New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-12-22
NEW ORLEANS As A NAVAL STATION
FOR IRON CLAD VESSELS.

It seems strange that this city has peen,
thus far, so entirely overlooked, while
every year the geography of these States
is SO carefully studied for the purpose OF
selecting point for station Of iron-clad
vessels where they may be constructed
and preserved, and yet occupy position
where they may be made available, at any
| moment, for offensive and defensive pur-
poses The national legislature, every
year, deals with the influential sophistrieS
emanating from New London, Connect
cut, and League Island, Pennsylvania,
and yet fails to make the required appro-
priations to begin work at either Of these
points, which will have in view the uli-
mate completion Of naval arsenal, of o
size and nature suited to the growth of
the nation, and the building Of vessels Of
modern naval architecture.
Time has been consumed in speaking
and pages in writing Of the advantages Of
the above named places for building iron
clad vessels, and yet no steps have been
taken by the government further than to
accept the land which has been given for
the purpose. At this moment the Secre-
tary of the Navy seems more inclined to
abandon the construction of these vessels,
and have the work performed by the
mechanical skill Of the country outside of
the navy yards, and let competition thus
secure US the best. Should this plan be
be adopted, We have yet to secure a
place where vessels can be laid up in
fresh ,sater and be perfectly preserved for
an indefinite period, and be in constant
readiness for active warfare.
There is no point in the Union that
offers such advantages for the preservation
of iron vessels as the Mississippi river at
New Orleans. There is no position in the
fensive naval works than this strategic
point of our gulf coast. There is no
longer coast line to defend than we have
on both sides>of the great river above Us.
The coast line Of the Pacific is spoken of
as most important, and large naval sta
ton is maintained there to defend it,
while we are even now daily threatened
with removal Of the iron-clads already
here, to some point on the Atlantic coast,
to be eaten up by salt water, where there
is not "a river navigable sufficiently far
from its mouth to enable any 6rst-class
iron-clad to escape the flood tide of saline
water.
The very station most highly spoken
of, viz: League Island, below Philadel-
phia, is inclosed by an embankment o.
earth and stone, is reclaimed land FIVE or
six feet below the water line of the river,
and is an alluvial formation, the same as
we have at the Mississippi delta. Coal
can be delivered here as cheaply as at
League Island, and skilled labor can be
as readily obtained.
The parallel is lost between this point
as q place to preserve iron-clad vessels,
and all other places in the United States,
it being so far superior in the considera
ton of its fresh water advantages. Here
iron vessels can remain for years without
being docked even, and be perfectly pre-
served. The alluvium, which is held in
solution, adds in no small degree to the
protecting quality Of the waters Of orr
river. The very monitors removed by
Admiral Porter last summer to Key West,
will be obliged to return here within
very few months or be dead loss 20 the
government.
This is the great point for an iron-clad
naval station for either offensive or de-
fensive purposes. No war can ever occur
on our southern coast in which this city
will not be called upon fof supplies and
repairs. No one can imagine why naval
station should be continued at Mound
City, Illinois. 1t is entirely beyond the
centre OF defense, and a ship might as
well be on the top of the Rocky Noun
tains as at Mound City, SO far as it would
be available to prevent hostile iron
clad vessel from entering the Mississip
river. The vessels coming down from that
point are unfit to cruise on our Gulf coast,
should the stage Of water enable them to
reach the mouth of the river.
Finally, We would make few sugges-
tons. Let our State Legislature, CT city,
or both, purchase and present to the
United States government a sufficient lot
of land, fronting on the river, above the
city, say in the neighborhood Of Sedgwick
Hospital, conditioned upon having it
used for tie purposes described. Let the
Mound City station be broken up and
moved down here, and cause the govern
ment land Of insufficient frontage, now
held below Algiers to be sold and the
proceeds to be used in building upon and
the permanent naval station
At this most important point. This done,
we are sure to have the mouth Of the river
kept open. so as to enable the largest iron
,lads free entrance Or egress. The dredge-
BOAT Essayons is success, and it will
be but few years before the
mouths Of the Mississippi river will be
ost to the naval and commercial world |
n consequence Of short cut ship canal
o the Gulf Of Mexico.
a MYSTERY LIFTED.