BEAUFORT, a town of South Carolina, U.S.A., 6om. west south-west of Charleston, on Port Royal island, 14m. from the ocean, and served by the Charleston and Western Carolina rail way; a port of entry and the county seat of Beaufort county. The population in 192o was 2,831; 193o, 2,776. Beaufort is a charming winter resort with a good harbour and considera ble traffic in pine and cypress lumber, rosin, oyster shells, oysters, shrimp and canned vegetables. There are immense turtle farms in the vicinity and market gardening is carried on. Fig trees grow here, one of the most northerly points in the eastern United States at which they can be cultivated. On Paris island, near by, is a station of the U.S. Marine Corps, with a personnel of 2,000 men. Jean Ribaut, on May 27, 1562, sailed into the harbour, which he named Port Royal, and established a settlement, probably on Paris island, which lasted but a few weeks. In 171 o the first permanent settlement by the English was made on Port Royal island, and was named after Henry Somerset, duke of Beaufort. For a brief period early in 1779 the island was occupied by the British. It was fortified by the Confederates at the beginning of the Civil War, but they were driven out on Nov. 7, 1861, and after that the harbour was used as a coaling and repair station by the Federal blockading squadron. In 1862 a group of northerners organized the "Port Royal experiment," a successful effort, sub sidized by the Government, to work the deserted cotton planta tions with paid negro labour.