Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1870-01-27
THE CIIRISTIANA HARBOR.

Many years have elapsed since anything
has been done by the general government to
either develop, or maintain the harbor near
the mouth of the Christiana river. Mean
while, it has undergone the processes natu-
raj to neglect, and the channel available for
anchorage and navigation has greatly suf-
fered by deposits of mud in the river, while
the shoals at the mouth have become Sc
rious obstruction to the entrance Of vessels.
1t is now proposed to ask Congress, at the
present session, to appropriate moderate
amount, to be expended under the direction
of Government engineers, in restoring, i'm
proving, and developiny the harbor, inside
the mouth of the Chrstiana. This will in
clude, the dredging Of the channel as far in
the direction of the city as may be pro-
nounced necessary, the widening of the
channel, and, in general, such plans Of de-
yelopment as shall be fixed upon by COM
petent engineers.
In the petition to Congress for the modes
amount necessary, the mercantile and ship
ping interests of this city, and therefore the
people of the State, are directly interested,
but much wider and more extensive circle
also join us. The harDor inside the
Christiana is well known resort for all the
| immense commerce that traverses the Della.
ware Bay, to which many vessels repair, in
storms of certain character. 1t affords
them safe and completely sheltered anchor.
age, and is, consequently, So fully occupied
in severe weather, as to be seriously OBJ
structed, and sometimes entirely closed, fol
the ordinary navigation of our vessels and
steamboats,. The necessity of enlarging its
capacity, and opening widely as natural OBJ
staclcs will permit, the broad surface of thii
natural haven for commerce, is felt by tht
merchants and shipping men, of Philadel
pha, as well as by ourselves, and their re
preventative body, the Board of Trade, pre-
sents its memorial and resolutions, in favol
of the appropriation, along with those from
Wilmington.
OF Ofcoursc, in making the application fo
Government aid, due regard is had to thu
necessary economy which the Administra
tion and Congress, responding to the popu
, lar demand, have resolutely determine
upon. And when it is remembered that tn
Government has made improvements in th
navigation of the Susquehanna, at IIavre d
Grace, and in the Patapsco, al Baltimore
has erected costly piers, in order to form
,, harbor,a at the little landing of Marcus Hook
, in Pennsylvania and has gone on wit
judicious llberality to establish protectio
;. for general commerce, AT the Brcakwater;
is fair to conclude that work SO vital
important to the shipping interests of th
whole Delaware river,as this is, will receiy
similar favor For perhaps thirty yeaI
nothing of consequence, (we are not SUI
g that anything at all, has been done for th
Christiana. We have come to situation
# where, without gross neglect and serior
o injury, the matter must receive attention
IS and important as is the utmost care in guart
il ing expenditures, the case is transferred
t, that class where true economy requires
3 moderate investment of money, and will |
well profted by it.
.e The City Council, our Board of Trade, ,o
st Senators and Representatives, and our q
"a tive citizens are moving earnestly in this a
,r plication, and we trust they may be spcces
il, | fuI