The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-05-22

canal is now ready pass in regular trips three
steamers of 900 tons in the aggregate. As for the
size Of the vessels OF war which may sail through
this canal the only limit is the length and breadth
not the depth of locks. A camel float in eight
and half feet water vessel of mere than twice
that draft. Give this canal with eight and q
half feet water into Lake Michigan, with sufficient
length and breadth of lock- and then anchor the arg
est frgate in the navy off 81. Louis; IN one week
time ten days at most, will promise to have heI
under full sail on Lake Michigan, with tompions
out and lighted matches ready for action. When
England built those canals, she knew that the draft
of water, in case of emergency, would have CON-
paratvely little to do with the size of the vessel TO
be admitted. This depended rather upon the width
and length of locks. Look at these: they out OF
all proportion for vessels Of only eight feet draft.
Look also at the ST. Lawrence: it is nearly a
straight line from Montreal to Kingston, and Great
Britain knew that, by the erection of proper works
on our bank of this stream, we might prevent her
vessels from using 1t in She therefore turned
off from it at an elbow from Montreal, to open
ship channel to the lakes that should be wholly
within her own borders, and far away too in the in
terror Of them. The Rideau canal we are expressly
told by the engineer who built it, constructed al
an enormous cost, because in war it would afford
an inland communication of the GREATEST impor-
lance"
with half an eye need be told of the object and i'm
portance Of the Rideau improvement. But we are
told by some who seemed determined to bury their
heads in the sand as though they dared not look
danger in the face, that the Ottawa river, through
which this canal passes, is sometimes at low water
Is not the great Mississippi ITSELF with every river in
the West, sometimes at low water' But does tina,
therefore render them of no value as military chan
nels of communications
The War Department, the highest military au.
thority known in the country, Notwithstanding that
the free navigation Of the Mississippi from Mem
phIs down is yearly interrupted, makes the deences
of the Gulf of Mexico to hinge upon the dock yard
there. Nay, though there is river which, it has
been said is "dred up for one-half the year and fro
zen up the other, yet the high authority tells
US of the military Importance of the Ohio river fol
gulf and lake defences, and of the value of Pittsburgh
as buildng-yard for a lake marine. 1t is gravey
proposed by military men, and the proposition il
endorsed by the War Department, to build steamers
in Pittsburgh, send them down this dry or frozen rv
err, thence up the Illinois (anoher river that we are
now told is sometimes low, and therefore unfit fol
my ship canal,) and then haul them ovs- by wag.
ons into Lake Michigan.
| Yes; and then, with the forces thus collected
through muck and mire, and across hill and dale
Canada is to be invaded, Toronto captured, the
Weland canal taken, and Lower Canada itself struck
downs
| am no soldier, good people, but would rather
trust to my ship canal and the phoe valley for lake
defences, than to Pittsburgh and military wagons
| AHcrc ID SOnetnlilS uHpcdsaHt 70 JACK AT III
the idea Of seeing his craft mounted up on trucks
and bound on dry-land cruise under the stern of 8
yoke of bulls
The circumstance that Lake Michigan is wholly
within own territory, and that the straits which
connect it with the other lakes are also wholly ours
and may be rendered impossible, is reason sufficient
why the canal should lead into that lake in prefer
ence to any other. And though one good reason is
enough, as good as thousand there are also othel
considerations which pontit out the proper basir
| for this great military work. The northern poin
of the canal to it would be about three degrees O
latitude to the south of the northern point of tht
Rideau canal 1t is also well known that the spring
season on Lake Michigan is two or three weeks il
advance Of il in the same latitude on Lake Erie
I Only week or two ago, the papers informed III
that the lower part of Eric packed with ice Al
feet high. Therefore, in war, operations might b
commenced five or six weeks earlier through THU
canal than through the Rideau canal and earlier, also
| than on Lake Erie. This circumstance, should wal
break out in the winter time would enable us to ap
pear in force the lakes several weeks before thu
enemy could get there at ALA consideration of M
small importance.
There is another the Illinois river affords
the shortest route. or gentle current this river
| one of the most valuable streams for navigation
among the tributaries to the mississippi and at
cost Of $3.50 per mile, it may be made as navigabl'
the year round as the Mississippi itself The cana
would be 100, miles long. 1t is already commenced
and far advanced towards completion upon the scale
of 60 feet at the top of the water line SO at the bot
tom, and 6 feet deep. Five millions would be am
pie to complete it with the depth and capacities
| the British canals.
| The work should be completed on scale com
mensurate with it's Importance and in style worthy
-see pamphlet entitled Military Of the West
y .sput lisha Inv thory of