upon the Enclosed inlets,
must necessarily have required an in-
crease OF capacity for its discharge; but
] believe no such increase has occurred;
On the contrary there is decrease. There
70 another view, il the accidental opening
Of tie marshes caused Tie filling up Of
The Currl,uck and Roanoke inlels. siiua
ted on ilbsmsrle sound. by drawing oll
the waters from Albemarle into Psmpti.
ca: what produced the filling up Of Gun
and llsIleras, situated on Pamplico. into
which these waters we're poured-Ille /
same theory certainly Cannot be applied
10 them, bu. directly the contrary.
Again. the distance from the point in
Albemarle sound, al which its waters en-
Ter The marshes. 30 Roanoke old inlet.
being not more than ID niles, and the
distance from the sane point To Ocra-
:aks being sky, the Albemarle waters
would have tendency 10 seek the O.
resn al Roanoke inlet, rather Than At D.
rrscoks. because tsuppo.ing the low tide |
VI the Orean 10 be two and hall feet
below the level Of the Sounds. as stated /
~ Mr.. Fulion) The fall al low water. on
he line Of descent, from the before men.
.iuned point. 10 Roanoke. would be Two
nches 10 the mile; whereas that TO Ocrs.
coke would be only half an inch; and
because il is law which governs lis mo-
IioD. ih.I water will seek the shortest
passage 10 a lover letel. Under such !
il is jiiiirulI - believe.
hat any accidental opening of channel
., the marshes could have ean,ed Roam
IKE inlet 10 fill uP.
II has been thought by some. that
he waters Of AibeDalIe, after passing
Irough Croatan Sonnd. pass also BY !
Sew inlet sDd 0csscoke. In Panplico)
10 Care Sound, ani through il to Beau
Tnrt llabT. where it finds lis way to
he Ocean; that The general slope Of the
AMI il towsrds the south, and that the
ssters have q natural tendency TO. and
10. fsll of IN that direction. La an.
'wer to liis il may be observed, that
depression the bottom Of the
Sound NAV have towards the south. The
y sters when not propelled by the winds
would no, lpw in that direction. unless
here was a depression Of lie surface al
10: that tbs shslIo wnsss Of Core Sound
'hows thai in bottom IL elevated above
hat Of Psuptico. sforiing no reason to
'uppo.e such a depression to exist. and
,eIoss ,h's theory can be sdopsed. good
'easons must bs given Tor surprising
hat The surface Of the Ocean a. Beau
art 10 lower Than at Oerscoke and the
alets further norlh; whach. will be di
icalt TO be shown. The only indioslion
We have of the depression vi lhe wa.
ers near our coast. 10 that afforded
by the aorthwardly course Of lhe gull
'neau, whIeh. il u shows any thing.