The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-04-04
THE NAVY YARD.
Many Reasons Why It Should be
Located at Savannah.

Many Reasons Why 1t Should be
Located at Savannah.
In making the assertion that Savannah is
unquestionably the place before all others
for the proposed navy yard on the South
Atlantic coast, it is we'll for us to know
that we are not making an idle boast, but
are supported on every hand by facts.
l. Savannah to-day has the best harbor,
and admits vessels Of the deepest draft Of
any port of Importance on the South
Atlantic. port Royal and Sapelo have
slightly greater depths.l
2. She is the center of the greatest sys-
tenn of ral way connections.
8. She has long, narrow channel up to
the city, and in case of war is the easiest
protected of any port on the coast.
4. Vessels lying In her harbor have the
advantage of being in fresh water, thereby
cleaning their bottoms from growth of sea
weeds and barnacles. The proposed dock
" ould be built in fresh water, and could be
constructed of wood which would be an
enormous saving on the cost of construction
required for salt water
5. Savannah is the first naval stores port of
the world. and exports over 81, 900, 900 worth
of lumber and timber a year. Through
the Central railroad system of Georgia,
with over 1890 miles Of railway in the
states Of Georgia, Alabama and South Car
DINA, the richest timber, coal and iron dis
tricts Of those states find an outlet at Savap-
nah to the sea- "With exten-io now
being CONSTRUCTED d, the states of Mississippi,
Tennessee and Kentucky as we'll as the
great grain-producing sections of the west
will be brought nearer to the Atlantic coast
at Savannah than at any other point and
over railways of easy grades, free from OBJ
structions by snow and ice" She is in
direct connection with Birmingham's coal
and iron, pig iron from Birmingham being
now shipped regularly to Philadelphia via
Savannah.
6. The officers of the government are
already considering project for
a 2S-foot channel for Savannah. If
there is doubt about her com
mercial Importance alone wanting such
a channel, there would be no doubt about
the government making that improvement
when the claims OF her commerce are com
bined with those of navy yard. And it is
not probable that the government would
make such an improvement for navy
yard alone. The choice of Savannah
would, therefore, enable the gov
eminent to give her South
tage which is not to be found anywhere on
the southern coast.
Z. Among other advantages which might
be mentioned, we have the question of
labor This is most important item. At
a large city with extensive railroads there
would be no trouble about getting work
men, but in "the woods" no labor is avail
able Besides, in Savannah the existing
ship yards and machine shops could be
pressed into service.
Marvellous changes have taken place at
Savannah within the last twenty years Look
at some of them: In 1878, when the work
of improving the channel was begun, the
usual high water draught was about Az
feet. Now vessels Of from 20 to 81 feet
are able to go from the
city to the sea on a single tide.
There have been no coast survey charts
made since these improvements in our har-
Dor were begun, and therefore there is no
official knowledge at the navy department
of the present depth of the channel in our
river. Worse than that, the old charts
give erroneous information, if applied to
the channel at present.
In 1878 our Savannah, Florida and West
ern wharves were not built, the Central
railroad wharves were not built, the Ocean
Steamship Company was not in existence.
Birmingham was not in existence, we ex-
ported little or no pig iron. In 1856 the
value of our exports was nearly $65, 900, 600.
In 1878 it was less than $50, 10000 The
total commerce passing by water in 1888
was over $105 600, 900 Savannah then was
unheard of as a naval stores port.
Savannah wants to stand on nothing but
her merits. In this case she can, without
the least doubt, well afford to do so. II we
have overlooked any place which, in point
of fact, combines more advantages than
this city, we will step back and be glad to
see that place come forward and claim her
rights. T. II. G.