from page 94 of Hamilton's MOBILE OF THE 5 FLAGS:
"The Storm of 1717.
Meantime in America the elements seemed to be conspiring to aid Law in his plans. The old dream of La Salle had been to make the Mississippi River in the South what the St. Lawrence River had been in the North—the centre of a French empire. Sailing ships of that day, however, could not ascend the Mississippi and the banks near the mouth were not suitable for habitation, and thus it was that Mobile and Dauphine Island with their higher lands had developed as the joint capital of the colony. The town without the port would be worth less and the port without the town would be helpless. Both had grown and flourished together.
There have occasionally been great storms about Mobile Bay, but one which came in March, 1717, was the most momentous of all. Three French ships had arrived, the Duclos, Paon, and Paix. The Paon entered the harbor at Port Dauphin as usual by the twenty-one foot channel, but while the other two were lying outside there came up a great storm. All rode it out in safety, but the wind which spared the ships acted upon the Gulf in such a manner as to close up the channel with sand, and the Paon was imprisoned This was merely inconvenient for the ship, because after her cargo was unloaded she was lightened so as to draw only ten feet and it was possible to take her around to the channel at Mobile Point, where she rejoined the other vessels. But the effect upon Port Dauphin was lasting. Vessels drawing over ten feet could no longer enter the harbor and its usefulness was gone. The effect upon Mobile itself was as great; for the life of any port depends upon the depth of water to the sea. The importance of all this was not at first realized. Ships still came and were to come for years; but they had to anchor outside the harbor and not only was it difficult to land their cargoes from the open sea, but the vessels themselves were at the mercy of every storm.
There had already been a change in the colonial government, for these three vessels had brought out the appointment of Bienville as governor for the time being and Hubert as commissaire, thus superseding Cadillac and his officials. Bienville received the Cross of the Order of St. Louis, an honor which he had long soughſ, together with a grant of Horn Island near Biloxi as his own property. This was done by Crozat himself, for Law's Company, although planned, was not organized until August of this year. Nevertheless Bienville and Hubert had to take the situation in hand and make plans for the future."
