The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1897-02-09
Capt. F. ". Abbot, United States er

capt. F. V. Abbot, United States Ell
gineer, in charge OF the Jetty improve
ments, stated to q representative {
The News and Courier that a ship ha
gone out of Charleston harbor recent
ly drawing twenty-five feet four ia
chez. The pilots say that this shi
had plenty of water under her kee
and that 1t was some little time befor
high water.
From the official figures it will b
seen that all but very few OF tn
ships can and will come through tn
Jetty channel into Charlestous fin
harbor.
The splendid battleship Maine draw
but Il feet 8 inches OF water. Th,
cruiser Montgomery draws ii feet
inches, tho cruiser Newark draws |!
feet 8 inches, the cruiser Raleigh
draws Is feet, the Monitor Amphitritt
draws la feet inches, the monitor
Puritan draws Is feet, the monitor
Terror draws IA feet 6 inches, the gun
boats Castine draws IL feet, the dyna
mite cruiser Vcsuvius draws 10 feet
inch, the torpedo boat Ericsson draws
/ 1eet inches, the torpedo boat Cush
Ing draws feet IL inches, the ram
hatahdln draws Ia feet, the dispatch
boat Dolphin draws ii fee inches.
The flag ship New York, the battle
ship Indiana and the cruiser Columbia
Will have to remain outside. The
latest reports show that the Brooklyn,
Texas, Marblehead and Massachusetts
need not be expected to take part in
the evolutions off Charleston, owing to
accidents and unfinished repairs.
The railroads have announced rate
OF one fare for the round trip for the
naval rendezvous. The tickets will be
on sale anon fh,, oh vo ~
charleston, and will have u ten days'
limit.
The Washington Star gives the fol-
lowing information OF tho movement of
the heet and Of the evOlutions Of tho
blockade:
Secretary Herbert has accepted an
invitation from tho Charleston, S. c.,
Chamber of Commerce to visit that
city on the 18th instant, when it is ex-
pectcd that Admiral Bunce will be car
rylng out his plan of instituting a
sham blockade Of the port with all of
the available ships of the North At
lantic squadron. The details of the
Admlral's plans have not been given
out, nor, in fact, are they vet known
at the navy department., out the officers
say, to guard against popular disap-
polntment, that very little Of the sqad-
ron will be seen at Charleston during
the blockade. The ships are generally
of heavy draft, making it hazardous
Tor them to attempt to enter tae har-
Dor, and consequently they will be
obliged to lay we'll off at sea, lying in
wait for the one or two small craft
that will be selected to run The gaunt-
let.
If the blockade is maintained for
any length of time it will probably
cause the fleet to use the Port Royal
naval station as base from which to
draw coal and other supplies and for
q refuge in certain emergencies. These
conditions, the lying we'll out to sea of
the fleet, and the use of another port
than the one blUckadcd, as a base of
supplies, will moro nearly duplicate
the conditions of an actual blockade
than would be the case if the feet
should run into Charleston harbor.
The accident to the Brooklyn is de-
plored by the officers, who are deeply
interested in this sham blockade, for
she would have been a valuable ad.
dition to Admiral Buncc's squadron.
1t is probable that many of the NOR
chant steamers and sailing coasters
running into Charleston will be pressed
into service, all unknowingly, by the
admiral, as representing would-be
blockade runners.