The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-08-29
IMPORTANT SHOALS

Discovered by the Coast Survey Be-
 tween Block Island and Montauk
 Point.
 Very few of our citizens are aware of the valuable services rendered ma rines by the United States coast sur vey now under the superintendency of General Whippers and his very able hydrographer, Captain Colby of the United States navy, an officer of dis tinguished ability and high scientific attainments.
 Early in the spring Captain Colby dispatched the coast survey steamer .'Endeavor," Lieut.. Benson. U. s. navy, commander, to survey Block Island sound and the "offing' seaward from Montauk Point, as dangerous shoals had been reported whereabouts, and also near the reef of rock on which the Great Eastern ran while passing into Long Island sound en route to New York, where she afterwards loaded her cargo near Port Norris.
 This survey has been very timely as Captain Benson has found and loca ted many shoal spots which were Tot Known before. Captain Benson having been detached from the "Elndeavor" and ordered to Annapolis, Md, to the naval college, where he is now rrofes- sor of naval architecture, the work of survey has been continued by Lieut.. J. J. Blendin, U. S. navy, assistant U. s. coast survey, who succeeded to the command of the "Endeavor," and who has also discovered shoals and rocky ledges right in the "fairway" of deep draft ships, bound into Long Island sound, some of which carry over them as little as four fathoms of water CA feet), and as the north Atlantic feet under the command of Admiral Bunce will soon visit these waters en route to Port Arthur at the eastern entrance of the sound (some of the battleships drawing over thirty feet we are in- formed), every effort should be made by the government to buoy up this ap- proach which is one of the most inn portant on account of it's strategical position on the United States coast
 One of the most dangerous spots discovered and located by Captain Blandin, August "A, 1896, while the writer was an eye witness, is about three and one half miles east by north of Montauk Point It is a sand ridge and seems to have made off shore since the last survey made several years ago. Captain Blendin has also found a gully between Block Island and Montauk with thirty fathoms, which probably extends southward into Block Island channel Another danger that has not been properly charted is Valiant rock in the race which shows on the chart about twenty feet, but we are told by men employed in the life saving ser vice. who have fished on this reef that at low water spring tides as little as fifteen feet had been sounded out. This is one of the locations for steel plated turret, and is part of the system of the defence to the east gateway to the port of New York This entrance is one of the greatest importance and work onits proposed fertilization should be at once commenced. We trust that Representative Sperry's efforts last winter in congress to commence this long needed want will be repaid by an early start or some kind of com mencement.
 The New York Herald has timely said that an enemy's fleet would avoid the Notifications and bar at Sandy Hook and attack New York city via Long Island sound when not even Winchester rifle is now in readiness to contest an entrance C. H. T.