The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1918-07-14
AL SOUTHERN
PARTS TO Be
GIVEN SURVEY
Shipping Boards Port and Har-1
Dor Facilities to Do
the Work.
PORT CONGESTION
AT EAST POINTS
Expected to Result in Much
Activity at Many
Gulf Harbors.
By Assoeiated Press.


| Washington, July IA survey OF
! southern ports will be put under way
soon by the shipping boards port and
harbor facilities commission, as part
OF the boards plan for developing full
Ter use Of southern harbors to relieve
congestion in the east
Shipment of sectional products such
as cotton, naval stores and lumber,
and even grain from the middle west.
through the ports Of the south, in
stead Of through Norfolk, Baltimore.
Philadelphia, New York and Boston.
is expected to aid this winter in pre-
venting repetition OF conditions which
prevailed six months ago. delaying the
movement of needed supplies to the
allies and the American forces in
France. W
In beginning it's work In the south
1t is likely that the port and harbor
facilities commission will start with
one Of the Georgia ports. because OF
their proximity TO the most productive
part OF the southeast ana their come
paratiye nearness to Europe and to
South America.
The commissions work Is expected
to result in the shipment through
southern ports in the next twelve
months Of a greater part than ever
before of the south's annual output
Of $4,000, 100000 worth OF farm pro-
ducts not including live stock and also
the fruit Of southern mills.
The bulk of many products origin
ating in the south and middle west,
instead OF being sent by the nearer
line to Georgia and other ports, have
been sent in the past by devious
-
after year these methods persisted.
although It is asserted no valid reason
could be given for their continuance.
Practically all Of the cotton received
at~Fan River and New Bedford and
much Of It received at Providence has
been trans shipped at New York. A
circuftous, expensive way Of shipment
this was, when the cotton could have
been sent by direct route all over the
world from such ports sas Savannah
and Brunswick.
Georgia is considered the most inn
portant OF the Atlantic coast cotton
states It produces variously about
1 900. 900 to 100000 bales a year.. For
years the practice has been to send
much of Georgia's cotton on ccastwise
steamers to northern ports. mainly to
New York and Boston. From these
ports it has been forwarded to other
points. either to the New England
centers or In export to
foreign countries. m fiscal year end
ed June 80, 1914. a pre-war year when
ships and exports were moving nor
numbers were exported from New
York, 81, 200 from Boston. 19s. 900 from
Baltimore and $4,000 from Philadel-
phia-a total from these four ports
to foreign countries of 776.000 bales Of
cotton. Not all of this, It should
explained came from Georgia ps
Yet in that same year, according 10
the United States department Of COM
merce figures. only q little more THAI
twice as much, or 1.515. 600 bales of
cotton were exported to foreign coun-
tries from Georgia, the seat of ths
South Atlantic cotton industry In
deed. the report OF the Savannah Cot
ton Exchange puts Savannaf1's cotton
exports to foreign countries in the sea-
son from August ] to July 81. 1884
at only 1850 bales OF the total Of
1895. 600 bales shipped from Savan-
nah.
Cotton is only one instance of
variety OF products that could be ship
ped direct from Georgia ports to Eu-
rope. It Is obviously a much shorter
route from these ports than IL II from
Boston or New York to Central and
South American ports ana via the
Panama canal to tho Pacific.
The ports are there too, all ready
for use and ice free the year around.
Savannah 70 only Is miles from the
ocean Clear from the mouth OF Savan-
nah river to the city Ii a dredged chan
mel varying in width from 1900 feet
at the mouth of the river TO 500 feet
opposite the city Along its whole
length this channel has a minimum
depth OF rs feet at mean low water.