Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-06-09
TEaE JETTIES.
A Reply from Captain Eads TO Caption.
Critics.

NATIONAL HOTEL. WASHINGTON. June 4. 1878.
To the Editor Of the Washington Post:
Please permit me to answer two questions
respecting the Jetties, which find in a recent
number of the New York Herald viz: care
these statements true?" lis Uncle Sam
cheated?" These are followed by quota
ton from the Cincinnati Commercial, in
which that paper, referring to me, says:
"There are some inaccuracies In reports re-
lating TO his operations that pain us" The
Commercial then proceeds to quote from the
Memphis ArGldnche to the effect that the
Teutonia, Aga Sofa and Commander had
each grounded in the jetty channel. The 4r-
dldnche says: ION the tenth instant clear
depth of twenty-three feet two inches was
certified to, and on the fourteenth the Agia
Sofia and Commander, neither dra wing with
in three feet of this depth, went aground on
this bar. This Is an error. The Aga Sofa
in attempting to enter the jetty channel from
the gulf, during the night, ran so high up on
the outer end of the east jetty that her cargo
had to be shifted before she could get OFF. 1t
should be stated here that there are no lights
on the Jettles; the range lights being erected
by the government are yet incomplete.
The Commander was drawing twenty-one
feet six inches, and grounded on account of
getting out OF the channel, for she did not
interrupt at all the navigation of the jetties
while aground. The width between the let
Ties Is CONSIDERABLY more IMAM the entire
length of the capitol-that is over seven hun
dred feet. OF course. the channel is
shoaler near the ietties than in
the middle, where the latest reports
show twenty-four feet depth clear through.
In March last the ship Perseverance, draw
ing twenty-one feet ten inches, was grounded
between the jetties, swung directly across the
current, remaining ten or twelve hours; yet
a vessel drawing twenty feet could easily
have passed to the west of her; and the City
of Bristol, drawing twenty-three, went out
to the westward of her at full speed while
she was In that position The Agia Sofia
went out on Saturday last, drawing twenty
two feet, without any trouble. It is hardly
fair TO hold the lettles responsible for bad
seamanship. We might, for the same rea-
son declare the Mississippi itself a failure
But the Memphis AUalanche aud Cincinnati
Commercial still stand by their predictions
made before the jetties were commenced, and
frequently reiterated since, that they would
prove failure and they spare no pains To
prove their wisdom. The Memphis chamber
of commerce and the cotton exchange think
differently. for these bodies, but a few days
ago, passed resolutions urging the govern
ment to extend its aid to hasten the compile
ton of the jetties. The chamber of COM
merce of New Orleans has also passed very
strong resolutions to the same effect, and its
president, General Cyrus Bussey, states that
the jetties have saved more than a dollar per
bale on the one million bales of cotton ship.
ped from New Orleans during the last sea-
son, and twelve cents per bushel on four
million bushels of grain. Twice as much has
been saved in freight on these two items
alone as the government has paid on account
of the construction of the jetties, and this
fact, | think, fully answers the inquiry of the
Herald. Respectfully, JAS. b. EADs.