The New York herald., 1870-02-04
A NEW NAVY YARD.
Proposition to Sell tho Brooklyn Yard
and Build q New One Up the
Hudson River.
History Of the Scheme and How Long it Has Been
in Process Of Manipulation.
Description Of the New Site and Its
Adrantages-An Estoppel
ON JObbery.

on Jobbery.
Tho bill before Congress for the sale of the Brook
Jn Navy Yard and purchase or q site elsewhere Is
no new project For several years the scheme has
been revolving itself In the busy brains OF its manp
ulators, waiting proptious time for bringing II tor
ward. This propitious time Is believed to have ar
rived shown In presentation TO Congress OF the
bill referred to- In the interim OF waiting every poss
nle and pertinent preparation TO carry the scheme
Through successfully has been made The disposal
OF the old navy yard and Is hundred acres OF vaua-
bio ground for Its lots and its long line OF wharves
and Its dry DOCK has been carefully talked and
arranged. The manlpulators have not been idle on
shis point. Regarding the new site, there has been
hkewise the same assiduity OF planning ana labor.
THIS site was chosen long since and the terms 1t
SAID, settled upon which the property could be
mad. Competent government engineers were
employed TO examines the property, which
was done as far back as six years ago; drawings
and sectional maps were placed in the hands OF the
Committee OF Congress on Naval Affairs. and the
favorable report OF the examining engineers is
ready 10 be made when the ntung moment arrives.
Everything depends on the forthcoming dat OF Con-
gress.
ARGUMENTS FOR THE REMOVAL
The arguments for the removal OF the Brooklyn
seeming weight OF great, II not mmeasuraple CO.
gcncy. The chief argument is that commercial
Necessities imperauvey demand the removal. Such
fnslst that II should and must succumb to the in
Grease In the cty's growth ana advancing march OF
municipal progress. II Is Claimed that 1t is too
cTamped Q location for great government navy
yard too much ont Of the way, too little anchorage
rooms for vessels, too dii1cult OF defence, and
therefore an unsafe place for government mari.
time stores. An argument strongly urged Is shat
the employees are demoralized by the continuous
and irresistible temptations OF the city.
PRESSING REASONS FOR NEW SITE.
The reasons urged for the new site vie In number
with those against keeping the Navy Yard where it
L. and are put forward With the came pressing vehe
mence. The first reason advanced Is that there will
be great expense fortircations nature having
already fortified the place. The next Is that the
Quired material for building 10 to be found on the
ground. Its proximity TO the largest commercial
city OF tho country Its ready access at ali times to
and from the ocean, Its impregnable position, Its
cheapness OF construction and the comparative
cheapness with which 1t can be supported and con-
tnued, comprise general summary OF tho argu-
MentS for the new site.
NIGGER IN THE FENCE.
All thls seems perfectly fair ana straightforward;
and so IT may be. IL Is 10 be hoped that 1t Is ana
trat in the due course of Legislation the subjecs
and btf final Congressional action Is reached lt
wiil be shown TO be SO. There are those,
however who insist that this belong. To
that peculiar class Of public measures that
need lutte watching, and regarding which q
public ana possibly may do good, Ia this case some
urge this watchfuiness as beng particularly requi-
site, because, as they iege, under this pretext Of
tegslatng for the public good there hes Garkly con-
cealed, specially well developed Ethiopian-or III
other words, that the project IS "ring1 measure
fcw at the expense OF the government Two SPECIFIC
objects are alleged to be The preseat allcontroling
the value OF the Brooklyn Navy Yard and secure the
sale OF the land 1t occupies Tor mere tribe the ring
OF course 10 be the purchasers; and the secono 10
secure an enormous price ior the new site the ring
Of course TO do the selling TO the government.
THE NEW NAVY YARD SITE.
The site selected for tho new Navy Yard is on the
west bank of the Hudson river, opposite Hastings,
and sixteen miles above New York. The most com
peient and dlslneresed judges are decidedly OF the
opinion that this site Is iar preferable IN every
Gpect to any other that could De chosen anywhere
tke neighborhood OF this city. 1t embraces 1000
acres, taking In three mile frontage on the river
along the Palisades and extending back or the PAIL
sades some distance. Underneath the Palisades are
TAO acres, one-tnlrd OF which rs dry land at high
water. There Ia depth OF ON the river one
half OF the distance OF twentystx feet and the
nan thirty leet, at low wafer. me river is here
ordinarily cold seasons, is always FREQ from Ice.
There are three never-falling streams Of fresh
water emptylng into tue river over the ground.
The Sparknll creek, which has ahead OF twenty i've
feet at It's mouth, emptes into the river two miles
north OF the location furnishing fresh water facili
es for basin large enough to receive 800 ironclad
vessels where they could most effectually De pro
tccted against noatinu ice gales ana storms. This
great basin can DO built aJ comparatively small
expense. and SO also all the buildings Wharyes and
other structures required in the yard Except wood
and iron the materials required are all the spot
ready for use. The quantity OF stone and dirt Is
inexnaustibe. The stone is the blue granite such
Gs is used III the Belgian and similar pavements IN
this city, and Of the best and most durable mate
rial for building. This underneath portion is
quite Level, ana Is capaD!e o. being made perfectly
even and smooth and beautifully and tastelully laid
out. Here Will be the ofices storenouses, machine
shop, shipbuilding and everything pertaining to the
mechanical portion OF the yard. By building
whsrves and 1lling In the whole OF this lower three
mile front and ground can be made available
The great beauty OF the yard It's ornamental though
not less useful features will be the most strikngy
developed and displayed above the Palisades,
where are some zoo more acres additional To those
granite wall erected by nature'J own incom paraby
skllul hand, are to be mounted the big guns. the
A'bull dogsu OF war which from this rocky height
may look down upon any approaching foe as coin
piacenny, as securely and oefiantiy rs the cannon
browning the summit Of Gibraltar Up here are TO
Bervatery ana possibly naval school. The last
Of the strongest arguments brought forward IN favor
or the scheme. The location Ia pronounced not only
Infinitely ahead of that at Annapolis but nrespect 10
view and picturesque SURROUNDINGS SURPRISING that
or West Point. There are few places on the North
uvor commanding more extended beautiful and
diversified prospect Across the river Is the amsl.
uou5ly thriving village OF Hastings, and near by
busy, bustling Yonkers, imDued with metropolitan
activity anu putting on metropolitan airs. Further
down the river are to be seen Washington Heights,
slo hIctoTNAl ASsCcAtlOu5 CO0ucCteu WIFI WHICH,
however populoha this locality In tlme may become
VIII De remembered through all the coming centu-
riea Sun further down the vision extenas over
street and avenue and PARK, and nonsstop ana
cnurch steeple, and the smoke of factories ana
machine shops and forests OF shipping taking in
the dim vista the grAndly rising spre OF old Trinity
church, and beyond Brooklyn Ia the dis
tance. and thence backward turning the
sinuoslties OF the East river ana panorama
OF moving vessels. looking up the river are
60 be seen TarTytown and other villages on tha
opposite side, and away In the dim vista are the
Highlands. But we will not dwell on this scene or
grand aud inimitable beauty. The height here Ia
about 100 feet above the leyel OF the water it is
quite level on top with only occasional sharply int.
ting rocks Quite considerable share OF the snriae
is tiablc land, with here and there good growth OF
timber aboundi1g IN heDlocks, pines, cedars oaks,
and hickory. The land and trees IN depth OF soli
and righteousness Of growth increase as you ad
vance down the slope extending from the summit
Ia gradual line OF descent down 20 near the Nortn-
err Railroad OF New Jersey, three miles and half
distant. lhs height borc, that is at this section OF
the Palisades, is the highest or this rocky range.
Cioster Mountain IS the name given TO this particular
portion. II Is an old Dutch name but now derived
Ia "A