The Savannah morning news., 1900-08-01
REMOVAL OF NAVAL STATION.
,-v DEPARTMENT SEEMS ANXIOUS
TO EXPEDITE 1T.

.,.or smythe of Charleston and the
committee From That City Before
+be board which Has the Matter
In Chnrge-They Presented Plans
and suggested sites-It Is Believed
no station Will BE Moved to
charleston.
washington, July 31.-There is a dispo-
titan on the part OF the naval department
of7cials to expedite the proposed transfer
NJ the naval station from Port Royal, S.
c. to Charleston.
With that object in view, a special
meeting of the naval board. de allied to
advise the Secretary of the Navy as to
The advisability of the proposed transfer,
vas h Id at the navy department to-day
for the purpose of granting a special
hearing to Mayor j. Adger Smythe on
The subject of the various sites for the
new STATEN at Charleston. Only four of
the seven membe OF the board were
present, Rear Admiral Rodgers, chairman;
Comma DIR Lutte, Lieutenant Command
ed stanton, and Capt. Converse. Rear
Admiral Sumner, Civil Engineer Ander-
son and Naval Constructor Linnard are
away on leave of absence.
Mayor Smythe presented to the board
maps and special surveys of six desira BILE
sites located on the Cooper river, in
Charleston harbor. He explained the facil-
tiles offered by the various sites for the
establishment of a first-class naval sta
ton capable of meeting al the require
ments of the government. He also sub
mitted options on the various sites all be-
low the figure stipulated by Congress for
the expenditure for a site
Mayor Smythe also submitted estimates
for what is known as the Drum Island
property, also located on the Cooper riv-
er. which attracted the attention of the
board and seemed to create a very favor
able impression on the members of the
board.
At the same time Mayor Smythe present.
ed Postmaster George l. Gunningham's
plan for furnishing the proposed naval
station with an abundant supply of fresh
water from Ten-Mile HILL
Questioned Him Closely.
The members of the board questioned
Mayor Smythe closely concerning the OBJ
jections raised by the citizens of Port
Royal, against the removal of the pres
ent station from that place. Mayor
Smythe submitted a carefully prepared
reply, which purported to meet fully the
objections raised by the Port Royal peo-
pie. The reply, which was prepared by
Col. ]. H. Averill, was submitted in the
names of business men of Charleston
charged with the matter of the dry dock
and naval station, composed of William
H. WEIGH, chairman, ]. Adger Smythe,
A. j. C. Hemphill Samuel Lapham, J.
NJ. Seignious and W. B. Wilson.
The members of the board appeared
TO be very favorably impressed with the
comprehensive and frank statements of
Mayor Smythe, although they failed TO
indicate what their final decision may be
Mayor Smythe says he was highly pleased
by the manner in which his statements
were received. and he is quite confident
of favorable report in behalf of the
transfer to Charleston He says he ls
quite confident that the site selected will
probably be one of those located on the
Cooper river, because of the deep water
facilities offered.
Smythc Greatly ENCOURAGED.
Upon the adjournment of the board,
Mayor Smythe called upon Secretary
Long, Secretary Root, Rear Admiral En-
dicott, chief of the Bureau of Yards and
Docks, and General Wilson, chief of en-
gineers of the army.
Mayor Smythe is greatly encouraged by
the progress already made by those who
are interested in Charleston, and he says
the most gratifying indication is that all
of the public-sprited citizens of that city
are working tremendously together for
the common benefit of Charleston.
Mayor Smythe goes to New York on a
brief business visit and will shortly re-
turn home. In the meantime the board
is expected to submit its final conclusions
at an early day, as it now has before ii
all the information it desires on the sub
ject.