The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1873-01-28
CHEER FOR CHARLESTON!
FIFTEEN FEET OF WATER III BEACH
CHANNEL 1T Low TIDE.

The Result OF the Government Surveys
Ample Funds In the Hands OF Gene
raj Gilmore to Do the Required Work.
Although Charleston, by her nearness to the
sea and the spaclousness of her harbor, has
incontestable advantages over most OF her
\ Sneghbors, the comparative sbsllowness OF the
water on Charleston Bar has been decided
obstacle In the way OF the development
vt the trade of the port. There mas
never been any necessity, as there is In
Savannah, to use lighters In receiving
and discharging cargoes. Vessels OF large size
come up to the wharves and lie there, but at
certain stages of the tide 1t is difficult TO take
sailing vessels of deep draft over the bar,
and, In rough weather, even steamships are
liable to delay. 1t Is only the depth oil water
at Port Royal which has caused that deadly
lively place to assume any consequence as
possible city OF the future, and the deepening
of the Charleston bar, 30 as to give sufh-
cient depth of water at all stages of the tide,
will prick that bubble and cause the whole
scheme TO collapse. This great work OF giving
Charleston more waler Is about to be done.
Last year General Q. A. Gilmore submitted
to the department at Washington plans for
the Improvement of Charleston haroor.
These plans, founded on careful surveys, were,
with the estimates, examined aud approved.
The next thing was to obtain an approprla-
ton, and Congress cheerfully gave Charleston
$4,000. This is the amount Of money which
General Gilmore can command.
The plan OF operations is simple and intelli-
gible. Abandoning the idea of attempting TO
deepen the main ship bars, General Gilmore
has determined 10 direct his efforts to scour-
ing out the Beach or Sullvan's Island Chan
mel. The wrecks which are in the way will
soon be completely removed; but the first
thing is to cut away section OF one hundred
and twenty-five feet OF the breakWater
Or jetty at Sulivan's Island. This breakwater
is partly submerged at high water, and the
tide sweeps over it. The material taken from
the section will be thrown back upon the re.
ma.ning section, and will 30 Increase it's
height as to raise 1t we'll above high water
mark, The whole volume Of water, unable to
pass over the break-water, will then surge
through the channel. 1t Is the expectation of
General Gilmore that this current will itself
scour ont the channel, but he will put dredg-
ing machines, with centrifugal pumps, to
work, with which he can obtain what depth OF
water Is desired. General Gilmore Is confident
that, with the means at his command, he can
secure fifteen feet of aocter at lOD tide In the
Beach Channel, and, as the water there is
smooth, such depth is equal to at least slx-
teen feet upon an ordinary bar. The work
begins at once, and 1t is probable that the
derrick which removes the section Of break
water will commence operations to-day.
The work will be pushed vigorously forward,
and should it be necessary 10 apply to Con-
gress for more money it is not believed that
this will be difficult to obtain. Charleston
grows ia Importance every day, and with
twenty-one or twenty-five feet Of water 10
Beach Channel at mean high tide she can
defy competition. and make herself the COM
mercIal sovereign of the South Atlantic Coast.