The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-08-25
PORT ROYAL STATION,
what MIR. Avcrill Said in 1898 and
What He Saws Now


Beaufort, S. c., Aug. BE- 1sOO.-Editor
Savannah Morning News: When the Port
Royal-Charleston Naval Board reached
the former place on its tour of inspection.
it gave a hearing to a committee of citi-
zens who had carefully prepared a state
ment of facts relating to the Port Royal
Naval Station
This statement was issued as an illus
trated pamphlet and widely distributed.
The siXty-five pages of subject matter was
divided up into an introduction which
gives sketch of the present movement
for a removal; and argument which points
out the fallacies in the position taken by
the would-be removers; and lastly the
transcripts from official reports of naval
officers, naval boards. and congressional
committees upon which the argument is
based and TO which it invariably refers
The sixteen illustrations show wildly, as
only the camera can. the extent of this
valuable plant.
Charleston, aroused by the force of this
pamphlet, proceeded 10 get one out her
self In rebuttal which she placed in the
hands of Mayor Smythe 10 present in per-
son to the board at Washington. This
ten-page statement consists of an open
letter addressed TO Charleston's Commit
tee on Naval Station by one ]. II. Averill,
now director of the Charleston Exposition.
some time receiver of the Port Royal Rail-
road. This is the only evidence Charles
ton presents In rebuttal of Port Royals
argument as Mr.. Averin does not see Mt
to quote authorities. He Is an authority,
IL seems-Charleston'S trump card
Port Royal presented to the Rodger's
Board carefully codihed transcripts from
sworn statements of naval constructors
reports of heads of bureaus. and a deiber-
ate statement by the Admiral now in
command as to the value of the dry dock
Charleston trumphantly produces Mr..
Averill's views and sends her Mayor as
special messenger to convey them to
Washington.
Two boards composed of expert naval
officers chosen to carefully examine Port
Royals availability as a naval base, are
quoted in the Port Royal pamphlet as am
ply corroborating Admiral Porter's state
ment that 1.-THE place is perfectly defensi-
BILE against an enemy" Over against these
authorities. Charleston blandly presents
Mr. j. H. Averill's IDEAS on the subject.
Port Royal quotes Admiras Porter.
Jouett. Sumner and the surgeon general of
the navy to establish the healthfulness of
this station. Beside their intimate, care
fully-stated knowledge of the facts.
Charleston confidently lays Mr. Averilrs
opinion. which happens 10 differ.
Absurd as il is to quote this Mr.. Averill,
who cannot lay claim to anything more
| than cursory knowledge of naval mat
tiers, as an authority upon the value of
| the dry dock. or as 10 the strategic advan-
tages Of the site of Port Royals Station.
! yet IL might be supposed that as Re
! ceiver and manager of the Port Royal
! Railroad with office and head
| quarters at Port Royal and
! with frequent occasion 10 visit
| the naval station" he might be
considered an authority on the situation
al Port Royal as TO its health and the
| character of its harbor. But to be reia-
BILE he must be consistent. and II II is
| shown that as boomer of Charleston he
fatty contradicts what he asserted while
booming Port Royal, then he is simply a
| promoter.
| In 1885 as receiver of the Port Royal
| and Augusta Railroad. Mr.. Averill issued
a pamphlet 10 which his name is attach.
| ed-and hie onlyyas authority for pros
peotus OF Port Royal and vicinity which a
| he expressed II, aims TO be "a plain and