The Portland daily press., 1866-04-18
The Proposed Naval Station.

The city Of Philadelphia is making yigor-
Gus effort to secure the establishment of a
naval station, including a dry dock and a fresh
water basin for ironclads, at League island
APPOINT on the Delaware river about six miles
rom Chestnut street, in the city proper. The
city mas bought the island, at cost of $780,
ooo, intending to give it to the General Gov
ernment, as an inducement to locate great
naval station, with its industries and expendi-
lures, there. There are some disadvantages
about the location, not least the fact. that
League island is t,oo feet and fourAteuths be-
toec high acater mark. The cost of DREDGING
channels and lifting the island out of water is
estimated at 100000. .I' lg as r..
Now if League island is really the best and
cheapest station on the Atlantic coast, nobody
can reasonably object to its occupation by the
General Government The Philadelphia
Board of Trade, in recent pamphlet, declares
that "The whole country has been anxiously
searched for sites to compete with League
island" and goes on to assert that New Lon
don, Connecticut, is the only rival site, and
that has been rejected by naval commission
ers and congressional committees no less than
three times-in 1902, 1917, and 1862 This
seems to settle the matter, so far as New Lon
don is concerned; and it is understood that the
Secretary of the Navy, though all his inter-
ests are In Connecticut, is constrained by his
duty to the country to give his preference TO
the Pennsylvania project. -'
That is well, so far as the t,co sites are con-
cerned. The Philadelphia Board Of Trade is
in error, however, in supposing that the whole
country has been "anxiously searched" for
competing sites. A committee of the Maine
legislature last winter recommended the
mouth of the Presumpscot river in Portland
harbor as a suitable location, and offered a
resolution which was unanimously adopted by
both houses. That resolution after reciting
the advantages named by the committee. ask
ed simply that the Government would cause
q scientific examination to be made, and be
governed by the result Mr.. Fessenden ofthe
Senate, and Mr.. Lynch of the House of Rep
resentatives have since urged the matter re-
peatedly upon the Secretary Of the Navy, but
no commission has yet appeared, nor so far as
can be ascertained has any been appointed.
,as We protest against any decision of this
matter, before the facts are duly ascertained
The legislative report already referred to,
claims that all the required materials for con-
struction can be obtained at Portland more
cheaply than at any other city on the ATTAIN
tic; that the amount of material required win
be less than at any other station on or near
the coast; that no dredging will be required;
that the dry dock can be built on land already
belonging to the government, for small per
centage of the usual cost of such structures,
and be filed and emptied without dollar of
expense for pumps and steam or other power,
now everywhere else necessarily Employed
In Short all that Philadelphia can offer, Port.
land can offer, as the Advertiser said the
other day, Eat an expense of less than one
half of what is admitted to be a needful ex-
penditure to get League island above the level
of tide water"
We append two resolutions unanimously
adopted Monday evening, by both branches
of the City Council: G .ut ..4sl
q Whereas, Casco Bay furnishes one of thebest
and safest locations for the reception and pre-
servation of the ironclad navy Of the United
States, and the construction OF fresh water ba-
sin at the mouth ofthe Presunpscot river would
cost less than at any other location on the
Atlantic coast; with an abundant and never
failing supply of water to fill such basin; and
Whereas, Unusual facilities exist at Port
land for taking the ironclads out of water
by the construction OF dry basin, which
can be filled with water twenty-five feet
deep, and the water discharged at ebb tide
without cost; and "i..i
Whereas, Portland hafbor is accessible at
all seasons of the year for vessels of the
largest class, and materials and labor for
building and repairing vessels can be had
at Portland cheaper than at any other city ON
the seaboard; therefore. I
Resotued, In City Council assembled, that
the Senate and House of Representatives, in
Congress assembled, are hereby respectfully
petitioned to institute a commission TO exam
in the location above mentioned, and report
the result to Congress at Its present session.
Resolped, That a copy of these resolutions
be sent to Hon. w. p. Fessenden, and Hon.
John Lynch, with a request that the same be
presented to Congress.
These statements the State and City would
be glad TO bring to the test Of scientific in
vestigation- Is there any possible reason why
the United States should refuse?