Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1861-01-26
POLL 1T0 T0GMl .
The Legislature.
EXECUTIVE OFFICE, january IA, 1861.
To the Members Of Me House Of Rpycsento-

EXECUTIVE OFFICE, january IA, 1861.
70 the Members Of Me House Of Reprcsentu-
ticcS
In answer to the resolution of your body,
passed January 10, calling for information as
to the Coast dafcnccs, have to say that in
the pressure of immediate engagements, com
mandiug my whole time have been unable
to do all desire in relation to the Sea Coast
Police, and | have also been embarrassed on
account of immediate demand for all our
available energies around the harbor and in
the forts of Charleston. The Act passed in
relation to the Sea Coast Police appropriated
Sl5O,00D for that purpose. There was no
plan laid down, except an authority indicated
to purchase three screw propellers to be used.
ind it exceedingly difficult to pro- : boats
suitable for this service, but shall, at the first
possible moment accomplish the design and
arrange the details of outfit
desire to enlist thirty two men, accustom-
cd to the sea, and familiar with the inlcts of
our colSt for each boat, with Captain and
First Lieutenant, besides ordinary crews, fire.
mon and engineers. The ppy of these men
to be something like what is received in the
United States Navy. | would prefer small
iron screw propcllcrs, ninety to one hundred
feet long, with light draught not to exceed
SIX feet; but screw propeller of that size
usually draws niue feet. One of these boats
propose to station in Charleston harbor, and
the waters around the harbor, another at Beau
fort, and a third at Georgetown In oouncc-
ton with these, propose to throw up breast
works OF temporary fnrtifcltions at the most
Important and exposed points on the coast and
near the mouths OF our rivers ; placing in
them such pieces OF ordinance as may be need
nrl t = l,n 1th - Al.
be defended, to suit the moderate resources of
the State
intend these three boats to keep up
rapid and constmt communication between
these points, and to give all the protection
they arc able in case of sudden invasion by
iawlcss binds in small crafts and shippers,
that may infcst our coost. In each Temporal,
ry fortllication, propose to station men accor.
ding to the weight Of ordnance they contain.
OF course, these dc.~uces are not intended to
resist any invasion Of large war vessels, but to
constitute strictly a coast police to act in con
cert with dctachments Of the ncighborhood
militia mt any time of menace or danger from
moraudlng plrtics sent on our coast.
To carry out these views I appointed, the
d'y after [ came into Office, Col Gwynn, an
Engineer of high reputation, to examine the
temporary Notifications, limiting him to the
most economical plan possible. He made the
examination and rendered his report, designa-
ting the proper points have since sent
Col. Aston to carry into effect what Col
Gwynn had reported upon there, as far as the
coast towards Georgetown is concerned =
Lieut.. Col. Elliott has the same order to-
wards Beaufort. He was charged with 81
Founders, for Beaufort and all other points
requiring ordnance shall, if possible, be sup
piled, but our means ia this particular arc linn
tied, and for the present we shall be compcll-
cd to conline ourselves to few points.
[ think we will finally have to rely more
permanently upon these armed and equipped
steamers as regular system Of police, if there
are many Obstacles in the way of stationing
permanent coast garrisons, except at pcrma
ncnt points, There are many preparations
necessary and many points that need defence
My situation has been so embarrassing in the
new position the State has assumed, forming
under complicated circumstances almost a
new government, that it has been impossible
for the Executive to attend to cvey detail full
ly and Immediately. Every section demands
something, and each feels neglected if the
want is not met without delay.
In addition to this, almost any plan that
may be adopted will meet with objections, be-
cause, perhaps, it may not be the best and
most scientific And if our means were am
pie, yet, under the pressure of sudden emcr-
gcncics, and in the face of great changes
that are being made every day in the state of
the country, the plan adopted may be the
best that could be proposed under all the cir
cumstances of the case. AS far as the Exec
utivc is concerned the most energetic meas
ures shall be pursued, with a view to nothing
but the public welfare.
+. w. PIcKENs
On motion of Mr. Duryea, the message was
referred to the Committee of Military, and or
dered to be printed.
DEATH OF a COURAGEOUS MAN-FranIl
Gwin, for ncnrly seven years past postmaster
of New Albany. Ind died i'm that CITY on the