Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1846-01-06

meath their revolutions.
| REpoRT OF THE CHEF OF THE ToPo.
GRAPHICAL BUREAu.-This report has been
submitted TO Congress andprinted. II es-
Inmates for the completion Of the harbor al
this point, $40 OF which $4,000 are
required for the coming year. Road from
Southport TO BeloH-The Col. estimates
the sum of $6,710 60, as required 10 com
plete this road
HarJor at Racine $4,000 is the
amount estimated as necessary TO complete
this Harbor Of which Sl5, 600, are required
the ensuing year. The following general
remarks with regard to Harbors we copy.
| BY the returns submitted with the re-
port from this office in November 1913,
the amount Of the lake trade was, in 1871,
Of exports and imports 500, S26,O22. By
comparison of The returns Of that period
with those lately received, there is every
reason 10 believe that the export and i'm
port trade Of the various harboIs Of the
lakes is now 100000, 1000.
SO extensive trade requires an immense
shipping, and gives 10 it the attitude of being
our great nursery for seanen. Vessels OF
all kinds and Of all s yes are used upon the
lakes; and as the navigation requires 70 in
considerab knowledge of seamanship, it
will be seen that tn; s nursery is not only
valuable for the numbers it will produce,
but also for the qualifications those mum
bcrs.
A great proportion Of the lake tonnage
is in steamboats,. These boats are ably
commanded, large in size, we'll manned,
and are obliged, from the storms which
they are exposed, not only TO be we'll foun-
ded, but TO be built of great strength. They
the efore furnish at inc snoi,os. notice a
means of organizing a most formidable and
numerous fleet, capable Of bearing an eff
cient armament, and Of Transporting nu-
merous bodies Of troops, at moments war
ming, TO any quarter A condition Of war
upon the lake country would necessarily
restrict the commerce which now exists
there and would leave great portion Of
this flee: in want of employ, ready for the
call Of government, and supplied with the
liiOot uUIS p'lOtS anu laNC
Thi, immense commerce, this vast rur-
sery Of seamen, this overwhelming feet,
may with Justice De considered as the clca-
ton and consequence of these lake harbors;
for, without these harbors, the number Of
large towns which embellsh the shores Of
these lakes would not have been built; the
immense population upon their borters, and
The extensive cultivation of such numer Gus
tracts of land, would not have taken p.a ce;
the extensive sale Of public lands could not
have been made, nor the consequent sup
ply and demand been created, upon which
this commerce depends.
We see, therefore, from this summa ry,
the immense wealth and prosperity which
these harbors have developed, and the
Immense national interests which require
observation-disclosures of commerce, and
interest Of national defence pro, ection TO
vast amounts of property, TO numbers oil
lives, and to powerful, indeed il may be
said 10 an overwhelming auxiliary in time
Of war. Now, what is the protection which
these vast national interes requIrel Har-
bors-ony harbors: means of entering
places OF security 10 load and unload, and
for shelter in time of storms. Our ATTAIN
tic coast, more favorably situated in some
respects, calls for our protection in the
form of costly Notifications and of nu'
merous troops Our lake coast, as extern
sive as that of the Atlantic, is deficient in
harbors and places of refuge; it calls com
parativel for but small protection in ,heway
Of Notifications, but il calls for protection
from storms, and fer facilities TO enter har'
bors;-these also requiring comparatively
Lu, small expenditures, as the total amount
appropriated for such objects from the
commencement OF the system in 1924 10
the present time, is not more than S2,S6I,
Q6l 40