Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-10-29
THE ORDER T0STAND.
SECOND VIRGINIA REGIMENT WILL.
BE MUSTERED OUT.
NORFOLK HARBOR IMPROVEMENT.
Recommendations With Respect 20
Ii by General Wilson-Is There to
BE an Army Hospital at Natural
Bridge.


Especial. lis there any change in the
Regiment, or is there likely to be-" an
Official in the War Department was ask
ed
mo, sir; there won't be. They moved
Heaven and earth, and have failed" was
the prompt and curt reply.
An official of the Medical Department
has been sent to the Natural Bridge to
inspect a piece of property" but with
what object the authorities were not pre-
pared to state at present 1t may be that
IL is designed to establish hospital there,
| and as the Bridge Is not far from a
railroad, il might be found available for
| that purpose.
With reference to the improvements in
Norfolk harbor, Chief-Engineer Wilson
| forthc oming report will say, among other
things:
NORFOLK HARBOR WORK.
"The amount expended on this improve
ment 20 June go 1897, was s916,S6.16. At
| that date a channel with a depth OF .
feet at mean low water existed from
| Hampton Roads TO the United States
navy-yard, on the southern branch, except
| between Fort Norfolk and Lambert Point,
where the 25-foot channel has contracted
somewhat. Nowhere is this channel less
| than 800 feet in width. In the eastern
branch 70 the Norfolk and Western rail-
road bridge the channel is from 500 TO
1850 feet wide and its depth 22 feet at
mean low water. An anchorage has been
provided of about 1914 acres. $50 of which
II was necessary to dredge to % feet at
mean low water the other II acres being
made available by the dredging
These channels are not sufficient to ac-
commodate the commerce Of the harbor,
and q channel 300 feet wide, 30 feet deep.
at mean low water. is urgently needed.
With the present channel the larger ves-
sells of the United States navy are unable,
at low tide, 10 reach the navy-yard. on
the southern branch Merchant vessels,
drawing from 6 to q feet OF water fire.
ouently sail from the harbOr loaded for
foreign ports, leaving on high water. An
other improvement Of the harbor, which
is desirable and necessary for widening
the channel at about the narrowest and
busiest part of the hGrbor, is the cutting
off of 100 feet of Hospital Point.
"Shoaling has been observed in only
two instances, in the mouth Of the East
ern Branch, due, no DOUBT, 10 sewage
discharged at that point from the main
pipe OF the Norfolk sewerage system, and
on the eastern side OF the channel be-
tween Fort Norfolk and Lambert foint,
which has probably been caused by the
settlement of the material stirred up by
a suction dredge employed in dredging
slips at Primer Point. The channel in the
mouth of the Eastern Branch was re-
| dredged under the last appropriation, but
nothing has been done as yet toward re-
moving the latter shoaling, as it does
not interfere seriously with navigation.
EXPENDITURES DURING 1898.
During the fiscal year ending June 80
1898. the expenditures amounted TO
| 44l4O2 which includes expenses Of run
ming and maintaining the steamer Lu-
cerne. which It was necessary to keep in
commission to look after the interests Of
the harbor, for use I'm locating new piers
investigating complaints, keeping up per-
manent bench marks and transit sta
lions. and in making necessary oXamina-
tons 10 keep the maps OF the improve
ment up to date.
THE abutment Of the old toll bridge in
the Eastern Branch, for the removal OF
which bids were asked by public notice
dated June %, 1897. still remains. as the
limited amount OF funds available for the
work was exceeded by all bids received
| July 9, 1898, the lowest Of which was
S6.0l5
"On June 80, 1898, a vessel drawing %
| feet could at mean low water reach the
| United States maynard on the Southern
Branch. which is the farthest point from
| Hampton Roads within the limits Of the
project. The average tide Is about 2.7 feet,
which would allow of 277 feet navigation
at that stage.
1.-THE deficiency act, approved July T.,
| 1893, appropriates $4,000 for securing a
channel not less than $50 feet wide and %
feet deep from Hampton Roads TO the
United States navy-yard at Portsmouth,
and it is proposed to do the required
dredging by contract.
STATEMENT.
July !. 1897. balance unexpended..s S,l63 "a
| June 30, 1898, amount expended
during fiscal year ....... ....... 4.Ai o.
July 1, 1888, balance unexpended..S 3,7l9 p
Amount appropriated by def.
cheney act Of July 7, 1o9S......... 10000 90
July 7, 1895. balance available e.. 1858. 7l9 %
Amount (estimated) required for
completion Of existing projects 56,774 56
Amount that can be prohtably
expended in fiscal year ending
June 80, l9Do...... ........ ........ 5000 %
SIGNAL CHANGES.
The Lighthouse Board has issued the
following bulletins:
Hampton Roads-On the 5th Of Sep
TENDER the gas guoy, painted black ana
showing a fixed white light, established
to mark the lower mines in Hampton
Roads, was discontinued.
"Mine-feld bell-buoy, red, and mine
field buoy, a black second-class nun,
marking the mine-tields in the Roads,
| were discontinued September 5tn, the
mines having been removed.
"Winoughby safe-channel puoys, one
| black and three red spars, marking the
safe channel through the mine-felds, have
been discontinued, the mines having been
removed"
TOBACCO IN CHINA.
Consul-General Goodnow writes from
Shanghai. under date Of August 81, 1898,
in answer TO Virginia correspondents TO
whom the original letters have been for
warded), substantially as follows:
Very little leaf tobacco is imported
into China. In 1897. Canton imported 3d.
1873 pounds, valued at s169l2 Omitted States
gold; Shanghai imported lS96OO pounds,
valued at SlS,9i3 gold. The only firm /
know NJ here that buys leaf tobacco is