The Shasta courier., 1861-11-23
Beaufort and Port Royal.

If Port Royal is esteemed by rebeldom, at
this juncture, to be place of no importance,
and the recent victory of the Federal fleet at
that point of no gnifcancy, it is well for US
to know what this port was thought of before
paper resolutions said the Union was dissOlv-
ed. We find in the Bulletin of the 18th inst.
certain extracts from DeBow's Review, pub
lished as far back as 1858, which places the
port in its proper light, and as the extracts
copied were written at a period when there
could have been no desire to misstate facts,
they are entitled to great consideration. 1t
is proper enough to remark that DeBow's
Review is the only monthly ever published
in the Southern States of any very special
literary or commercial weight and influence:
In the October number of DeBow's Rerie,c
for 1858, published at New Orleans, we find
an article better written than is usual for
anything within its covers, says the Bulletin,
which in setting out the merits and methods
ofthe g Port Royal Enterprise" states many
facts concerning the harbor and vicinity Of
Beaufort that will be read with tenfold more
interest now than when it was first published
Itwas the production of Sorth Carolinian.
We quote:
'sOn Port Royal is an area of sea islands
beautiful and healthy as can be desired, 500
miles nearer the mouth of the Mississippi than
New York, and reached from Europe at ali
seasons of the yearly most desirable route.
When the whole North is one sheet of ice and
snow, every step of the South becomes more
temperate and open, while the internal COM
merce founded on diverse productions, will
give employment to a dense population. The
bav of Port Royal is nearly if not quite equal
to that of New York I; and there are at least five
sites available for cities on its shores, while
by water channels it connects with the ever
clades of Florida and the rice fields of the
Waccamaw, and all the intermediate shores
as far back as the falls of the rivers
sif preserved by Providence for some great
purpose. this noble bay has been lost sight of
almost entirely, and is noU open to those cho
aoM 90 IN and possess 1t for commercial p,tr
poses 1t is the natural outlet of large ex-
tent of country already intersected with rail-
roads, and it wants but population to develop
its superior advantages.
1t is the military key Of the Union.
And, again, says the Review in the same
lies the great bay of Port Royal, having all
the natural. advantages and the health desir.
able in thesite of great commercial city.
To establish such, it is desirable to draw to
it men of enterprise who have their fortunes
to make and who desire to give their children
religious and educational advantages on spot
where they are likely to- find openings for
business as they grc'r,up.
Port Royal Island is sSme five miles wide,
by about ten long. On oneside lies Beaufort
river, accessible as far as the t,wn of Beaufort
to vessels as large as any ean reach
Charleston. On the other is Broad river, two
miles wide, land locked and deep enough
to float the largest steam-frigates. Between
thetwo, Battery river is interposed, forming a
natural dock in which the great Leviathan
[alias Great Eastern could float with her
ward arms over the land. Jericho neck
makes an irregular polygon between the town
of Beaufort ON the. east and Hazard, IS creek
on the west; the south, east and west sides
being bounded by water, and the north by a
narrow strip of land between two salt water
creeks The area is perhaps Is square miles.
On the east lies Beaufort with its churches,
schoo. houses, stores, wharves and established
society On the west lies tract ofland which
has been proved healthy by the experience Of
two generations, and especially of my own
family thereon for the last three years, sum-
rner and winter On the South are cotton
fields cut of from Parry's Island by Archer s
creek