The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-03-29
DIXIE'S DRY DOCK DEFENDED.
THE FEARS OF ITS SUCCESS NOW
CLEARED AWAY.

Commander OF the Indiana An
nOunces That the Bottom of the
Dry Dock Appears 10 he as Firm
Rock.
Augusta. Ga. March 2S.-The Chronicle
tomorrow Will say: We are surprised TO
see that at headquarters in Washington
they are allowing themselves TO be hum
bugged about the situation at Port Royal.
There has never been at any time any such
condition of things as is described in the
following statement sent out from Wash
ington by the press News of the success
ful docking OF the Indiana at Port Royal
to-day was a keen relief to the naval ad-
ministration, which has been so scandal
lied for the past ten days over the specta-
Gle of the finest ship in the navy lying
helplessly at the mouth Of a new dock un-
able to get to sea in an emergency and to
all practical purposes worthless for naval
uses. How serious tho affair really was
has been carefully concealed during the
pendency OF the naval bill in congress,
which makes appropriations for four ad-
dttiOnal vessels Of the battleship type
but now that the danger has been luckily
aVerted. the facts are apt to gradually
come TO the surface
This is rot from start TO finish There
has never been any such condition OF
things as here depicted and the Indiana
has been as available at all times in the
harbOr of Port Royal as she would have
been in any other port. 1t Is astouish-
ing that such stories can be put aiioat
without a particle of ground for them, and
IL is much more astonishing that the naval
department should be humbuRged by such
nonsense when II knows that the dry-dock
was not located at Port Royal until after
the most thorough examination Of the
harbor. The most emphatic and convinc-
ing denial to this story about the Indiana
having shallow water on both sides OF
hor and hofnp hlp IN ~ into the dock
or back out TO sea, was given IN the
Savannah News several days ago by the
pilot who brought the Indiana into port.
The Savannah News published this SHY
story, and in response TO II Pilot Lea
wrote the following card. Editor Morn
ing News: l note in your paper OF March
"a that the Indiana is in a hole In Pont
Royal harbor, with shallow water on both
sides Of her, and that she Will have TO
wait on the wind and tide TO be docked
or taken out to sea. In this connection,
l beg TO state that your informant must
be a party not knowing a great deal OF
the depth Of our harbor or bar. / brought
the Indiana over the bar and the least
water we had was % feet, and that being
two hours before high water. Therefore,
you can readily see that the ship can pro-
ceed to sea at any stage of the tide. as
she is only drawing "A feet. We further
beg TO state for the benefit OF your read
ers that one of our pilots brought the
British ship Astoria up to the Port Royal
dock drawing Y feet of water 1t Is
very common occurrence for a ship draw
ing % or % feet to proceed from Port
Royal dock to sea on the same tide. Hop
ing that my Information will correct all
erroneous reports regarding this harbor
in the future, / beg to remain. Yours
very respectfully, =. i. Lea, pilot battle
ship Indiana
Capt Evans Of the Indiana, Civil Engi-
neer George Mackay who built the dock,
Capt. Rockwell of the naval station and
Pilot Lea all declare that the docking
was perfect, and that the dock met every
requirement, and there was not the slight
est settling when the weight of the great
battleship was put upon II. The state
ment by the press that not until the
new dock at Brooklyn is completed will
II be possible to repair and care for the
big batteshps on the eastern station
is proven false by the docking of the
Indiana and the statement by Capt. Evans
that the New York, Massachusetts or
Texas can be much more easily docked
than the Indiana, as they are lighter in
secretary Herbert should not allow
such rot to go out from Washington as
the expression Of the naval administra-
tion.'
Charleston, S. c., March pa reporter
Of the Southern Associated Press to-day
had an interview with Capt. NJ. r. s. Nc
Kenzie, United States navy, commanding
in this light house district regarding a dis
patch sent out from Washington last night
in which reflections were cast on the avail
ability of the Port Royal dry dock. Capt.
Mckenzie said that the delay in docking
the vessel had been Occasioned by the un-
usual low tides which have been prevail
ing in this light house district Of late.
From the Cape Fear river south as far as
Port Royal, he said, there had been un-
commonly low tides. The buoy tender OF
this port lay ashore off Cape Romaine on
her last trip for ten days in position
where she should have had plenty of
water. The best answer to the article re-
ferred to, was the fact that the docking
had taken place in spite of all this
As for the assertion that the cost of
docking the vessel would reach 10000
that was simply absurd. AS far as the
lack of shops and skilled workmen were
concerned, Capt. Mckenzie said that Port
Royal could scarcely be blamed for the
government had never put up any shops
there in which skilled workmen might be
would, he said, have been as great at
Norfolk or Brooklyn, because 1t would
have taken a month to cut the gates Of
the docks at those places wider.
Columbia, S. c., March 28-The follow
ing are extracts of interviews had by
the States correspondent at Port Royal,
with Capt. Evans and others on the
docking Of the Indiana:
Capt. Evans of the Indiana-The dock
ing has been complete success as you
can see. 1t does not require an expert or
naval officer to perceive that fact. The
bottom Of the dock has not settled, or
If at ALL only the fractional part of an
inch. This is a most unusual thing when
docks are tested fully for the first time.
The New York, Massachusetts,, or Texas
can be much more easily docked than the
Indiana, as they are much lighter in
draught.
Civil Engineer George Mackay, who has
had charge of the construction of the
dock from the day the first pile was
driven, said: "Of course, the dock is a
success. / have never for a moment doubt
ed that, but my only fear was of some ac-
cident that might cause prejudice against
the work, but everything has turned out
as satisfactory as possible. The actual
work OF the docking was the most per-
feet / have ever seen. Not a hitch nor a
moments delay We are, indeed pleased
for on this dock more depends than Is
commonly realized"
Capt. G. H. Rockwell, the commandant
Of the naval station said: From great
anxiety we have turned 70 the highest
satisfaction. The Indiana went into the
dock without touching any part of the
dock. She has been most sIxillfully man
aged and the soundness of the dock is as
sured.'
ePter Lea, the pilot who has been in
charge of the Indiana since she has been
IN port, says that the least sounding
taken on the way to the dock was
fathoms, and the water all the way up
was much deeper than that.