The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-10-17
PORT ROYALS DEFENsrnrLITV.
what Eminent Engineers Have said
Upon the Matter.

- 80
News: The correspondent Of the Charles
ton News and Courier in dispatch from
Washington last week relative 20 the sug-
gestcd removal OF tho Port Royal Naval
Station. was guilty % a gross miss'atc-
mcnt OF facts which wc ask that yol all
low us space TO correct
This dispatch iutimotc1 that Admiral
Endicoti and some OF the naval onirers'
were authority for the assertion chat
Port Royal is indeCcnsible Goa time of war
and was 30 proven during the War q the
Rebellion" and % is further asserted that
Gen. Beaureeori. who was probably tire
best engineer 300 fhe Southern army was
OF the SANE opinion" The q neral
judgment as Go this point is very plainly
sci forth in a letter which is In part -
follows
Charleston. s g. MAY rs 1861 "His
Exceliency. Governor Francis ". Pickens
Sir an ~ the opinion that lhe
entrance 90 the magnificent and important
harbor OF Pom Royal can h. enc tually
protected by two strong works on Bay
Point and Hilton Head on each side %
the entrance and thc stegl-clad foaring
battery moorei halfway between thc TWO
all armed with the heaviest rined gun
that can boz made. hut. the coustructioI s
not being practicable at present, have re-
sorted 10 local works Euirdiug the priUci
pal lines OF communication with tho n
terror of the state Very re-
spectfuily. your oh'dcut servant.
fsiguedJ GO r. Beauregard.
Brigadier General Commaniln g.
SO much for tine misrepresentation as
81 touches the dead General As 20 the
records OF the Two harhors during the
War OF the Rebellion % does not prove
that Port Royal was indefensible. bu,
practically unattended as the follows g
report shows.
Confederate States Of America, War
Department. Richmond. Va. Dec. OfD.
1861
THE President: Sir. This
series OF triumphant engagements has
been somewhat checkered by the results
OF the recent bomhnriment OF Port Royal
OF which also no official report has been
received 10 BE-. however. known chat
some carthworks. unproyided with case
ments or shelter 81 any kind. proved IN
adequate 40 defend the entrance ~ the
harbor against an attacking feet. formid-
ably armed with more than tenfold the
number 81 heavy guns thas were mount.
cd in the batteries on shore. d
Your ohediont servant. (sg1
- = Benjamin. Secretary Of War"
II O. well known that Charlesion's de-
Tense had been long and admirably pre-
pared. as the result graphically portrayed
IN the following letter shows
"Headquartcrs Department. OF the South
United states Transport Ben DE Ford
April s is63
Admiral DUPONT. Steamship New Iron
sides. on Fort Sumter.
Admiral. mere
spectator. could do nothing but pray
FOR YOU. which believe me-. 7 dld most
heartily. for you and Tor all the gallant
men under your command who sailed sd
calmly and fetrlcssly into and under and
through conceutric fire, which has never
heretofore had parallel On the history Of
warfare. 'Every your true friena
aud servant. CsrD
ID Hunter. Major General"
All Of which eoos 60 show THAI por
ROYAL fcil quickly because IL was poorl1
defended and gaat Charleston resistance
was bong because she was well defended
nos that Port Royal was indcfensinlc
Admiral Porter considered a defon@ihl'
and army engineers are just completing
modern fortincations which have cost neal
a million.
The experience % these two ports n
conflicts fought under obsolete condition.
may have little bearing on the condition.
OF To-Day NNk IT ~ iNNNaA W Atif N"tiAA AAia
Admiral Endicott. Charleston chief par
tisau. allows his name To be continually
used In connection with such fabrication
as the one under consideration.
This dispatch says further. Some o
the naval officers who have investigated
the subject say they canno. understand
why Port Royal was originally selecte'
as side for "A naval station" A. mi
statement comedies with other 81 Admi
raj Endicott de,iverances. Il f. proba bl
that Il IS he whose opinion Is given an'
credited 10 some 81 the naval Off cers
on che one side there IS this opinion. o
the other the sworn testimony Of az leas
three boards Of naval officers vino hav
inquired into Port Royals availability a
a hRrbor OF refuge. naval rendezvous,
coaling station, "a navy yard and uoin
OF the nrst strategic Importance. We re
fer 10 the DUPONT board Of 1851. the Por
ser board OF 1876 and the Mccain boar
OF 1889. on the Judgment OF these me-
has Port Royal been utilized by IN
United States navy. and finally. afte
careful. personal investigation. select,
a. a site for "a naval station"
Their selection was approved hy Score
tary % the Navy Herbert by Preslden
Harrison. and by Congress before whom
many rivals presented claims. Their se
lection has been commended by each O
the commandants OF the Port Roya
station.
The Rodgers Board now invcsuEatin
the rival merits OF Port Royal an
Charleston. will not make its report 90
the last OF November. 10 o. said But thi
same dispatch makes this astounding au
n0uncement. u is practically determined
as has been previously stated go thes
dispatches that a majority of the boar
favor the transfer OF the station iron
Port Royal to Charleston. a most ca
traordinary breach of etiquette, Who la
spired these dispatches?
Fortunately the settlement OF this i'm
portant question IS IN able and discrcs
hands. namely "A specially appointed boar
OF naval officers OF high rank, and "
may rest assured that no one viii know q
the result tili the report has been laid d
the hands Of the Secretary. These sur
prising interviews and dispatches ar
very evidently a part Of the game. an
Intended 70 create the impression that
resnoval 20 Charleston Is looked for /
naval circles. and will be popular
Beaufort Naval Station Committee.
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