Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-07-23

THE SOUTHERN RAssoRs

THE SOUTHERN HAa8ORs
We have several times stated that the num-
Der Of ports which it Is necessary to guard in
order 20 blockade the whole southern coast is
not much above twenty. An CfIrer Of the
Coast Survey contributes a paper to Hunts
Merchants Magazine for July, which gives an
exact statement on this head.
Virginia and Maryland are closed ther-
ougbly when the Chesapeake is blockaded,
and as the mouth of this bay Is only eight
miles WIDE between the shoals, a single large
vessel with smaller one acting with it could
shut out all commerce For two hundred
miles south OF the Chesapeake are sayd banks
and shoals forming Albemarle and Pamlico
Sounds, the former entered by Hatteras Inlet
with seyea feet Of water on the bar and by
Ocraeoke Inlet with ten feet. and Albemsrle
Sound being entered through Oregon Inlet,
whore there is 1--WE feet Of water on the bar.
Fifty Ave miles south is the entrance to Beau
fort hsrbOr, with fifteen feet of water on the
bar at low tide, and with Fort Macon defend
ing the entrance. Below Beaufort are several
inlets with from seven to ten feet Of water, not
leading to any railroad towns or ports Of entry.
A single vessel il is stated could blockade
Beaufort and the inlets below. Wilmington
harbor has two inlets, with seven or eight feet
Of water, and 10 defended by Forts johnson
and CasWell. Two vessels could blockade 1T.
The next harbor is that of Georgetown, in
South Carolina, entered by a channel varying
from seven 70 thirty feet and easily blockaded.
Bulls Bay Is good harbor Of refuge, with
thirteen feet Of wator on the bar and twenty
one feet inside; Capers' and Dewers' Inlets
below admit vessels drawing six feet. Charles
ton harbor has SIX entrances, with water vary
ing from eight to eleven feet, but it is said 70
be possible to blockade it with single vessel.
North Edisto river with nine feet of water on
the bar, and Stono and South Edisto entrances
are svsilabls as harbors Of refuge for light
vessels. Beaufort comes next, having two en-
frances, with over fifteen feet Of W ater, but no
railroad communications
Savsnnah Is the next available port with
eleven feet OF water at low tide on the bar,
and admitting ut high water vessels drawing
fifteen feet, the entrance being perfectly
guarded by Forts Pulaski and Jackson. Below
Savannah are Warsaw, 0sssbsw, S.. Catha-
rihe's channel, Sapelo, and Doboy Inlets, some
OF them having eighteen or twenty feet Of wa
ter, but no internal communications. Bruins
wick harbor is entered by an inlet having sew
entesn { ct Of water at low tide.
FernSndina, Florida, has fourteen feet Of
water on the bar, and is an important point.
seven feet at low water, and 10 easily block
Aded. st. Augustine hsrbOr has two entrances
with i've or six feet Of water, commanded by
Fort Marion. The next inlet Is seventy miles
farther south, with I've or eight feet Of water,
and leading TO few fishing villages Indian
three feet sf water. Key West and Tortugas
harbors are Of great value, and are securely
held by the United States On the Gulf coast
there are only few shallow inlets leading to
fishing towns in the wilderness, until we come to
Charlotte harbor, which has ten or twelve feet
Of water on the bar. Tampa Bsy has two en-
frances, with seventeen and nineteen feet of
water respectively. Cedar Keys, the first port
on this nde Of Florida OF any consequences, and
the terminus OF the Fernandina railway, has
eleven feet Of water on the bar the Suwanee
river, ten miles north, ss Eve feet. ST. Marks
hArbor has nine feet of water on the bar, and
could be blockaded easily with one vessel.
ApslaohicOIa admits only vessels Of six or
seven feet drought, and is easily closed. St
Joseph Bay has at the entrance seventeen
feet Of water, and Is a harbor Of importanee.
Psnsasols harbOr has twenty-five feet Of water
on the bar, but st. Rosa Sound, the other en-
trance, is only naVigable for vessels drawing
less than fsur feet. Fort Pickens alone can
blockade PeDsacols. Pedido Bay has only four
feet Of water on the bar
Mobile barbOr has twenty feet Og water in
the deepest channel. 1t il said that bloc aiding
ships will be troubled in heavy wss,hsr by the
want OF good anchorage. Me.t " Mobile Bay
IL Mississippi Sound, with several entrances,
used for q coasting trade with New Orleans
which could be cut of by one light vessel
Cat aud Ship Islands have good hArbors, wirh
seventeen and nineteen feet OF water at the
entrances respectively.
The mouths of the Mississippi are, at their
widest divergence, twenty-five miles apart,
with varying depth Of water. Two or three
vessels AZ the conyergence Of the passes could
efsctuAlly guard the whole West Of tns river
is Atchefsisya Bay, with only feet of wster
OF the bar, and some shallow sounds av siable
for vessels Of three or four feet draught when
We come 10 the Sabine River, with or feet
of water on the bar.
Galveston haS Dor has four channels, with
or II feet of water, easily guarded by one yes.
sci. BraIos river has feet in she channel.
Matagorda Bay has Q feet on the bar, and be-
hind that are only two or three inlets for light
vessels, until We come TO Brssos Santiago,
which has feet Of water on the bar. The
mouth Of the Rio Grands has a shifting bar
with 5or 6 feet Of water. Besides these there
IL Espiritu Santo Bay with an artificial en-
trance At feet deep at high water.
So far as preventing foreign commerce and
exports Is concerned, 1t 10 probable that the
number Of ports necessary TO be blockaded is
hardly twenty. To efectualIy prevent all
danger from light vessels armed as privateers,
and 70 prevent arms and supplies from being
carried in In small vessels, it will be necessary
To watch double that number of points, though
perhaps they need not be constantly guarded,
as no effective blockade is nee eessary 10 author.
iss the seizure Of contraband Of war, whatever
the 6sg under which - is carried .-Boston
Daily AIVsytiSeT.