The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-03-08
CITY INTELLI NOE
[For Additional Local Hen.s see Third Pagel

LEAGUE IsLAND.-Some weeks ago the
Committee OF the House OF Representatives on
Naval Affairs, accompanied by Captain Fox,
Assistant Secretary OF the Navy, visited our city
for the purposeo OF reporting upon the feasibility
of the plan of making League Island a great
naval depot Captain Fox has made full re-
port which is of great interest to our citizens,
and we commend TO their attention the follow
ing abstract;-
Captain Ftx begins his report. which is dated
February 2l 1866, with q reference to the severe
cold of the day on which he made his examination,
say ing that there great trouble from the ice
Hudson and East rivers near New York, but none
near League Island. He also calls attention to the
fact hat though the wharf at the Island is onlya
common piled wharf, winch has Teen built about
iouIteen years, the lronclads lying oil its extremity,
where they have Deen exposed all winter, haYe not
experenced any injury.
League Island he says, is two miles below Phila-
dephia, and the present wharfage OF the city is
nearly occupied, 1t Will soon be in demand by the
city, and will torn its most important commercial
front 1t has short line of four and half mules on
Delaware river, and one mile on the SchuylkIl and
q back channel separating 1t from the main land five
miles long, with an average width between dykes of
three hundred and fifty yards. In a section of this
back Channe, one and half miles long, one hum
dred feet WIDE, and fourteen feet deep, with a soft
bottom mooTed the river and harbor and light
draft monitors the torpedo boats and several double
enders and other gunboats
A natural basin, secure from every known risk, in
side permanent deenses of coast in iresh water,
away from ice and currents within reach OF iron and
coal and skilled labor 10 prepare our vessels for
battle at moderate expense, one and halt miles
distant from the main ship channel which has been
closed but IN forty years, with no eX enditure
REQUIRED secure the vessels in their pre.ent posi-
ton that would be incurred at best Yards where
there is for them, and finally, back channel
that by dredging would give ample room for the
entire American and English navIes-these are ne
OF the facts that impressed me with the importance
of securing this nOmrabe site by accepting 1T as
free gift eOre ii is absorbed by the rapid growth of
After remarking that he thinks the importance of
Canton IIS Fo says the PhilSdeIphiS NAVY Yard has
but one tinh of the frontage OF the English Navy
Yard at Bermuda of our coast. All our navy yaris
together have not tIontage enough to contain the
vesse now LAID up and belonging permanently to
our navy. we are indebted to the courtesies of
generous Trust Company for our present use of
League Island and this back channel, and are liable
at any moment to be called upon to give them up it
becomes an important question where we shall 90 In
such an event Captain Fox further says the ad-
vantage that would result from dredging the back
channel tor wet cocks, timber basins and other pur-
The Assistant Secretary then proceeds to consider
the cost OF making the navy yard there lie says
the island contains about six hundred acres, and IS
about two and halt ieet below high-wlter m.rk;
but has not been overOwed since the building OF tue
stone wal or dy ke. lie calls attention to the work
and says that costs twenty five per cubic yard
Of earth This could probably be done tor the same
price, and could certainly be contracted for at thirty
cents pei cubic yard. Dredging the back channel
to a depth III the middle OF eighteen feet ould give
more than enough earth to the island three feet
above high-w ater MAJ k. and 1t could be done, at
twenty-five cents per cubic yard, S9OO,OO0-a sum
less says Captain Fox than has been expended
during the war Tor coal and repairs OF the steamer
VoRderbtH; less than Mr. Forbes has expended on
the Idaho, which he is building Tor Government;
and only twenty per cent. more than the cost of one
OF the many first class steam engines built since 1851
THIS expenditure would give the country the most
complete and position in the United States for
its iron-cads and ther vessels besides perlectlnV
position naval stauon winch possesses more
advantages and IS liable to fewer objections than any
other within the area of the Union.
Now that am about to retire to civil life, says
Captain OK, concluding his report 10 the Secre-
tary, cannot on reviewing our whole experience of
last five think OF SuOect connected with
naval affairs of serious an import as that of
extending and ampliiylng our room for building
repairing, ittinc out and laying up navy. War
las become, IN a great measure, question OF fnan
cIal resources and mechanical science; and rela-
navy yards as we were at the close of the war OF
1872 We the only naval power that is not acting
upon Lessons learned from the late war
THE ELEPHANT.-COnsid consterna-
ton has been created bv the vagaries of an ele-
phant belonging to the menagerie of Mr.. Fore
paugh, at Tenth and Gallo whill streets 1t would
seem that he is subject to elephantine epilepsy,
and is at present enjoying season OF recrea-
ton. He inGulges in the amusement Of throw.
ing things around promiscuously. He is not very
particular as to what he gets hold of. For
instance, he sometimes sezes young elephant
and throws 1t into an adjoining apartment
smashing the partition to atoms, and requiring
| the individual attention OF his keeper aud q
| large corps of assistants AS at present con.
trolled he is rather a dangerous resident. The
| place he occupies is certainly not so sale as it
| might be. If he should find it convenient to
| take an airing, one blow from his trunk would
scatter the Callowhill street front and give him
| ''the world before him where TO choose.n 1t
| does not seem that the keeper has as complete
control over The animal as he ought to have
He may be a very interesting beast viewed from
| some safe standpoint, bat when he commences
his peculiar teats OF strength and agility, would
| it not be well to Give him limited compass
Menageres are good schools OF natural history,
but they ought to be conducted In mild FORM
EQUALITY BEFORE THE LAw-This even
| ing the fifth OF the course OF lectures given by
the "Soclal, Civil, and Statistical Association of
| the Colored People of Pennsylvania" will be
delivered at Concert Hall by Professor William
| Howard Day. This gentleman is one of the
| most gifted of his race, and has given the best
| claims of the colored people of the United
States to complete and universal recognition
| before the law. He has identified himself fully
| with all their interests, and they have no more
| fearless, eloquent, and outspoken exponent.
| His subject tor this evening will be Equality
| before the Law and there is every reason to
| believe that it will be a success. Miss Green
| field, the Black Swan, will sing before and after
| the lecture.
CHARGED WITH AssAULT.-Peter Fisher
| was arrested yesterday afternoon CHARGED with
| sault on Mr.. John w. Boultou near Girard Col
tege, as mentioned in The TELEGRAPH at the
| time. He was taken before Alderman Fitch,
and held in $500 bail.
| RUN OVER AND INJURED.--John Gray,
| aged 25 years, undertook TO step from car on
the Darby and Philadelphia Passenger Railroad,
near Mount Moriah lane, and falling on was run
| over. He had an arm and hand seriously In
| jlred, ana was conveyed TO the Hospital.