The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-05-18
BEAUFORT ENTERS A PROTEST.
Mass Meeting Declares Against Re-
mOv-aI of Naval station.

AtNN sti "a oN&ttAohs
Beaufort S, c., May IA general mass
meeting of colored and white citizens IVES
held here yesterday 70 protest against the
| removal Of the Port Royal naval station,
at which speeches were delive ed, and the
/ following resolutions adopted:f
Whereas we have heard through the
newspapers that The Senate Committee On
Naval Affairs has adopted the anne ndmsnt
of Senator B. r. TilIman, changing the
appropriation in the naval appropria ton
bill for the dry dock at Port
Royal. and the same to be expended fer the
erection Of dry dock at or rear Charles
ton. S. c., therefore he il
Resolved, That we, the Ct liens f
Beaufort S. c.. have the honor to call he
attention OF the Congress of the United
States to the efforts now being made by
the Senate Naval Committee 10 abandon
the navy yard now at Port Royal s. c.,
and establish il at Charleston S. c.
"Be it remembered that it was in this
historic harbor that the first naval batt e
of the Civil War was fought with decisive
results. 1t was here that the great battle
ships headed by the Wabash, d awiug
twenty-four feet of water had no difficulty
in sailing into our harbor, which affords
greater depth Of water than can lie fcun1
in any other Southern Port.
quently a board Of distinguished naval Of
ficers composed Of Admiral ravld d. Por-
ter, Vice Admiral S. C. Rowan Rear Ad-
mfraI c. H Davis. Chief Engineer T. w
King and Naval Constructor 7. w. Eas-
ley, having visited and inspected the coast
of South Carolina with a view of recon-
mending the best place for the eStablish-
ment Of a navy yard, decided that 20 {
Royal was the most suitable Preference
TO EX. Doc. No g. ForlyfOurth Congress-
Second Congress-
These distinguished officers reported as
follows: The harbor of Port Royal, s. c.,
and its tributaries present great adVan-
tages and offer the necessary depth Of
water and facilities for entering The port
without risk to vessels of war. Port r. val
bay is a noble sheet of water urdoubted-
ly the finest harbor on our Southern coast
Resolved That there is not pilot or
seafaring man that has ever visited this
port who does not testify to the incompar-
able advantages of the hartor for its
depth of water, breadth Of anchorage ia
cilitie5 beyond any other on the Southern
coast Now that expenditure of money
has been made and the navy yard has
withstood every test, it is proposed 10 re-
move It to Charleston. which cannot afford
the depth of water required.
Resolved That we appeal to the Con-
gress Of the United States to consider well
the proposition of the removal of the naval
station from Port Royal before commit
ting themselves 10 the extravagance of
abandoning a work already established. 1t
is well known that this barber has never
required dredging to accommodate vessels
of tweuty-six feet and over, as shown by
the report of pilots affixed
Resolved, That the Hon. Robert Smalls,
collector of the port of Beaufort. S. c.. be
requested to proceed to Washington, or TO
use whatever influence he may have with
those In authority, In showing up the adj
vantages of Port Poyal bar and harbor
over that of Charleston, in retaining the
naval station at Port Royal.
Resolved That we the citizens of
Beaufort, S. C.. do hereby enter our solmen
protest against any measure looking to
the removal of said navy yard
Beaufort s. c., May IL. 1900.-We, the
undersigned pilots of Port Royal and St.
Helena bar. do hereby testify that we
have handled vessels over Port Royal Dor
of twenty-sx feet draught and over and
have in one instance brought In dere,ict,
the British ship Astoria drawing thirty
feet Of water, and win not hesitate at any
seven feet of water. The said Astoria was
tcwed here from Charleston bar. Ali the
vessels of war that have ever been into
this port have been brought in properly
without the least delay, including the In
diana, Texas, Maine and Philadelphia
tSigned4 .ANilllam H. Won Harten.
John OBrien.
"CrharleS Eferfha,s