The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-12-26
From the Buffalo Commercial Advertiser,
LAKE HARBORS-REPORT OF THE SEC
RETARY OF WAR

4
RETARY OF WAR.
Mr.. Marcy deserves the thanks of all interested
| in lake commerce, for the Just and enlightened
views which he has presented TO Congress of the
Importance of constructing safe and commodous
harbors on our inland seas. As citizen and gov
ernor Of this State, he has had ample opportunity 10
become well informed in relation TO the lake, canal
and Hudson river trade of the northwestern portion
ct the Union. We trust that the members Of Con-
gress from the South who have hitherto opposed all
appropriations for harbor improvements our two
thousand miles Of lake coast, will particularly note
the statement of the Secretary of War as to the
amount OF the lake commerce OF the United States.
The following remarks express the main facts of
that portion OF this important subject:
"Most Of these works were authorized and under
taken some years ago. but little was done upon
them during the past year, in consequence of the
failure OF the appropriations for that purpose,
The lakes were almost entirely destitute of natural
harbors Navigation upon them was exposed TO
imminent peris, and not unfrequently attended
with frightlul loss of life and property. With the
settlement and growth of the western country, the
commerce upon these inland has rapidly IN
creased; and its estimated annual amount now ex-
ceeds IN value the entire exports of the products
and manufactures of the United States all foreign
countries. An interest of this magnitude, daily
augmenting, IN which many States, and so large
portion OF our citizens participated, naturally
commanded the attention Of Congress, and properly
received its fostering Safe harbors
u
view to provide them, was commenced in 1924.
The total amount expended upon these ha,bors is
% 86I 1854. The objects to which these approprla
tons have been applied, and the amounts Of them
from 1924 to the present time, are specified IN the
annexed report, together with AN estimate of the
farther required for the ensuing fiscal year.
The works, so far as they have beef prosecuted,
give abundant assurance that the anticibsted advan
lagos will, in the end, be realized TO the fullest
tent. may be proper TO remark that these int
| aET tltI.
point of view Should it ever become necessaryto
have naval force upon these lakes the numerous
and commodious harbors thus provided by the aid
Of the government will contribute It's safety and
| successful operations Besides, there are now cnl-
poyed IN The commerce of these lakes great NUM-
Der of large-szed and souily bult steamers, which
would not have been placed there by individual en-
terprise, but for the safety and accommodation at
forded by these haibors In case OF a public emers
gency these steamers be expedltiously convert
ed into effective vessels OF war and rendered suhSer
Went TO military operations Nor are the economy
and facility OF transporting troops munitions OF WAY,
| and supplies, TO be overlooked IN estimating the
public Advantages OF the lake Improvements. It Is
also said that Our best seamen those who had
heen trained IN The navigation of our lakes.
"The number of lake -harbor improvements AT
| thorized by law, rs twenty six, Good habors have
been made where n ne cX ct tsforC; and the eX-
penses Of constructing have not, IN the whole. eX
ceeded the estimates prnspectvey presented These
results give assurance that the plans judcious-
y conceived, and the work economically and skllful
" executed
"fhe public usefulness Of these improvements will
be better appreciated when it is considered that by
means of them most dangerous navigation has
been rendered comparatively safe. large shipping
interest has been created upon lakes and facill-
ties and shelter afforded to commerce now estI-
mated at ono hYndred millions of dollars annually,
and increasing with surprising npidity, in which
six States directly, and all sections Of the coun-
try incidentally interested
The remark that 'our best seamen are those that
had been trained in the navigation of lakes"
no more than Just compliment to class of our
fellow-citizens whose bravery, IN their coun-
try's honor should demand their services, would
enact, on vastly larger scale, the dreadful drama
played so successfully by Oliver Perry and his
worthy associates, Aside from all considerations of
pec,inIary character connected with the zone hun
dred milor of propertyshat floats on these inland
seas" il is no more than due TO noble iars
trained in this nursery of scamcn, for the defence of
rising and Notwithstanding republic, thut their
valuable lives be not jeoparded from the criminal
neglect of Congress to provide some places Of shell
tee in these perilous during the ury Of their
| storms and gales. We need not rep i to the read
ers of this journal, the sad and heightened cnta-
logue of lake disasters which we have chronclcd
within the last sixty days, These annual losses
| without parallel in severty and are almost alto
geher the cruel results of governmental neglect and
injustice. By some strange, unaccountable short
| sghtedness, an hundred millions of foreign COM
merce is regarded, by the misrepresentation of the
people in Congress assembled, as of infinitely greater
importance than equal amount ofinland trade where
all the profits ofsellng buying and carrying, to
our own citizens One would suppose that Congress-
| men mig know enough of exchanges to understand
that one dollar ofhome trade where hhprofis-that of
buying as well as that of seing-go into the pock-
cts of our own people, is worth, on fair average,
just two dollars of foreign exchange, where foreign
people gain half the benefit But instead of foster
| ing this domestic, free, and doubly lucrative trade,
the federal government has long treated it as
| thing beneath its notice. II has been left TO Ian
guish and to die. The simple circumstance, how
ever, that this trade is twice lucrative equal
amount of foreign trade, has brought it up, tnci-
ding the whole Union, to be at least five times larger
than the whole foreign commerce Of the nation.
| OF the truth of this statement challenge con-
tiadicton. Our inland trade and especially that of
the great lakes has grown be what is charger than
the whole export of agricultural products from the
United States in spite of the indifference of Con-
gress and the open hostility of several Presidents
! This opposition cannot much longer be successful
The heart Of the republic is beginning to beat, and
its strong pusations to be felt IN all its extremtes
The federal government has duty to perform in
this matter, Of protecting and fostering both the
| men and their lawful trade on these narrow border
seas, not less obligatory than that duty which
mands the annual expenditure of eight or ten mil
lions for the protection of our foreign commerce,
and the support Of foreign ministers and other inie
rior agents abroad. The two and quarter millions
which have been expended in improvements OH the
lakes during the last 81 years have been scattered
into drbets and buried in the bottom of the deep
distant periods render the permanent utility of
the appropriations of comparatively little value
These works have been conducted precisely after the
plan of one who should expend million Of dollars in
completing the roof magnificent edifcc, and then
leave il to go rapidly TO destruction by tho constant
beating of the elements.
DREADruL cALAMlTv.-We yesterday gave brief