The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1913-08-20
BOARD OF ARMY ENGINEERS TO
CONSIDER IMPROVEMENT
ECOMMENDED.
COL. KINGMAN FAVORS WORK
A Recommendation Covering Exten.
siVe improvements in Brunswick's
Harbor is Now Before the Board of
U. S. Army Engineers.

The extensive improvements and
additional facilities for handling car
go, at both the Southern and A. B.
d A. terminals, completed during the
past few months undoubtedly means
material increase in the export bus
mess through the port of Brunswick.
Col Dan c. kingman, u. S. army
engineer in charge of this district,
has recommended extensive improve
ments in Brunswick harbor as we'll
as deepening of the channel. and
the Board of trade, through Secre-
tary j. G. Weatherly, has advanced,
among others, the following reasons
why the work should be allowed:
l. 1t would appear that commerce
now actually handled via Brunswick
Is not hampered by difficulties en-
countered," The reason being that
steamship lines operating from Bruins
wick and using the port of Bruins
wick are thoroughly familiar with the
depth of channel and therefore never
send into Brunswick ships that might
ind difficulty in using the present
depth of channel, % feet at mean low
tide.
z No port on the South Atlantic
coast has sufficient depth of channel
to permit competition with New Or
leans. That port having sufficient
depth to accommodate vessels draw
ing 80 feet of water and more. Such
vessels when offered for charter at
Brunswick must be declined. New
orleans Deing able to accommodate
them gets the benefit of the great
ocean freight rates.
3 Forwarding agents at Bruns-
wick have at different times declined
to charter vessels offered because the
channel depth, % feet at mean low
tide, was not sufficient for the safe
entry and departure of such ships.
| 4. The offer of such deep draft
bo<ts is not, however, a very fire.
quent occurrence. Shipping interests
of the world and forwarding agents
|
informed regarding the port facilities
OF brunswick, therefore they do not
o1fer for charter to Brunswick ex-
port and forwarding agents ships that
are of too great draft for the har-
Dor.
D. Ships drawing from 28 to 30
feet of water frequently come tC
Brunswick harbor to take on a part
OF their cargo which is limited by
the available draft of the harbor
channel, % feet at mean low tide.
u. In such cases export and for
Warding agents limit their bookings
to that portion of the capacity of the
ship which is available at Brunswick
harbor, the limit being set by the
present available depth of 23 feet
at mean low tide. Expense occasion
ed by having to visit two or more
ports for completed cargo OF such
great draft ships necessitates high
er ocean freight charge.
Z. The tendency of the ship build.
ers of the world is to increase the
draft of vessel If the port of Bduns-
wick afforded safe passage today for
vessels drawing from 78 to 80 feet
of water the export and forwarding
agents Of Brunswick are agreed tha:
they could obtain their complete car
go at this port or load light at the
ports of Savannah, Jacksonville and
Fernandina calling at Brunswick for
completion of their cargo. This would
lower transoceanic freight rates from
all four ports named and possibly
from others along the South Allan.
tic coast.
, s. The procedure now is to load
light at the ports named then call.
ing at New Orleans to complete the
J cargo.
! 8. The statements in section s
J and 8 constitute a conclusive argu
ment that the South Atlantic coast
should have at least one deep water
: port.
10. Transoceanic export commerce
constitutes about so per cent of the
/ oceanborne commerce of Brunswick
7 which is valued at approximately
$ $20,000,000 annually for the past
2 three or four years. This transoce
e anic export business through Bruins
wick shows remarkable increase each
year 1t is this portion of the com