The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-01-25


ing done toward making the sur
vey OF Savannah harbor2 As stated
in our local columns yesterday,
more than seven months ago an
appropriation was made for the sur
vey. The impression at that time was
that the survey would be begun at once.
and a new chart made, so that shipping
interests in all parts Of the world would
be informed OF the increased depth OF
water in the harbor. There are no signs
that the survey is to be made soon. and
the chances are it will not be made for A
good while 10 come unless the Washing
ton authorities are importuned until they
consent to order the work done.
Is 1t not humiliating to have the captain
Of an American yacht that draws only
nineteen feet Of water to take his YES
sci TO Port Royal because he did not
know that vessels having a draught OF
nineteen feet could come up to Savau-
nah's wharves? The engineer in charge
Of the harbOr improvements says there
are twenty-six feet of water in the har-
Dor channel at mean high tide
from our wharves to the sea,
and we know that vessels go to
sea drawing twenty-three and one-halr
to twenty-four feet II the captain of an
American yacht doesn't know that our
harbor has been greatly deepened we can
not reasonably expect foreign ship own.
ers to know it,
1t seems TO US that the Washington au-
thOrities are liable to censure for their
neglect in this matter. and our business
men also may be to blame for neglectins
to urge the government from time to time
to have the survey made. The govern
ment has spent millions of dollars in i'm
proving the harbor and now neglects to
have a chart made showing the improve.
ment. although the money for that pur-
pose has been appropriated Would II
not be- advisable for the presidents of the
board of trade and the cotton exchange
to address a communication to the Sec
rotary OF the Treasury about the matter?
''The Defense of the saIvnnners."
II Sir Henry Irving had not said that he
judged by their appearance" that our peo-
pie were a mixed race with Spanish pre-
dominating. it might be thought that he
was mixed in his geography and confound-
ed Savannah with Havana, or was led as
tray by the signers of the petition that
prevented the people of this town from
witnessing the performance of the "Aier-
chant of Venice" Georgia was per Sc an
English colony, and its people were the
first, If not the only. Englishmen on this
part of the North American continent.
who gave battle to marauding Spaniards.
vide, the battle on St. Simons Island, July.
1742 and followed them to their Florida
stronghold and besieged st. Augustine.
One of the sturdiest defenses made by
the British in the American revolution
was that OF Savannah in 1779, where a
small British garrison successfully de-
Tended the town against the combined
French and American forces. The great
Dickens, by brief mention, as it were, in
"Barnaby Rudge." even honored Savan-
nah. and makes Joe Willett, manned SOL
der. tell his father where he lost his arm.
''At the defense of Savannah, father"
AT the defense of the Salwanners, re-
peated Mr.. Wilett softly, again looking
around the table.
In America. where the war is?" said
Joe.
I'm America, where the war is" repeat
ed Mr.. Willett. 1T was took off in de-
tense of the Salwanners in America where
the war is q
And the old man kept repeating in a fall
tering voice. "My sons arm was took off
at the defense of the SaIwanners. where
the war is"
Mr.. Irving as a representative English
man, doubtless knows something more
about Savannah's history than would APP
pear by his remarks, but the situation in
this city was confounding. He apparently
could not understand why people should
object to his playing 1.-The Merchant of
Venice" except on the hypothesis that we
were Spaniards or some other kind of peo-
pie, not quite familiar with Shakespeare,
or so tolerant in public matters as Eng
fish speaking people are expected to be.