, 1862-02-14

marine On short notice. To this eud, the
Committee recommend the establishment of
national foundry On the Upper Lakes, and two
naval depots, one on Lake Erie, and tile other
On Lake Michigan.
Third. We earnestly recommend for militia
~ not less than commercial purposes, the i'm
proFement Of the hssrbofs on the lakes, the
dredging out and widening of the channel
over the ST. Clair Flats.
Foatrsh. The enlargement Of the Illinois and
Michigan Canal.
~ REGARD TO SHORE DEFEN5Es.
The entrance to Lake Superior is through
the saut Ste Marie Canal, work which cost
almost two millions Of dollars. and it is too
important to be overlooked. The mineral re-
gion Of Lake Superior is probably richer in
iron aud copper than any other in the world,
and the iron hes been found to be superior in
quality for many purposes to any other
known. These mines have been rapidly de-
velopcd, and noW constitute q most imp0r-
tant national interest. Old Fort Brady is rep
resented as commanding the entrance to Lake
Superior, aud al appropriation for its repair is
recommended.
4 military road from Bay dc Noquet, on
Green Bay, to Marquette or some other point
on Lake Superior, and an early completion Of
% me 5alIroad RON Appleton to Lake Superior,
this great lake. Both Of these are of great
importance for military rcasons, and arc ear
nestly recommended
Probably the most Important strategic place
On the lakes is the Struts Of Mackinac These
straits constitute the door to Lake Michigan,
Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin, with an ae-
gzegate population amounting to nearly five
millions. On its shores are the towns
Of Grand haven, Muskegou, ST. Joseph,
Michigan City, Chicago, Waukegan, ke-
nTosha, Racine, Milwaukee and Green
into importance, constitute for the commerce
Of sL Lake Michigan an asggEcgate which exceeds
S200, ,000, 600 per annum. The great gr:anary
of the Union has its dcpots on the border Of
this lake It can be defended by adequate
fortifcations at the single strait Of afaekinac,
about three miles wide. Fortifications at the
straits Of alackinac close the great opening
or entrance into this great inland sea. When
the vast interests thus secured are considered,
it is Obvious that Lake Michigan and all its
shores and cities should be defended On the
threshold at this strait.
Fhc importance OF having great inland sea-
like Lake Michigan converted into q quiet and
inaccessible harbor, where fleets and nayies
may be gathered in security; where may be
collected magazines Of arms, munitions aud
provisions, can scarcely be exaggerated
Lake Michigan, entirely within our own ter
ritory, unapproachable by land, and inacccs-
sible By water by any foreign enemy. except
-
tlon OF Immense Importance, and th2 policy
Of closing up this entrance is too obvious to
need illustration. Alackinae should be made
the Gibraltar Of the Upper Lakes
Upon tic Importance OF this locality we III
scrt the following extract from a conluluica-
ton Of Gen. Totfen:
As to the stronger works. consider one ut
Aacklnac 10 be Indispensable This will be the
principal watching point OF the Upper Lakes
Here war steamers will call to refresh. to commu-
nieate with each other, to find shelter, to lie IN
sit is hardly to be supposed that d hostile naval
expedition coming ont Ut Georgian Bay, would
Iuron, certainly MT ia1o Lnke Michigan while this
point IT observation and rendezvous is occupied
By our superior squadron The fort here must be
dctenses Of the isand should be such as to defeat
any enterprise designed to wrest it from US by
superior force"
The Committee are clear, in their Judgment,
that in view Of the vast Importance U: Macki-
nae, ard the interest there to be defended,
that Government should take immediate nleas-
ures to close those strlts against the entrance
Of 4 hostile fleet.
Fort Gratior fully commands the entrance
to Lake Huron, @nd should he immediately
reconstructed and put in Il condition to con
troll this ga1c to Lake Huron. The lower en-
trance to tile Straits or Detroit river from
Lake Eric is already well guarded by Fort
Wayne. This should bc completed and re-
ctiye its armament
The report Of Gen. lotion, in Which, the
Committee concur, recommends additional
appropriations and iefcnscs at Buffalo, to-wit:
the completion OF Fort Porter. on the blutf
between Butt1lo aud Black Rock, and the re-
mounting Of its armament for the protection
of the entrance from Lake Eric into Niagara
river, ard the construction of . tower and
shore batteries at tile mouth of Butilo h:ttbor
Also an appropriation for Fort Niag1rl; tho
construction Of defensive works, and the re-
pairs Of Fort Ontario, at Oswcgo. Also ap-
preparations for other defensive works on
Lakes Eric and Ontario and the river st. Lelw-
relice, and for the construction Of Fort Mont
gon,crF, on Lake ChampIa5n. Tue Committcts
will report bills to carry out these suggestions
and recommendations
It will be observed in regard to Lake Onta-
rio that nc have no access to tlElt lake from
the Upper Lakes, except through foreign ter
ritory- Our superiority in shipping, there
fore, On tho Upper Lakes, would be unlyailing
Oh Lake Ontario. It is therefore important
that i'll addition to the fortitication Of exposed
points, additional provisions should be made
for securing and nllinta1ning Our supremacy
in that lake. The Committee recommend the
establishment Of 4 naval DEPOT OH Lake On
tario, OF arms, munitions aud naval stores
The possession Of this lake is Of tho utmost
importance. Those gryat arteries Of trade
the Erie Canal and New I ORR Central Railroad
Of Lake Ontario, and, for q considerable dis
tance, within few miles Of its shores. The
importance Of lake defenscs to the State of
New York las already been alluded to. It
will not be forgotten that iii thu war Of ISL
her borders was the scene OF bloody battles.
Buffalo, now the Queen City of Lake Eric,
then small yiliage, was burned; Osweso was
captured, aud Lake Chaalpiain aud Niagara
river the scene Of somc Of the most stirring
events Of tic war.
We should pursue no aggressive policy, but
cultivate am1cablc relations with al nations,
but Ut the sa1le time look carefully to our de-
frnsls. The Secretary Of State we'll said s'that
any nation may be said to voluntarily incur
danger in tempestuous seasons, when it fails
to show that it has sheltered itself on the side
from which the storm might possibly come" :"
And the President Of the United States spoke
wisely when he said s'it is believed that some
forutlcatlons aud depots of arms and mum.
tlons, with harbor and navigation improve.
mcnts at well selected points upon our great
rivers and lakes, would be Of great importance
to our national defense aud preservation"
NATIONAL. FOUNDRY NEEDED At CHICAGO.
The second proposition in regard to the dc.
fenses Of the Northern frontier, is the establish
Ate'.t ef a national foundry on tie nptt7. l1kes
| and Of asara{ deEots-
Attention l,ls already been called to tht
superiority Of the American lake marine oycI
tD1i y! Cstnaaar W tut y PIPER LaheS-
In 1861 the number Of American vessels O.
al descriptions on the Upper Lakes, was /, ,16G
| Of Canadian, SIG Our Superiority WAS $50,
| Our superiority in tonnage was 2ss, ,l27 tous
| Our superiority in sailors was 10,9l1.
This superiority, without arms, is uuavaiI;na
and would only invite attack-and this i'm:
n,ense merchant marine would, unarn1ed, fur
| nIsh rich prizes to British gunboats- Great
Britain has been collecting IN abundance o
| the best arms in Canad;.- The Lakes arc ut.
ter1y without arms. It is therefore Of the ut
most Importance that naea1.s Of ar1nins these
vessels and the fortitications to be construct.
| ed should be- provided Ut the earliest possible