Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1862-07-05

&O0o00 q - 0otSD08o 0of0o6.
TAsss ean Be- noshine eIssrer than that q
war With Eagland 10 one of the possible con-
iingsncirs Of the day, and that in sueh an
rveaf ssr nortb~n frontier would find itself
in = almost unprotected eontiition, for the
lack of some channel by which ships and
gunboats may be conveyed with alac,iiy TO
the great lakes. To meet this want q bin
was wcrntly introduced into the New York
Legislature. PROPOSING the enlargement of the
ransk, which has l,ern favorabIy reportrd by
iir~ Committee on Canals. By This report il
appears that the aggregate lrngh Of The ca.
mails Of the State is 900 miles, anj they have
been constructed at cnst of SjS36I. 200, rx-
elusive of interest, without aid If any kind
from the Government Of the United States.
The Auditor of the Canal Department reports
that the commercial tonnage borne upon the
war,s "t these canals in 1850 WIS more than
40 per cent. Of The Whole import and rxpurt
tonnage "f The United States.
These works ATE supposed to be adequate
to meet the requirements Of this immense.
com',rcc. and all its ordinary increase for
years TO come. but they a,r no, by any n,-ans
adequate to the requirements Of the country
i'll time Of war.
The A.nrIic.n shore line of Northern Likes
including bays. sounds and islands, il 3G.O
miles. The B:iii.h sllorr line Including bay =,
etc. is = G29 miles.
Our Whole c".s: is studded wi h flou,isl,inr
cii.s and viii g,s. surrounded with fields ,ich
IN lhiiv's's Of grain. and these great lak.s,
we'll termed inland seas. are crossed in every
direction, on bolh sides of the boundary line,
hy lngc but unprotected fleets of steam aud
sail vessels. bearing treghls already nearly
cq,al to those "f our seaLmrd. Now, while
by the terms Of a treaty made between the
United States and Great Britain, supplement-
airy to the Treaty of Ghcnt. the naval force to
be maintained Ly both Governments is limited
t" four vessels each. not exceeding 100 tons
hurih"n and one righrtrn- -pountrr. it appears
,l,, in case Of unexpected h"slii'irs, III. ,e is
10 channel Ens. Wrs;. or South. from the
s'..L"hd or the Mississippi. tI,"rsh which
gunboais coul be- taken 10 ihc Lakes in time
i" prevent the total destruction of our ci,ics,
vilg 8. hnvrs = ilrcs and connr,cr. On
the o;hrr hand, Great Britain has secured her.
self against This danger on her part, by con.
rucimg canals and locks Of sufficient capacity
10 pass gunLoas "i ample siz,. tor the r,orc.
tion Of the ciiies. property and vessels Of her
subjects. The enlargement of these canals
Incomes therefore an act Of national necessity.
which the State "f New York Ma,iiiccniy
PROPOSES to accomplish at l.r own expense.
Ii is also Il matter Of naion.l ni,lrs, that.
in conjunction wi |, the proposed enlargement
Of III. channels Of navigation between the At
lnlic and the Great Likes, an Increased com.
mr,cc will be turned toward the seaboard
through two important onile,s which are to be
opened from the Mississippi River to the
Lakes. One is the improvement of the Fox
and Wisconsin Rivers through the State of
Wisconsin, from Green Bay to Prairie du
Chicn, nearly completed. This will be the
outlet of the Upper Mississippi. The other
is proposed ship canal, from Chicago through
the State Of Illinois, by enlarging the present
canal, and improving the Illinois river. This
will be the outlet Of the Lower Mississippi.
The necessity of such outlets has been dem.
onstrated by an unnatural rebellion, which
wilfully closed the Lower Mississippi against
the richest sources Of her prosperity. The
whole work will cost some seven or eight
millions Of dollars. California, both in the
matter Of c"ast defences and the Overland
Railroad, might proftably initiate this grand
example
A WOMAN APPOINTED acknowledgements
Yates has paid a rather unusual but well-iner-