Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-10-17
CAPTAIN bAYLOR'S ADDRESS.
Tho Navigable Waters and Resources OF
Misunderstanding Statistics.

Tho NaviCab'e Waters ana Resources Oh
yirginla-Iptoresting Statistics
Captain j. u. Baylor. Of the United
/ States Geodetic and Coast-Survey, who
( has had charge Of the survey of the
| oyster-grourls OF Virginia which has
been in progress during the last two
| years. was the second topical speaker
| Of the night session. His subject was
| the "Navigable Waters and resources u
| Virginia"
! Captain Baylor said: II Is my privilege
| TO speak to you this evening Of some OF
! the resources of the great inland Day
/ and It's splendid tributaries, upon whose
| shores was established the first permanent
! Anglo-Saxon settlement on the American
| continents settlement which led U IN
| calculAble results to the human race,
whether regarded from material,
social, or a political standpoint
| II its shores were barren and inhospl-
| table. and It's waters as desolate a. those
| Of the Dead Sea, all which pertains 10
| them would be Of interest. But on the
contrary, as Professor Brooks mas SAID.
| THE Chesapeake bay is one or the richest
agricultural regions OF the earth, and rs
fertility can be compared only with that
OF the valleys OF the Nile, the GanSes'
| and other great rivers
IL ~ Inc most plOAilit ii'ii|n thN't'f
of Ike proportions In the world. The
| total harvest FROM these waters (ot
! oysters alone) has been over lJp'W0eO
| bushels during the past ten years. rms
enormous quantity OF valuable 1000 mas
been practically free slit from
! bOunteous nature.
| According to thu eleventh census OF the
! United states (abstrsct page lsD' S'Sie'--1
worth Of oysters and FISH were taken
| during the year 1859 from the virginia
| waters alone. and this on total IN
vested capital of ONLY go, toJ Gan III
very richest lands Of the West compare
| in productiveness to this on the same
| amount OF capital invested?
| Virginia to-day holds li5 20 acres or
natural-grDWth oysters. surveyed ana duiy
| recorded. and kept for the common use
Of all who may b come citizens OF thls
State. In return for this great prNueSe
she only demands the nominal tax Oh
30 cents on the SlVo worth OF oysters
sold. She still owns thousands OF acres
Of territory suitable for the cultivation OF
the oyster. which she is prepared 70 rent
at an annual rental OF 81 per acre 10
All who become citizens Of the State
giving for a period of twenty years a
title which cannot be disputed
IMMENSE FISH HAULS.
| During the fiscal year, ls9l-'92, from the
very latest statistics carefully collected
by the United States Commissioner al
| Fisheries we md that from SiG-pound ne's
alone, which cost on an aVe'ase leS'
than $3.50 each when put in position, and
which are run not inirequently by I've
| men. $l4,Gli worth of fish were laker
from the Virginia waters: sb2,O3s wof'i
| OF crabs over $1,000 worth Of clans
and Sls.igf worth Of terrapin were taker
from the same waters. Exclusive 81
oysters over 81 10000 worth of fish were
sold. not to mention the canvas-bacs
duck and a great variety Of other water
fowl All this valuable food has beer
furnished by the State Of Virginia TO hel
| citizens free of all cost save only a nOm
mai tax on the assessed value OF the apqa
ratus used in taking il. The poorest immi
grant can have on these shores an abund
ance and variety OF food for the takng
which only the wsll-to-do can obtain II
most parts OF the world.
But, Mr.. Chairman. / have az vt sail
nothing Of TIE transportation facillre'
| afforded by these waters. nor have
dwclt upon the agricultural resources OF
the shores adjacent TO them.
y certain typ. Of critics decry the us'
Of statistics. hut cy.ry experienced Tee
turer knows tn value OF his blackboar.
and chalk. Virginia alone has Ills miles
Of coast-liue subject t. tidal action. n
| Chesapeake bay proper and in th'
waters tributary 20 IL there are owne(
and registered, according - tn eleventh
census of the United Slater. LAS vessels
and craft Of various kinds with a tota
tonnage Of 10 So tons. valued at sS.613 7sj
transporting i'm 1880 lo&'3.43l tons .
freight, and carrying f.oj-jj passengers
These figures are significant of muc'
TO those who live on the adjacent shores
sfrs..
that he VIII find here cheap and corta Z
transportation for the products of h.
labor T. every market o. the world y,
great corporation can dictate 10 him VIVA
toll he shall pay.
80 DANGEROUS BAR.
The captain Of the largest vessel eve
. constructed can approach the capes o
. Virginia with safety He win hardly hav
, TO think Of the condition Of the weather
nor viii he have TO study his tidal table
- know the stage Of the tide. He vii
find here no dangerous bar upon who's
improvement thousands have been eX
pended. 10 delay his entrance for on
single hour. He will ind a great Inlan
bay IN which the nayies OF the WORT
could lie al anchor; which mas beef
) | trayersed by the Great Eastern for NOR
than 80 miles. He VIII not find II neces
sary to enter any great t!lal-dock q
> discharge with ease his cargo, at an
stage OF the tide, and with the wind IL
| any quarter whatsoever. Should his yesse
need repairs. h. can now nnl here tn
largest dry-dock on the American CONT
nent. ami one Of the best-eQuipped ship
= building yards in the whole world.
. At Norfolk ana Portsmouth be- vii
find two great trunk-ilnes OF railway
one extending to the remotest cotton
region Of the South, and TIE other 70 th
7 central regions OF the great West. no
, TO mention several minor lines.
At Newport News he NH find a trunk
, line Of railway peumeatins the Yves
! and the Southwest with every facilit
for the handling OF his freight, and FOR III
, ! repair and construction OF his vessel. A
West Point. on one OF the many grea
, | tributaries OF the Chesapeake bay. he VI.
find system OF railway which permeate
the whole South
Had these facilities existed in the earl
: history Of this country. IN all huma
, probability. what is now New York cit
. would be on the shores of Chesapeak
bay,
2 Let us see what has been their effec
) upon the foreign tonnage Of its ports
: SHIPPING STATISTICS.
From the chief Of the Bureau Of Sta
tiStiSS u tue treasury We lfttli tIdl IL
. the year ending June 90 1898. there entel
: ed the capes of Virginia from foreig
countries 40 vessels. with an aggregai
tonnage of ST9,9i6 tons, bringing import
valued at 1898, a.. During the sam
year l.032 vessels. with an aggregate tor
mage Of 1,i26.ll0 tons. passed through Il
, capes OF Virginia bound for foreign couf
I tries, exporting ~. 1882 worth OF Do
[ nestle merchandise. the products OF agr
; culture. mining, forests. fisheries, &c.
= The business of the principal ports {
4 Chesapeake bay and its tributaries ma
Z be summarized as follows:
= For the port of Baltimore. where n
= inland journey of over 80 miles Is nece
= sary. LOS vessels either entered for 10
= eign countries or cleared for foreign coul
tries during the year ending June 80. lss
c exporting and importing S1,Slsi6O wort
OF domestic and foreign products.
For Newport News i;2 vessels either al
tered from foreign countries or cleared Il
foreign countries during the year endr
II June 30. 1883. exporting and importr
, 4 a