The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-10-20

| pounds OF good merchantable tobacco.
The original deed from Wise to the
| trustees OF the town reads as follow
| ITO all Christian people to whom these
| presents shall come, 4 hold myself vel
| satisfied. contented. and well paid, and
| for divers other considerations me there
| fore moving. having given. granted. bar.
| gained. and Sold" &c. Concluding thus
| I'm the year of the reign OF our soyerins
| Lord Kng Charles the Second: over
| England, Ireland, Scotland. France; de-
| fender OF the faith" The date of the
| royal charter OF Norfolk borough on the
| Kings letters Patent il 1886, which
title 1t retained until 1s4S. and has ever
been cherished by its people for past
| associations. as IL Is to-day. Many OF
| its streets bear the colonial names. II at
present is a city of green and thrifty old
| age and is distinguished among Ameri-
| can cities for its cotton. lumber. truck.
| coal. oyster, fish. and peanut trade.
HIST"B INT Rksl.
Norfolk and its vicinity abound In his
torical interest as well as commercial
importance. In 1919 the first cargo OF
Congo slaves was landed BY Dutch
ship at jamestown. Williamsburg. not
many miles away. boasts of the honor of
being the birthplace Of that eloquent re-
volutior airy patriot, Patrick Henry. York.
town, close by. is the spot where the
crushing blow 10 highlands pride was
dealt when Gen. CORVALLIS was forced
to yield his hitherto unconquered sword
to the immortal Washington. In the
waters az the Chesapeake, in lsl4, the
British were again defeated. During the
late war between the States, that fierce
conflict between the Merrimac and the
Monitor took place in Hampton Roads.
In 1852
Norfolk is composed OF four cities. So
cially one, yet politically separate and
distinct. Berkeley. Newport News, and
Portsmouth. but Norfolk proper is the
largest and most important Its mari
time advantages are unsurpassed. and
its commercial facilities are of the first
order.
on the charts of the American coast 10
set down a channel in latitude 81 degrees
north, 2S5 miles southwest from Sandy
Hook, and 100 miles northwest of Halter
as Cape Charles lighthouse and the
Pharos OF Cape Henry mark accurately
10 the navigators Of the world this tidal
crossroads. without bars and rarely
storm-beaten affordilg a pass tge to still
water unobstructed the year round. II
opens direct upon the land-locked basin
of the Chesapeake Bay. The first chart
OF this sheet of water was made by that
bold pioneer navigator. Capt. John Smith,
who named IL the Virginia Sea" Com
modore Maury, the pathfinder OF the
seas, describes 1t as the Kings Chamber
among the worlds greatest harbors.
Baltimore, with half million OF souls.
occupies one of the great ports of this
chamber. an estuary of the Patapsco,
and Norfolk the other. The grand ma
'tural aqueduct and foUntains OF the
James and Elizabeth rivers forms two
other entry ports OF trade to Norfolk.
through which passes vast amount OF
tralfic from the Mississippi and Ohio val
leys and the prairies of the West. from
st. Louis, Cincinnati, Chicago, Louis
Vile and Memphis, toward this bay,
where most of the trunk rail lines from
these points east head for deep-water
outlet.
VETERAN OF WARS.
This wave-washed city of old Virginia
is a veteran of wars. II has been bat
tered by shot and shell. Beseiged in three
wars and captured In two. Relics or
these turbulent times abound here still.
In the ancient Church of ST. Paul there
is round shot snugly imbedded In the
wall. parting souvenir Of some British
man-of-war during the American reyolu-
ton.
important landmarks OF Norfolk Is the
Navy Yard. Admiral Vernon, of colonial
times, was instructed by the British gov
eminent TO select a naval depot on the
Atlantic coast. After examining the
coast from Nova Scotia to FLORIDA, he
sci scted Norfolk as the most advanta-
geous site. Upon his report the English
government located the Navy Yard here.
Af.er the Revolutionary War. when the
Stars and Stripes took its place as tho
ensign Of an independent nation, this
property reverted 10 the Commonwealth
OF Virginia, but afterWard became tht
property OF the United States Decatur
Barron. and some OF the most noted
naval commanders have been assigned
to shore duty here Some OF the most
noted ships of the old Navy ere built
at this yard. The man-of-war Chesapeake
I'm which Lawrence distinguished himself.
was built here; the Delaware. in 1873. and
the John Adams, In 1880; the Yorktown,
I'm 1899: the Lawrence and the Perry. in
isi7; the steam frigate Powhatln. In 1850.
and the Roanoke and Colorado In 1891.
The first ironclad ram ever used in naval
warfare was built here-the Merrimac.
In 1900 Norfolk was the maritime rival
Of New York. IL had entire control OF
the West Indian trade, and her foreign
commerce in lumber and slaves was not
far behind n it's custom business OF to-
day.
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