The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1862-01-04
Prom the Merchants Magazine.
The Southern HarbOrs OF the United
States.


from Cape Henry to the Mouth of the
Rio Grdnde--By an officer Of the
United States Codst Surrey.
The important cities of Virginia and
Maryland have an access to ocean ONLY
through the Chesapeake Bay, which, ut
its entrance from the shoals at Cane
Charles to those of Cape Henry, measures
eight miles in width. A single man-of
war could close the bay against the exit
or entrance Of the merchant marine, pro.
vided there was no naval armament to act
against it. 1t is probable that one of our
larger vessels, with the aid of a small war
sloop like the Perry, could close the Bay
against all commerce, especially while
Fort Monroe, which is not far from the
entrance, remains in the possession of the
United States Government. ---.----
NORTH CAROLINA.
l. Al6emarle md Pamlico Sound
After passing Cape Henry for two hun.
dred miles, low sand islands and shoals lie
between the shore and ocean, forming the
Currituck, Abermarle, PamIico, and Core
Sounds, navigable for vessels of light
draft. The Dismal Swamp canal connects
the Chesapeake with these sounds the
first practicable ocean inlet is one hun
dred and thirty five miles from Cape Hen
ry, narrow and difficult entrance, known
as Hatteras Inlet, with only seven feet
water on the bar A single vessel of light
draft would be sufficient for the closing
of this channel. Eighteen miles south
west of it is Ocracoke Inlet, of the same
charactcr; both open into Pamlico Sound
Ocracoke bar gives ten feet at mean low
water.
The only opening into Albemarle Sound
is by a shallow, winding channel through
Oregon Inlet, about forty miles north of
Cape Hatteras. The depth of water at
the bar at the inlet is probably about five
feet.
3. Beaufort. - Following the coast
southward for fifty-five miles below Ocra-
coke Inlet there are no connections with
the interior sounds until the old Topsail
Inlet is reached, which leads to the har-
Dor Of Beaufort, North Carolina. The
harbor is about eight and half miles
west'northwest from Cape Lookout. 1t
is fine haven, having full fifteen feet of
water on the bar at the entrance of the
channel, at low tide, or eighteen at nigh
water. The town Of Beaufort is c0mmcr-
cially important, having railroad con-
nection with Raleigh; and at that point
with the various roads of the north and
west. The entrance is defended by Fort
Macon, a work of the same class as Fort
Carroll.
There are several inlcts for vessels
drawing seven or eight feet of water to
the interior sounds, viz: BOgue Inlet,
with eight feet on the bar; New TopSai
Inlet with ten feet on the bar, and Deep
Inlet with seven feet on the bar, all of
which are unimportaut, as they lead to no
ports OF entry or railroad towns A YES
sci Stati"ued at the entrance to Beaufort,
by looking down the coast occasionally,
could etiectually guard these minor straits
II is proper to state that in giving the
depth of water, when the extreme highest
figure is used, it indicates the depth only
at special point. The average depth
will be found nearer the lower figure en-
ployed. With this explanation we pro-
coed to
3. Wilmington.-The next harbor of
importance is that of Wilmington, North
Carolina, on Cape Fear river.
This port has single channel with two
inlets, fifteen miles in length, rather tor
tuons and narrow in places, with depth
Of seveU-0Nd,hs@ ts,si. -,es or HE bafliS
in low water, which could be easily block
AIDED by two vessels. Wilmington is con.
cectcd by railroad with the interior, and
Is thus important as a commercial entire
pot. Near the mouth Of Cape Fear river
are Forts johnson and Caswell, recently
seized by the rebels. Fort johnson is
rather collection of barracks, with a
blockhouse, than a fort. Fort Caswcll is
q third class .w"st .-s,.s ...r .,,s. ...,
SOUTH CAROLINA.
4. GeOrgetOcn.-Th next accessible
harbor is that of Georgetown, South Car
oIina, seventy-two miles southwest from
Cape Fear, having single winding chan
ne', ten miles in length, running among
shoals. The depth of the channel varies
from seven feet to thirty. The Pedee
river connects Georgetown with the inte-
rior, being aavigabIe as far as Conway
boro by brigS. The blockade to the en-
trance of thi, halbor would be easy. Fur
thcr down the coast empties the Santee
river, whose mouth is obstructed by shoals
on which the depth Of water is only from
two to two and quar- ter feet.
n I'nIPS
OF refuge from southeast winds, and very
accessible. The depth on the bar al
mean low water is thirteen feet, and the
is good in twenty .one feet, in
side. Capers' and Devices InletS, helow
Bulls Bay, admit vessels drawing six feet
water.
6. Mdrleston-The harbor of Charles
ton has six entrances, which, beginning
with the one furthest north, are in order !:
Maftitt's, or SnlIivan'S Island channel,
with. eleven feet; the North channel, with
eight feet; the Swash, with nine feet !;
the Overall chennel, which is not now
used; the main ship channel with eleven
feet at mean low water The entrance by
North channel is extremely precarious to
vessels drawing seven feet of water, and
impossible at low tide 70: any other
Swash channel varies in depth from seven
to ten feet. Mathis channel is narrow at
the bulkhead near Fort Moultrie iettee
The entrances to Charleston are such that
a single vessel could easily blockade the
harbor without being moiested from pos
sIble Notifications on shore. Charleston
is connected with the interior by the Ash
ley and Cooper rivers, and by two rail-
roads that join the national network. The
entrance to Charleston is perfectly pro-
tected by Forts Moultrie and Sumter, the
latter on shoal near the channel. There
are also military works on Morris Island
and Cummings Point. The city, lying
at the confluence of two rivers, and sur.
rounded by low rice marshes, is difficult
Of approach. There is an approach thro'
Elliotts Cut, from Stone river. North
Edisto river, between Charleston and St.
Helena Sound, has nine feet of water on
its bar at mean low tide. This and the
Stone and South Edisto river entrances
are good harbors of refuge from northeast