The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-01-27
THURSDAY, JANUARY 81, 1870.
DEFEAT or THE LEAG UK ISLAND
RTTT


THn League Island bill came to grief yester-
day in the National House Of Representatives,
where il was laid on the table by vote of %
TO 67. The Philadelphia delegation made
gallant stand IN defense of the project in
which their constituents are SO deeply inte-
rested, and they were ably seconded by all
the members from Pennsylvania in the House
except Judge Woodward. This fine old
Democrat took occasion to record his opposi-
tion to the bill and to indulge in q fling at
Philadelphia that would have been more
appropriate as coming from some disappointed
advocate of a New York or New England
site for the great navy yard
of the country. OF course, the grounds of
the opposition to the transfer of the Phila-
delphia Navy Yard to League Island are well
understood, although those who have labored
with the most energy to defeat the bill have
been careful to assign every other reason but
the right one. 1t is impossible however, to
make concealment of such matter, and it is
very plainly manifested that the tabling Of
the League Island bill was effected by the
concerted action of those who are still
scheming for other sites. Mr.. Dawes, in his
speech few days ago, opposed the transfer
of the Philadelphia Yard almost solely on the
SCORE of economy, but yesterday he advanced
the opinion that the three New England yards
might be consolidated into one at New Lon
don. This would swallow up the Charlestown
and Portsmouth yards, and perhaps also that
at Brooklyn. It is plain enough to see from
this what Dawes is driving at, and if he could
by any manner of means unite the enemies Of
League Island in favor of New London, he
would see the Importance of making large
appropriations for the immediate creation of
first-class naval station in very different
light from what he now does. But il is here
that the difficulties of Dawes begin. New
York does not propose TO let New London
swallow up the Brooklyn Yard. On the
contrary, the inconvenience of the present
site is being urged, and there is every proba-
bility that project for the removal of the
Brooklyn Yard to some point on the Hudson,
and the creation of naval depot that will be
New York institution, will be brought for
ward shortly, and advocated with an energy
that will drive Dawes and all the other New
Londoners into the background. 1t is evident
that desperate attempt will be made to delay
the work of preparing League Island as long
as possible, in the hope that the present plan
of creating great naval depot there will ulti-
mately be abandoned; and the representatives
of Philadelphia in Congress will need to exer-
else all their vigilance to prevent the
enemies of that site from succeeding. 1t has
been demonstrated over and over again that
League Island is the only place on the entire
Atlantic coast that contains all the requisites
for first-class naval station. The site has
been presented to the Government by the
city of Philadelphia and the gift has been ac-
oepted, and the expense of fitting it up in the
most complete manner will be fully covered
by the money realized from the sale Of the
old yard, so that il need not cost the Govern
ment single cent out of the Treasury.
There are undoubtedly enough members of
Congress who have no interest whatever in
the various rival sites now pressed upon their
notice to decide in this manner with fairness
and impartiality; and, although the League
Island project has met with temporary de-
feat, we confidently expect that it will be
carried through both houses of Congress
triumphantly before the end of the session.