The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-07-22

"a blow from the seward raises the breakers on
the bar OF the Columbia, but they subsde with the
WIND. Vessels will not meet as much deten-
on on this account as they do on the eastern coast
from fogs and sastsrly gales. ,,,, ....... 81 .
"lf caught in shore with a..westerly gale vessels
VIII have chance TO escape, as from the formation
OF the coast they cannot be embayed. During the
winter, tho gales are said TO be mostly from OF
shore and vessels can keep the in safety until
chance offers TO run in.
Everybody knows that the approach to our own
soaboard during the winter, is attended with great
dunger, with long delays, -and with frequent wreck
TO say nothing OF the perls Of the British coast
and cannot see sohy the Columbia should be held
up as the most fearful port in the world.
81 can add nothing TO your remarks about the
depth OF the waler-the width Of the channels, and
their freedom from all charlottesville capacity Sc
rity, and defensbiity Of the hsbor within the river
--iu proximity 10 the ssa-the formation Of the
eoast-the wind. tempesatare and, cunents--sxcspt
10 say, thai agree with you perfectly.
al shall now proceed 10 notice the errors of the
Narrative, and the Incorrect statements and asser-
tons of Commander Wilkes, in his recent letter,
Commander Wilkes says in his Narrative, that
the Columbia Is inaccessible for twothirds (eight
monthsi( OF the year? and he remarks, shat the
,0ind and tide, must both be adverse, TO insure any
degree Of safety IN entering: Vol 4, page ST.
Gas Ihave already intimsied, tims will prove him
IN error as to the first statement Ii il scarcely poi
siuc W Teituln ifom smilc al the secOnu as IL must
be evident, even 20 landsman's comprehension,
that IL vessels wait for both wind and tide 10 be ad
verse;, the entrance will be inaccessible the trhois
year round, and forever, except to steamers.
III Commander Wilkes means that the piad should
be contrary 10 the tide to insure any degree Of safe
ty TO vessels in enterng,' think he will find il i'm
possible to make out the case He may, perhaps,
have formed this opinion from what Lieut.. Knox
told him, that with the wind at w. N. w. the
flood tide would be apt 10 set vessels on the N
w. point Of the Middle Sands, four miles inside of
the bar IL so, he s in error in applying that re-
mark generally, as Ibis is the only when il would
be advisable for vessels wait for slack water and
enter on the young ebb.
"With the food tide, and the wind anywhere from
west 10 southeast, the entrance will be speedily made
the very best time being (if my reading Of Com
mander Wllkess meaning Is correct Just phsn Ne
say, Z Is not '....rr1
'Wind and tide in the same direction will serve to
enter; wind and tide in the SANE direction will serve
TO leave fairer opportunities cannot offer.
"The south channel can be entered with any west
erly wind; or If the wind be adverse, vessels can
drop through II, stern foremost, with the tide.
When the river comes to be known, this channel
will be preferred in fair weather. With the food
tide, and fair wind, single half hour will carry
vessels from the bar through ii to a safe anchorage
where they will be land-locked .'-.. q. -n :.
"In his letter, Commander Wilkes gives a fat con-
tradiction TO your statement that Lieutenant Knox
conducted and completed the survey of the mouth Of
the river he says shat in the most material mart
of the work--ths triangulation- himself, with the
officers Of the Peacock and Porpoise only, were
employed o.. %. 49,.
"The lranguaton was certainly an essential prelip-
mary TO the survey Of the phoe rirer, but Il was
the easy icork Of single DAY. in which contrary TO
the assertion of Commander Wilkes, the officers
of the Flying Fish ~ers employed. No one but
Commander Wilkes will contend that mi, was the
most material part of the work. '
"Mr Knox was Furnished with n large sheet of
white paper with ave or ak dots upon IT,, He was
engaged for two months in covering this paper with
soundings during this time he was lsft 10 rely up-
- s-1,-s-,ss rg.ourcss enurey; ~
s', , I'LL, I'm M ua'y mose ias
., -.
ny Iu 1911 pa ~ Wsto cor,ect ~ your
I anu ~ ua. hnoA aa eonauc'
euu e =. t"e n'ousa ol .he Coum
=, e ' 'e' survey IVY, inc 'choohsr haa
ho ums " W. ,.y:, q LIL-l-L ~. L9i, -
Noinulah"el "hAes APpc.,s aesnous 70 iay some
sress upon tue reia.ion on sne iacs that Japan
.Sa Ci, an S'u ana exPeriencea navigator OF
the Columbia, haa waned three weeks Tor an oP.
po.tunl'y ~ set ', sea, ia oreer 10 sustain hmsen
.ne III 10 has he" " a'' a.a','a aoout tne
aangelso Oh .ne Solumph' DuTlns nose same mree
ahass ICY uay o ,', ,a ~ lst ue SauoorouSh az
~en' os' " ine OF 70 tne soutn enan-
se e''u io'e' n. W pahera pay why OaPtain
scaroorough qua no go 70 sea az such times is best
known 70 himseni ne complained much, however,
OF the oad quailnes OF ms vessel sugnr-bor as
ne called her nelther mlnding her helm or anything
else; ne ihsamgs onerS not Inc sngh'est support
70 ., Eohihahae e w rhes ,,,., ".
scarcely tninh Sohnt'ahusr w likes became much
iam'iarlzed WIN the par OF tne Coiumpia the few
tes nc passed. II, uhder me piloage o. Lieutenant
hnoS or ne wouu not nave so magpihed the per-
lis OF ms las. Passage Out IN me schooner upon
Whlch ne mas uwe.t win 700 much emphasis IN the
Narrative, ana IN ms recent letter. -'"' |
Even IN 'hls recent ietler' Commander wilkes
appears disposed 70 clsparags me iaoor or sound.
ing OUT inc mosth o. tne river, "hile ne y very full
IN MS account OF 'ne uiang9lauonrone days work
In whlch ne was engaged himself; For an excess
OF personal ge'ails, however, te narrative might
nave prepared US, ne says, when ne left the rv-
or, ne was satlshed everything was completed, ex-
cept lew INES OF soundngs IN the Clatsop chan
mel, Which Two hours couid hnish. !his statement
ra.her a. variance WIN tacts ~ me oar ana Out
s'de soundngs were yet to be made the most difficult
ana very important, part OF the work, IN which
al the ume, we shou,d nave been glad to have had
the corporation OF the boats OF the Drugs during