National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-02-02
Ihe Xashinptnn Ksru Yard.

To the Editor Of The National Republican:
SIR: Although the many good reasons which
have been published in THE REPUBLICAN ought
to be quite sufficient TO prevent any attempt being
made to carry out the proposed project of abolish
ing the Washington navy yard, take leave,
through your favor, to state the following:
Its landIocked position and its feasibility OF
being made almost impregnale. The experience
obtained by our military and naval commanders
during the last war is available on this point.
For instance, Norfolk and Pensacola were easily
taken; but even up to the close of the war, our
forces could not advance up the James river be-
yoDd Bermuda Hundred or Dutch Gap; and II
was owing to the possession OF the control oil that
river that the COnfederates were able to send out
the Merrimac, which for time proved so very
formidable.
Upon this point 1t would be easy to obtain the
opinion Of board Of scientific officers of both ser
vices, Army and Navy, whose strict sense OF mil
itary or naval rules will compel them otherwise
to keep silent, no matter how much they may Pri-
perhaps, under the law they being prevented
from participating in civil affairs, and thus as 1t
were cut of from the people for whose protection
they are embodied. Do they not manage this
better in England, without detrlment to the mill
tary or naval services, or dauger to the liberties
Of the people? FOR instance such men as the great
NapieTs-One a general, the other an admiral
were yet both efficient members Of the Imperial
Parliament.
on the sea have their principal naval yards as
near as possible to their national capitals. Eng
land has neTS at GreenWlc0 anu SneerneSS; Rus
STA at CrOnstadt, (where she is even now having
canal constructed to shorten the distance by the
Neva from st. PetersburE;) Holland at The
Hague and Amsterdam; France at CherbOurg:
Denmark at Copenhagen, and Sweden at Stock.
holm, and now Germany at Stettn.
The advantages derived from having the prin-
cipal navy yard as near to the seat of Government
as possible are very many. In our case ii gives
an opportunity to the representatives of the peo-
pie to visit It during their sOjourn in Washington,
and thereby become practically informed upon
subject which is of vital interest to q great mara
time people. and Of which they should be well
informed in order to fulfill their trust intelli-
gently. 1t is Immediately under the eye OF the
Secretary, chief of the Department, and also OF
Admiral OF the navy, and therefore ought to be a
model for all other yards in the country; where
all the most recent improvements can be first
tried and If approved OF, adopted. Besides, 1t is
easy of access TO the pupils OF the naval school,
and could be made OF much Importance in their
education for this important service without addl-
tiOnal expense.
When the contemplated improvements shall
have been made in deepening the channel of the
Potomac river, as they must be made soOn hav-
ing been favOrably reported on and approved by
the Engineer corps, who are not eXcelled In their
professional requirements by any similar corps
in any other nation, and who are now creating
enduring evidences Of that ability along the coasts
scot to the Rio Grande, and from the COlHmoia to
the Colorado, emblems of trIUmphaI but peaceulf
conquests of science over the barriers of nature,
achievements perhaps greater than man-like vic
tories, Washington harbOr and the Eastern
Drach will be one of the finest and safest ports
the Atlantic coast.
Very respectfully, J. A. L.