Commandant S. H. Stringham Letter 21 March 1851
Commandants Office
Navy Yard Gosport
March 21st 1851
Sir,
I received the duplicate of your letter of the 14th February 1851 yesterday, and during the day called on the owner of the land adjoining Fort Norfolk who is willing to agree upon a temporary conventional line to enable the government to enclose the grounds; before commencing which however, I desire to offer to the Bureau a few suggestions in favor of a change of locations for the Magazine.
In the first place; the transfer of the Fort from the War to the Navy Department is, as I understand only temporary. The correct boundaries of the grounds can not will be ascertained the line now to be seen being only temporary; and this being the case, it is highly probable; indeed it is almost certain that when the government shall have expanded large sums of money in the erection of Magazine and other buildings there, the owners of land adjacent will seek to annoy us with suits at law, or by putting up combustible buildings on their own land, but in the immediate vicinity of the Powder Magazine with the view of forcing the Government to purchase of more land at exorbitant prices. Lines they transfer of this Fort to the Navy Department there has already been erected a very large building too near the Fort.
In this building there is now stored a little large quantity of tar, turpentine, etc. and the owners contemplate having a large coal Depot there at no distant day. Besides the water is bold up to the Fort Wharf, which is distant from the proposed site for the Magazine about 100 yards; close by this Wharf steamboats are constantly passing. For this and the other reasons stated above, to say nothing of the apprehension of the citizens of Norfolk to it. I consider the location now fixed for the pending Magazine objectionable.
St Helena presents a much desirable site for a Naval Magazine. We have there about 40 acres of ground the title to all of which is indisputable. A house already built for the Keeper with water sufficiently deep to accommodate along side the wharf ships of any class. In short, I am fully of opinion that St Helena possesses all the advantages claimed for Fort Norfolk, without one of its disadvantages or objections.
Under these circumstances, and in view of all the facts as here and related, I respectfully suggest that the Bureau take the matter into consideration and inform me of its decisions as soon as convenient.
I shall leave for New York tomorrow and expect to return with my family in two weeks, when I should be pleased to make a beginning on the magazine.
I am Respectfully,
your obedient servant,
S. H. Stringham
Captain
Comm Joseph Smith
Chief of the Burrow of Yards & Docks
Washington
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Source of Information
National Archives, Record Group 71 Bureau of Yards and Docks
Letters Recieved from Commandants of Navy Yards -- Norfolk
July 11 1850 - April 30 1852
Box No. 156, Entry 5