Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-09-05
IEwss AS A Port OF GALL.
ats Advantages and Fortunate Gao-
graphical POsition-tienerai Notes
ON she N ar Dor and Break water.

one day alone, FROM 800 to 400 foreign
letters for captains and ship. masters.
These vessels arriving from all parts OF
sthe world would call at Lswes for sailing
orders.
This fact is due, as may be appre.
hended at once BY O glance at the map of
the north Atlantic with its European and
American seaboards which comprise at
least 81 per cent of the commercial in.
dustry Of the world, to the remarkably
fortunate geographical location OF the
little Delaware port. Midway between
the Gulf of Mexico and the New England
seaports, its situation is such that ship
masters annually save thousands of miles
in sea voyages. For instance ships and
steamers arriving in ballast from Liver.
pool or Hamburg call at Lewes and there
receive telegrapuic orders from ship.
owners directing them to proceed to Gal.
weston, to New Bruuswiok, to Portland or
to Philadelphia, as the case may be, for
cnrgoes, thus saving the time consumed
in travel to the home port for orders.
OF course orders, 1t may be claimed can
be received at any port to which the cap
tain may sail, but the argument in regard
to Loves ia that il lies at the most advan.
tageous point Of conteguity to where the
lines OF ocean commercial travel interHert
In connection with the United Stated sea.
board.
Standing on tho beach at Lawes one is
actually astounded OF the evidence OF
maritime importance of the place. But
perhaps the hystander will remark, "0h,
but those ships are only translsnts they
will be gone in a day or two" That is
true; but the writer saw an average VI so
vessels anchored around the Breakwater
for each day last week. 1t must be re.
memhesed that the items of pilotage, ship
,chandlery, groceries, fresh vegetables,
the board in the town OF the ship officers
and their crews also when, as often hap.
pens, there il detention OF over a week
awsiting orders-are items which the
business men of LIE ges thoroughly ap-
preciate. Nothing, too, can be more
delightful than to come across
some communicative skipper. One
from the West Indies gave the
writer some very interesting anecdotes of
the strange blockade OF Port an Prince.
Others from the Mediterranean and from
the baltic, from German and English
ssaporss had each his say and comment
of personal experience, in fact among
the crowd Of pilots and shippers loung.
around Lynch's Breakyater House on the
beach the listener becomes suddenly
transported Into surroundings completely
co.mopoli;an where West Indian, CANA
dian, English, German and French COM
mercial questions are debated With q East
and Intelligent acquaintance with the
general AFFAIRS Of tue world that could
not be excslled ia practical interest.
Oue topic, namely that OF the condition
OF the loves Breakwater, is always can
yasssd with vipor, There ia no doubt
that the masters OF ocean going ships are
intensely DESTROYS OF seeiug Congress-
grant the appropriation for the proposed
new breakwater to be built outside the
present one for the accommodation OF
heavy Tonnage ships and steamers.
While the question is one OF live in
teyest 10 Delaware IL ia of still mora
importance to PHILADELPHIA and its com;
nerce. In one word the new breakwater
ia ALI that ia needed to auadrunIe Phila.
delphia commerce and 20 bring in its
train hundreds of thousands of dollars
worth OF shio repair work, in Philsdel.
phis, at Chester and the shipyards OF
Wilmington. With deep water harborago
at Lsyes The number of ships calling at
that accessible Atlantic port would be
easily trebled. The writer has this from
the ship captaius themselves.
In connection with this fact and the
relatively moderate demand of only
5000, 900 or SO 900, 600 for the new
Ereakwater it ia strange to consider that
two or three times that sum has been
asked on the fiuors of Congress for the
purpoae of building up the harbor OF
(;aiye6ton. and similarly modest sumE
for the mouths of the Mississippi. while
for the most advantageous port of cal
for all American Atlantic commerce there
ia an apparent hesilancy in even STATING
the merits o, the case.
Using the smile of annual attsndances
as ia customary in school reports, taking
fins daily average THROUGH the wear Of
vessels anchored of Lewes at 80, the
total attendances OF vessels at the Break.
water for the wear would be over IL, 600,
This does not mean that there were a,
many different vessels, Some Of course
shaved for a week or perhaps two week,
while others came in and after receiving
sailing orders went ont again in a few
hcura' II ia evidence. however. of IN,
i,nnortanna az J,awas in this snecial direc
tion and unaots atiIl more Of ito nossi
biiitiea we've gn are the deenar water an
cborage aIis,;no which wonid ba q fToydet
nv INC Iorgar nrsak water snoren of
oo;,, ;f 10 y.rv snn,,u,,,htsd 10 cr;t;
ciss tha nroiact az oivina adyant.ga !,
~ ,,ain ,n fha hoavp tnnna,a ot rn1oie,
a..