The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-06-13
THE PORT ROYAL
NAVAL STATION
The Beaufort and Port ROYAL
People Will Fight to Re.
tain It.

Editor the Daily Item.
AS matter which involves the
national defense and q waste of the
nations funds. we commend the fol.
lowing to the attention of your read.
ers
The paragraph in the naval appro.
priation bill. as it now refers to the
Port Royal Is. G } naval station. pro.
vides that $SO0.OO0 shall be spent
tor the improvement of that plant
unless the secretary, after a report
by q competent board of naval off.
GERS, shall decide that the interests
OF the government would be better
served at Charleston In which case.
the station will be transferred to the
latter place.
This last proviso is the result of
strenuous efforts by certain Charles.
ton interests, and has been cunningly
conceived, based on false claims, and
fostered in secret.
We would sey to the country that
this fight is but begun, and if fought
fair in the light we have no doubt as
to the issue
Several naval boards composed of
eminent naval authorities have exam.
ined Port Royal harbor at different
times with view to determining it's
availability for various naval Dur.
poses They have always enthusiss.
tically endorsed the place, and we
are confident of favorable report in
this instance, if an unbiased board
be appointed
Those who are behind this meas.
ure are noisily announcing that the
secretary approves of the proposed
removal and the station is already
Charleston's We have q high opin-
ion of Secretary Long aud do not
believe him capable of such action
OF prejudging case without an iu.
vestigstion. It may be. however, the
oar of those in power hss been secured
by the men interested in this waste
of the public funds Therefore the
matter is laid before the country that
it may see it is proposed that the
national interests shsli be sacrificed
for the benefit of certain locality ;
for publicity will insure q decision
based on tho public welfare--the ma.
tionai defense
we hereby announce to the secre.
tary of the navy and to the country
that we propose to prove, before the
board appointed. the following facts
based on official documents and other
reliable sources
That the present site was carefully
chosen for its purpose by a board of
eminent naval authorities.
That the barbor and bar OF Port
Royal are the best 90 the South Allan
tlo coast. and will permit the uavy Of
the nation to enter 10 double column to
maneuvre and to 6nd ample and pro.
tected auchorages The entrance
through the bar is broad. deep and
uatural the barbor anchorage unap.
preached 90 the Southern coast for its
magnitude and sbel,eriog headlands.
No rivers eternally empty here their
sediment. aud 20 daily shifting quick.
sand cbokes this hsrbor's en.raoce.
Nature. with lavish hsod. moulded q
great basin out of the rock aud the
channels. sounded and recorded by
Meoeodez. 300 years ago. prove to the
deepest draft ships of our day their
unchaogiug propor'ions-as they were
then so are they now
That the governmsnt's experience at
Port Royal has justified the wisdom Of
its choice and any difficulties which
have arisen we're foreseen and provided
for.
That the dry dock there situated ia
the best timber dock the government
owns. and osu today receive auy ship
in the oavy It cost less to build than
any other government dock has cost
less to wsiotain. aud is today absolute.
Iy firm 10 its foundations
That the machine shops. built Of
brick sod steel. equipped With modern
msohinery. are capable of making ell
ordinary repairs on neo of var, and
are so complete as to bs capable of
building . small vesse! entire
That the health of the immediate
site. aud Of the whole section surround
log the harbor. is excellent
That Charleston offers DO superior
advantages. aud none coumeosurable
With some Of those above described
That the proposed abandonment of
this property would be crimiua! act.
If this splendid navy yard is sacri.
dced. it will be through the pettiuess of