The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-02-07

,Oglethorpe's first letter was written on
feD. ~, lfS5. II was addressed to the trus-
tees Ior establishing the colony of Geor-
gia in America, and read thus:
Gentlemen: The Governor and Assem-
ply nave given US all possible Encourage
ment. Our People arrived at Beaufort on
the 10th of January where | lodged them
IN some new Barracks built for the Sol
ulefs, Wnlle L went myself to view the Sa-
vannah Elver fiX,d upon healthy sit
uatlon about ten miles from the sea. The
River mere forms a Half-Moon, along the
South-Side Of which the Banks are about
forty Foot high, and on the Top a Flat
winch they call Bluff. The plain high
nigh Ground extends into the Country five
OF SIX Miles, and along the Riverside
ABOUT Mile. Ships that draw twelve
root Water can ride within ten Yards of
the Bank. Upon the Riverside, in the
Centre of this plain, have laid out the
Town. opposite to it is an Island of very
kept for the Trusteees' Cattle The River
IS pretty wide, the Water fresh and from
the Key of the Town you see its whole
Course to the Sea, with the Island of Ty-
bee, which forms the Mouth of the River
and the other way you see the River for
about six Miles up into the Country. The
Landskip is very agreeable, the Stream
being wide, and border'd with high Woods
on both Sides. The whole People arrived
here on the first of February. At Night
their Tents were got up. TIL the Seventh
we We're taken up in unloading and max
ing a Crane which 1 then could not get
hnish'd, SO took off the Hands, and sent
some 10 the tOrtl0cdtlOn ana began to fell
the woods. / mark'd out the Town and
Common. Half of the former is already
cleared, and the first House was begun
Yesterday in the Afternoon. Not being
able TO get Negroes, l have taken ten of
the Independent Company to work for us
FOR which | make them an allowance
send you copy of the Resolutions of the
Assembly and the Governor and CounciPs
Letter to me. MIR. Whitaker has given us
one hundred Head of Cattle. Col. Bull,
Mr.. Barlow, Mr.. st. Julian, and Mr.
Woodward are TO come up to assist us
with some of their own Servants. | am
so taken UP in looking after a hundred
necessary Things, that | write now short,
but shall give you more particular Ac-
count hereafter. A little Indian Nation,
the only one within fifty Miles, is not only
at Amty, but DESTROYS to be Subjects to
his Majesty King George, to have Lands
given them among us, and to breed their
Children at our Schools. Their Chief, and
his Beloved Man, who is the Second Man
in the Nation, desire to be instructed in
the Christian Religion.
Il am, Gentlemen,
Your Most Obedent, Humble Servant,
James Oglethorpe."
The present duty on broken rice is one
fourth of a cent per pound, and on pad
dy'' three-fourts of a cent. The decline
of the rice industry upon the Atlantic
coast has been coincident with the de-
crease of the tariff and the planters as
sert that unless the duty is increased
there will be a still further decline. There
was no duty on rice up to 1916. Between
1876 and 1857 the duty was 20 per cent. adj
valorem or five-eights of a cent per pound
and between 1857 and 1861 Is per cent adj
Valorem or one-half of a cent per pound.
There was practically no competition with
the foreign rice at that time however,
and consequently no necessity for higher
duty.