The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1878-04-07
THE PROPOSED NEW SHIP CANAL.

Tue MARYLAND and Delaware Ship Canal
il one of the most imposing il character OF
| any of the great public works which have
attracted attention in the latter half OF
the nineteenth century. Two great bays
form Seyernlly the entrance to the %populous
cities Of Philadelphia and Baltimore, the
Chesapeake and the Delaware Bay. The
Chesapeake is n grand estuary OF more
than two hundred miles in length. receiving
three noble rivcra-thc Potomac, susque.
hanna and the James. and branching into
innumerable inlets. ON one of which is seated
the city Of Baltimore, while the bay gives
access to the ocean to Annapolis and Wash
ington. The passage from Baltimore to tn.
sea, however, is long. and on entering the
ocean between Cape Charles aud Cape
Henry, where the hay is twelve miles in
extent, it not unfrequently meets with dan
gerous weather. AT the northern extremity
of the hay one Of its deep inlets stretche,
toward The Delaware Bay, and ends at 5
| distance seventeen miles west of IL, The
| plan is to connect the tw" bays by a canal
| for this distance one hundred feet in width
| and twenty five in depth, through which
| large commercial vessels and men-of-w war
might pass from one bay to another. The
subject has lately been brought before the
Legislatureor Maryland, and there seems &c
be no question Of the great advantage Of the
work to the city OF Baltimore and the other
towns situated on the Chesapeake or it,
affiuents. A letter from Reverdy Johnson
written not long before his death. states the
advantages of the project, some of which
are so obvious hat il is a matter Of wonder
why they did not long since engage the
public attention.
The advantages claimed for the improve
ment nre hat it will shorten the distance
from Baltimore to the sea in ships by more
t1or tywn l,,nlrnl ,,tl., ,I.N q ,,s1I H.,
pense with the tedious and sometimes dan.
gerous task of doubling Cape Charles, that
it will allow the ships of wal belonging
to the United States to pass from one bay
to the other in case OF war, and thus pro-
tect the cities on the waters Of each, one
of which is the capital Of the United States,
against n hostile fleet. and that it will allow
our commercial vessels to elude by the
same expedient! the danger of capture. 1t
is added that vnst quantities of grain from
the granaries Of the West and Southwest
will find through this channel n cheaper and
quicker way of arriving at their destination
in the markets of Europe.
1t is claimed for this work that 1t is one
not merely of local advantage, but Of
national importance, as adding TO the means
Of defence and security against hostilities
equally with the Notifications which. erected
and maintained at great expense, protect
the entrance to our harbors. Accordingly
it is already contemplated to apply to Con
gress for aid to a certain extent in cutting
out the channel which is to unite the two
great bodies of water on which Baltimore
and Philadelphia are situated. As q com
pensation, in part at least, it Is proposed to
give the vessels and transports Of the United
States a passage at all times through the
canal free of all tolls and charges.
That Baltimore will be greatly aided in
its by :he rnering Of this ann
there cannot be the slightest doubt. The
harvest Of the West will find an outlet
through that port to n greater extent than
now, and will be exchanged for commod-
tiles which will be returned through the
same channel. The efforts which are max.
ing in that quarter TO give new facilities to
commerce should turn the attention Of the
citizens of New York to the Importance of
meeting those who counter facilities cal
culated to MAINTAIN the commercial pre-.
eminence of this city.-Neo York EreHiaq
Post.