The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-06-30
PORT ROYALS DRY DOCK.
TIE FIRST PILE DRIVEN WITH AP.
PROPRIATR CEREMONIES.

After the Exercises at the Dock.
BEAUFORT, s. O., June e9.-This has
been grand day and we'll celebrated.
Last night the oglethorps Light Infantry
OF Augusta, numbering about thirty men,
under Lieut.. league, arrived and were es-
corted to the Beaufort Artillery armory
by that command, headed by baud Of
music. There speech of welcome was
made by Capt. Talbird and was re-
spondsd TO- Afterward the visitors were
made comfortable for the night A large
number of oitizsns of Augusta aud other
sections also made their appearance last
night This morning the day was
ushered in by salute of thirteen
guns by the Beaufort Artillery
At 10 O'Clock the military and about 300
ladies and gentlemen boarded the beautiful
steamer Pilot Boy, aud to the sound of
music proceeded to the naval station, six
miles below this place, where the new naval
dry dock is being built Arriving at the
station the ladies were accommodated with
canvas and surmounted with the stars and
stripes. This had been erected by the officers
of the station.
OPENING THE EXERCISES.
After prayer by Rev. p. d. Hay, rector
OF the Beauforu artillery, Col. d. @. Wilson
in happy manner introduced Congress-
man William Elliott, the orator of the day,
who made an appropriate speech.
At the conclusion of the orasion q salute
was fred by the Beaufort artillery.
The powerful steam hammer was then
started, and the frat pile Of the great dry
dock was driven into position in few
yyNfh hTIf0R hn afaer b 20 in AhQn
Of Lieut.. George Mackay, engineer United
States navy department.
During the ceremonies the band played
several patriotic airs and the words OF the
speakers were received with cheers.
The military guests and others boarded
the Pilot Boy and enjoyed ride to the
ocean. On the voyage down refreshments
were served in abundance.
ELoQUENcE ON THE WATER.
On the return trip many visitors and
citizens we're called upon by the chairman,
Col. Wilson, and number OF humorous
and patriotic speeches were made and were
ers were Mr.. Frank of Atlanta, H. Demp-
sey Of Augusta. Capt. Q. W. Willett Of
Beaufort, s. II. Rodgers of Port Royal, Rev.
w. A. Wilkins of Beaufort, Lieut.. Flem-
ing of Augusta, w. III. G, Delano of
Port Royal, z. A, Carson of Yemassee, N.
f. Fielder or Texas, August Kohn of
Charleston aud Col, Wilson, the indefati-
gable chairman of the general committee.
whose speech was mastery effort Show,
ing an abundance of facts and figures az
to the increase OF business In the United
States, and claiming that Brunswick. Savan-
nah aud Port Royal would soon have all
they could do to keep up with the demands
of commerce.
AS the steamer neared Beaufort on the
return trip, led by Rev. J. B. Campbell.
d. D., the passengers on the steamer sang.
Praise God from Whom All Blessings
Flow When the steamer arrived at the
dock the band played, "My Country, 'Tis
OF Thee.n The Beaufort Artillery have
made ample provision, and the night will
be passed with ball. Everything passed
of pleasantly.
Wilson'S INTRODUCTORY SPEECH.
In introducing Hon. William Elliott,
Mr.. Wilson said:
TIE event which we are met to commemorate
to-day IL one OF no small Importance to the
state of South Carolina and this eutire section
OF the South Atlantic-the construction or
large United States naval dry dock on the
magnificent deep waters of Port Royal.
1t has been for many long years talked about
| and looked forward to, that sooner or later the
| United States naval department would some
| day see and appreciate the many advantages
| this grand harbor can give them, and many
| naval officers and others have worked hard to
| bring about this most desirable result and as
stand here to-day names and faces come TO me,
calling up efforts of the past. but amid them
| all there arc three more prominent
| than the rest whose efforts stand out in
| bold relief as being the most successful
| in bringing us together to-day TO celebrate the
commencement Of this important work, and
| when / name to you Admiral James Jouet,
| United States navy, those who remember him
will agree with me that while stationed here IN
&ANN NkAA AnAf . Asad s4Ant da0
| by his energy and enthusiasm to bring before
| the United States naval authorities the great
| advantage Of this grand harbor as a repairing
and coaling station for the United States navy.
| There is another United States officer whom
| we all respect and admire, and if he was not
present with US to-day would tell you more
regarding his influence and efforts on behalf OF
| the development of Port Royal, for Lieut.. O.
| H. Lyman. United States navy. and present
| commandant of the naval station, has been
atall times, In season and out OF season, the
| most earnest and active advocate of the many
| superior advantages of Port Royal, not only
| exerting an influence by his intelligence and
energy 10 attract the attention of the naval de-
partment to this favored location, but also bv
| his personal reputation as United States naval
officer and his kindly social manners, he has
| done much to impress practical and business
| men with the many commercial advantages
| which this grand deep-watsr harbor offers to
the railroads and commerce Of the new south
and southwest.
But with all the good opinions and efforts Of
these excellent naval officers, they could only
enter the wedges and prepare the way for the
| more difficult and important work of legisla-
| tion, and while many efforts have been
made by congressman from this district to the
building up OF naval station at Port Royal
without success, it is now especially pleas
ing to us ali that the nal success of their efforts
was brought about during the last session of
| congress by our respected townsnnan, who was
| born on these grand Sea Islands, surrounded by
\ the waters of the mighty Atlantic and famed
by its heathfu breezes; and 1t is his indefatiga-
| to meet here to day to commemorate
the beginning of the work on
| this large and magnificent naval
| dry dock, which is one OF the most important
| events that ever took place on these waters,
both for the best interests of the United States
| navy and for the future welfare Of the growing
| commerce of the south and southwest. refer
| to Hon. William Elliott of Beaufort.
ELLIorT's SPEECH.
The following are extracts from Mr..
Elliott's speech:
| Mr.. CHAIRMAN. FsLLow-CITIzENs AND FELL
| Low-SoLDIERs While the work we to-day in
augurate viii consist Of such material things as
| wood and stone, iron and steel. the occasion
| is filed with the deepest historical aud romantic
| interest. In truth may IL be said that we stand
south of us, lies charlesfort, the earliest work
| of European hands within the United States;
| the home of the first European colony. built
/ two years before st. Augustine was founded.
| and almost half century before the settlement
| at Jamestown. Standing to-day on the isle on
/ which was made this first effort at Christian
colonization, and looking backward across the
/ the vast difference between then and now-be'
/ tween June 1869 and June 1891. Think Of brave