The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-06-08
FIGHT FOR DRY DOCKS.
Many Natural Advantages of Whining
t~on-Southport Harbor Made Promi-
nent by Recent Fight for Port Royal
Dry Dock.

The vigorous efforts which were
made by Hon. John d. Bellamy to Sc
cure for Wilmington N southport
the dry docks which II
was proposed by congress TO move
from Port Royal TO some more suit
able seaport has developed some very
interesting data which makes quite a
creditabIe showing for Wilmington.
At one time during the time tina the
bill was pending in congress 1t looked
as though the chances OF m
and Southport were especially good, 1t
having beer understood that the house
committee would not agree TO change
unless il was left optional with the de-
partment to move IL to the most avail
able site. However, finally il was
agreed TO leave it optional to the gov
ernmen to move the docks from Port
ROYAL to Charleston. The Messenger is
advised, however, by high authority,
that the result OF this will be n a the
docks Will be retained at Port Royal.
One thing is certain, that the v1gor-
Gus fight which Mr.. Bellamy a for
this. port before congress has brought
prominently before the house the fact
that Wilmington and Southport are
the best southern harbors south or
Hatteras. In fact. that IL Is one or the
safest and most advantageously land
locked harbors anywhere on the At
lantic coast.
Brigadier General JOB NJ. Wilson,
thief of engineers, addressed a letter
to Hon. John D. Bellamy, giving The
comparative depth Of Charleston, Sa-
vannah, Port Royal and Wilmington
harbors. 1t is as follows:
Hon. John D. Bellamy, L. S. House
of Representatives
Sir: / beg to acknowledge the re-
ceipt of your request of the 18th in
slant and in reply to furnish the in
formation desired, as follows:
PORT ROYAL, S. C.
Depth of entrance channel at NEAR
low water, about 10 feet
Depth of entrance channel at mean
high water, about 25.3 feet
From. the entrance to the docks al
Port Royal the least channel depth is
about n feet at mean low water and
about % feet at mean high water.
CHARLESTON, S. c.
Depth of entrance channel at NEAR
low water, 1913 feet.
Depth of entrance channel at near
high water, 24.3 feet.
After passing within the entrance
there is a comparatively narrow chan
mel for about 2h miles, with a leas'
depth of q feet at mean low waite
and 20 feet at mean high water; thence
to the city docks, on the eastern Watel
front of Charleston, the channel deptf
at mean low water is at least 30 fee
and at mean high water 80 feet.
Congress has entered upon a fur
Their project for securing a depth Of 2
feet at low water from the ocean t.
deep water inside Charleston harbor.
WILMINGTON, N. c.
From the ocean to good anchorag
at Southport, "a miles below Whining
ton, least low water depth is 2O2 fee
and the least high water depth is 2
feet. Between Southport and Whining
ton the least low water depth is l
feet and the least high water depth
20h feet. The least depth Of Is feet ex
lists on two hoals only, and it is ex
pected that the channel through thes
hoa Will be deepened to 20 feet be
fore the end of the present fiscal year
The least low water depth will the
be 90 feet n the least high waite
depth 221a feet.
SAVANNAH, GA.
THE latest information availabl
shows a least depth of 17k feet a
mean low water from Tybee a to tn
wharfs at the city of Savannah; meal
tide at wharfs of 615 feet.
Very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
JOHN NJ. WILSON,
"Brigadier General Chief of Engineers
U. s. Army
Regarding the figures concerning tn
least high water depth on the bar be
yond Southport, given in the lette
quoted above, it is but fair to not
that the least high water depth nov
is 2615 feet, instead of %, as given b,
Mr.. Wilson. The eason for this dis
crepancy is, doubtless, that the dat;
in the letter is gathered from a repor
on the progress of harbor Improve
ment here, which was made out befor
the 26k-foot depth was obtained.
Whether we get the government DIR
docks or not, certain it is that yer
great development is in store for on
port within the nea future as tn
commercial world is being more an
more impressed with the great advant
ages we have rs a seaport.