because the goods had been landed some days before I arrived and made the demand. Morgan and myself had had some alterca:t1on about the matter but he has agreed to pay the full amount proVIded the duties are collected elsewhere-I have been to Galveston Island and have selected that place for the Customhouse the buildings are much out of repair, but can be refitted without much expense to the Government by the hands who must necessarily be employed in the Service-The Island is the only place the duties can be secured with any kind of certainty as it is the Key to the many Rivers, bayous and Landing places in the bay where goods could and would be landed to avoid the duties notwithstanding all the vigilance of the Collector-There is at present and will be during the war a great inconvenience (being isolated as the Island is from the main) for the want of a speedy conveyance in case of an attack of the Enemy and the want of an armed force and cannon to defend the place, this is not probable but still it is possible-Mr Ailes the proprietor of the Steam Boat Cayuga has proffered to charter the Boat for $300 per month or sell to the Government for five thousand Dollars, believing it to be for the interest of the Government to have the boat for Revenue purposes and for the convenience and dispatch of Naval opperations water, wooding provisioning and dispatching towing in and out our vessels or other vessels which the Govern- ment would receive pay for, or lighting or freighting from the Island to the different Landings all of which would in all probability pay a large proportion of the cost of the Boat. she is now in fine order and with propper care she will sell at any time with a very little loss to the Government, with the few hands that must be employed for the Revenue Service the Steam Boat could be managed with a very little additional expense and all the opperations vastly facilitated, and in the end the Government would be much benefited-The Schooner Invincible was at Galveston on 1st January but did not come in they say for want of water, but this was a mistake It was for want of Pilot who knew the channel in which there is fourteen feet in common tide-I have appointed Capt Spillman pilot who is well qualified for that branch of business and who will be able t? bring in any vessel drawing not over fourteen fe~t water-There 1s now in this district Two Vessels that want Registers, by the late Revenue Law it is made the duty of the Collector to Issue Registers and Licences therefore I wish the Executive would forward some J,Janks by the first conveyance-
r ' ' I
I I • ' ► I I I I I I i " I ' ! I
=
74
Powered by FlippingBook