The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1864-04-22
Kittery Navy Yard.

w 80 -'''- .s - 1872 - -
JOURNAL readers. Passing down over the
Portsmouth Il Concord L. r.. which the
traveller. who has not passed over since IT
changed hands, would scarcely recognize We
arrived ut Portsmouth In search OF the
Portsmouth" Navy Yard, which could DC
seen mile away across into Maine. Here
was dilemma We could cross the bridge
to histery depot and then loot II 70 hit
terry proper, or employ a boatman to Terry
us aeross. Alter some delay we succeeded
in finding the vcritablc waterman which Hor-
nee so pleasantly mentioned in his satire oil
his journey to Brnndusium
Landing by the magnificent dry-dock among
n So. of little boats used by those of the en-
ployces who 1.-Two over in Portsmouth. We
made our way to the Office Of the efficient
Clerk Of tho Yard, Francis Bacon. Esq, who,
by his hospitality and kind alterations, has
placed us under obligations. Some Of our
readers may ask why We call II Kittery, in
stead of Portsmouth, Navy Yard. II has
been known quite generally by the latter
namo from tho irst, and we suppose that n
very large majority Of our citizens in tho
State supposed from the name that the Yard
was located in Portsmouth. or, at least, in
New Hampshire. and therefore they had no
moro right to take a local interest in the
Yard than they had in that at Pensacola.
The newspapers in Portsmouth and Dover
always refer to PORTSMOUTH" Navy Yard,
and these articles are quoted by other pa
pers, and thus very erroneous impression
has been almost everywhere received and en-.
tcrtaincd. The subject will bear yentila-
ton: I'd.
In lSoo tho island on which the Yard Is
located was part OF hittcry, and. OF course,
belonged 10 tue froSince OF Maino' IL con-
tanned about SIXTY acr's' anu was ca'iou rer-
naid is'ahu' oeins "Seu We "ya'u ''' u'y"s
h'n' anu IL h'a ou' o"' "o"'o uPo" w. "
'no 'o'io"ins ye" ~ was pai'"1u " WV
uni'od s'a'es o' o"p'' Ii'a'l Do""e''
ana tue prieo pa'd WIS So'ooo' IL was 'or-
mally coded to the Government by our Leg
stature in lS22, We believe Tor the purposes
orwh'ch 1t is now used TINS ota'e rcser'inS
itscivil jurisdiction over 1t. Portsmouth wasa
collection district long before tins ana Tor
this reason alone 1t was known US the Ports
mouth Navy Yard The island Is Distant
across the channel oil the p'scataqua' ono mile
from Now hampshire. ana tho distance 10
Portsmouth by land Is NJ least TWO miles,
while between the Island anu h'stery runs I"
channel not twenty RODS IN width. It, '"eh'
location has anything 10 TO win tue NAME IL
may be called Dover or hl'o'' WIN US muc "a
proprie'y 4" portsmouth Navy iafu' "pu' u '.
Is In the collection district OF portsmouth
Exactly so, but what has that to DO with the
name? Boston has Custom House ana
Charlestown has mono, but who ever heard
OF the Boston Navy Yardg Then suppose
that the Yard should be included within tho
"Collection District OF Kenncbunk'" how
man'iestly improper 10 would DO TO call IL
tho Kcnnebunk Navy Yard
It's recognized IN different departments OF
the Government by both names the Bureau
OF construction and that oil provisions dcsis-
nate 1t as Portsmouth, while all the other
departments we think call 1t hittery. Last
Fast day, by order oil the Commodant, all
work ON the iari was suspended, tho Coy
crnment thus recognizing 1t us bound to re-
gard the obser'ances OF this State. Thepay-
roll OF tho Yard reads, "employed at the
Ki,tery Navy Yard; :" the regulations read,
"at tho Navy Yard In Kittcry," and the
Secretary of tho Navy recognizes It in the
same way by Issuing his commissions .sto be
Clerk Tor whatever Office is dcsiguatcd) Of
tho Ki,,sry Navy Yard. So much for the
name. 81 -7a.rf
AL through tho Yard there Is the utmost
activity among the 1000 men employed while
every available space is occupied by immense
quantities OF ship timber. The large num-
her of hands employed is divided about ms
follows: ship-carpenters and laborcrs, 900
blacksmiths, 100; sh,p-ioiners, los; caulk-
crs. so: gun.carriase makers, Sc; borers.
50; Triggers. so; painters, 40 machinists
IL oon rt. ;.c