Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-12-29

Tne Renl work OF the stOne Fleets
The ship Channele 60 Chnrlestom'
The sixteen ships Of tho stone feet which
have gone TO their final mooriDgs on Charies,
ton bar, and around which the heavy masses Of
sand are now settling, will effectually close all
passage into or out of the original secession
city BY that line. They will effectually block
ade the port 80 far as the main ship channel 10
concerned, and will relieve our regular blocka'
ding feet from duty In that direction.
But as we showed some time ago, there are
other channels that lead into Charleston harDor
beside the one we have closed; and 1t Is mostly
by them, too, that the ships which have lately
run the blockade made their entry and exit;
or these, the principal one is Mgtlfs Caan-
mel, which is OF quite recent discovery, but
which is really in many respects the best en-
trance to Charleston. 1t skirts along close
BY the shore of Sullivan's leland, after fol-
lowing the line Of which for some distance, 1t
strikes sharply out into the open sea. II is
more free from shoale, is of bolder cut, and oil
more direct passage than any OF the other
channels. The approach to the coast is easy
enough, and the shoaling gradual. The chip
channel We have just blocked up is llH miles
from Charleston, while that of Mafit 10 only
seven. The Cost Survey charts show that in
1855 the depth OF water In this channel ranged
from eleven feet at low water to over sixteen
at high water, aud could thus furnish passage
to vessels of very heavy drsught. To increase
stll further Its depth and facility, the State aus
thorities have for years employed .dredge-
steamer, Of great power, worked BY suction, In
removing the sand and mud from Its bed. II
can now probably give safe passage to any YES
sci aaoat. In this channel no hulk Of the stone
feet has been sunk Fortunately for us, how
ever, il 1t be q good channel, it Is also one
which is very easily watched; and one OF ou'
blockaders, placed off Breach Inlet, near Sui
livsn's Island, can prevent any rebel ship from
creeping into or out Of Charleston by Maffit'i
Channel.
There are also several other channels lead
ing into Charleston harbor, in which no part o
the great stone feet has been sunk. There !
the North Channel, the depth of water in which
ranges from ten feet at low tide to fifteen fee
at high tide. This is still open to rebel ships
If they could get past our blocksding bull dog
which watches Il. Besides this, there are the
SWash and Overall Channels for vessels ol
lighter daft; but the brace of blockaders de
tailed TO watch the two channels already men
toned will also effectually guard these.
Besides these modes Of egress direct to the
ocean from Charleston, there is abundant proc
that light draft craft have slipped down Mafit'i
Channel, lodged into Breach Inlet and behind
Long Island and the other islands along thai
part ef the coast, as far as Bulls Island and
Bulls Bay, ard there have met big chips from
Europe, which they have loaded aud unloadet
at their lezure, and thus carried contraband into
and out of Charleston. So far as the northeast
ly direction Ia concerned, all this will be stopped
by the watch now kept over Mafit's Channel
Ligh draf. craft have undoubtedly also beer
plying until very lately, if not now, along the
inland waterway leading from Charleston in Q
southsesterly direction, notwithstanding oul
force at Port Royal Island.
The stone feet will thus not absolutely sea
up Charleston, nor Will 1t destroy all possibility
OF future commercial intercourse with the out
side world, II will only render the blockade
practically impervious.--N. Y. Times.