The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-07-31
KEEP WATER WAYS OPEN.
A Protest Against Closing the Inland
Routes North From Savannah.

Routes North From Savannah.
Historic Wallis Cut and the Part it Has
Played in Commerce and Wharf.-The
Route Of the British Troops From
Port Royal to Savannah in 1870.
Capt. Lawton's "Reminiscences Of
Caroline's Water Ways-TheA dvan-
tages to Savannah of Inland Navi-
cation.
The question of keeping open the in
land water routes northward from Sa-
vannah river is attracting a good deal of
attention and the opinion of those who
are conversant with it is unanimously
opposed to the government obstructing
them.
Wallis Cut, which connects New river
with Wright's river, was cut through be-
fore the revolutionary period, but it was
doubtless only wide enough for row boats,
as it had to be widened soon after the adj
vent of steam navigation.
In a letter published in the London Ca
zette, Dec. 81, 1879, dated Savannah, Nov.
8, 1779, giving an account of the attack
on Savannah, Wallis Cut is particularly
referred to- The writer, in alluding to
the preparations of the British for de-
Tending the city says THE Comet,
galley, and Keppel armed brig, were di-
rected to place themselves in below the
Mud Flat, so as to cover the passage of
Col. Maitland and the kings troops from
Port Royal, through Wallis Cut. from
whom we had not heard since our dis
patches to him were sent, the connection
by boats being cut off"
Further on the writer refers to the ar
rival of expected reinforcements through
Wallis Cut.
THE WALLS CUT OF TO-DAY.
The Wallis Cut of to-day, however, is a
wide river, capable of floating an
iron clad in its 40 feet depth of water.
Capt. John Lawton, a planter of Hamp-
ton county, S. c., and welI-known
steamboat owner, in referring to the
inland water way said a few days ago
that the present route, via Wright's river,
was not known, or at least was not used
previous to 1860, The route was then by
way of Mud river, which entered the
Savannah just below where the jetty at
the upper fats begins. 1t was almost a
direct route to Wallis Cut via Wright's
river.
He said that he had often gone
through Mud river on the old
Charleston and Beaufort steamers,
Beaufort District, - st Matthews"
and ''Wm. Seabrook." The last time he
went by way of that river was at the
time the Union feet and army captured
Port Royal. He was then living on his
place on May river, S. c., and came to
Savannah in his row boat, pulled by six
of his negroes. On returning he was be-
lated and did not reach Mud river until
after dark. He was going along thinking
OF the situation, when suddenly the out
lines of large vessel doomed up. A ship
in Mud river was something out of the
usual way, and he rowed cautiously
towards it.
SUNK AS AN OBSTRUCTION.
A near approach proved the vessel to
be brig which was being towed by row
boats 1t was one of those which were in
the port of Savannah at the beginning of
hOstilities and had stayed over the "forty
days" limit given by the Confederates,
and had been seized. The brig was being
tOwed TO Wallis cut, where it
was sunk across the channel
to keep the Federal gunboats
from coming into the Savannah. The
brig, however, did not remain there very
long, but was raised by the enemy.
Through this route the Federals after
wards passed into the Savannah river
and erected the battery on Birds Island,
by which in conjunction with that at
Venus Point, Fort Pulaski was cut off
from this city.
Capt. Lawton, in speaking of
Wallis Cut said that it
was doubtless originally very mar
row passage, possibly just wide enough
for row boats to be pushed through at
certain stages of the tide. That the cut
existed before the Revolution there
is no question. The origin of its name is
also a mystery. According to Capt. Law
ton, the cut must have been widened
about the time of the advent of steam
boats into these waters, in the neighbor-
hood of seventy years ago. His father
told him that it was dug by Mr. Norton
under a contract with the state of South
Carolina, and that there was a state APP
preparation of $4,000 for the work, be-
sides the planters interested assisted with
their negroes. Before the work was com
pleted a storm destroyed Norton's plant,
and the work was finished by other par
ties.
SHOULD OPEN A PASSAGE.
The opinion of those who understand
the situation is that the government
should open passage from the Savannah
river to Wright's river, so as to make the
landfockSd inland waters available for
commerce and coast defense If the
present very shallow channel around the
east end of Jones Island into Wright's
river is closed, there will be no conuec-
ton with the inland water ways from the
Savannah river, except through Gala
boga sound, which is too much exposed to
the sea for small boats in stormy weather,
and is too shallow for large vessels.
The engineer in charge of the work should
see to it that the attention of the war
and navy departments representing the
defeHses of the country, and the treasury
department representing its commerce. is
called to the damage that will ensue, if
something is not done towards keeping
open inland navigations.
For steady nerves and good