Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1882-02-09
THE SHIP CANAL.
Philadelphia rAIk ADoat tho Pre-.
posed Penlnsulo Datch.

Philadelphia raIk Aboat the Pre-
posed Peninsuls Ditch.
From the PhiIadslphIa Times.
The scheme to conueot the Cbesar
peake and Delaware Bays by shil
canal is again being agitated In Phila.
delphia and Baltimore mercantile cir.
cles, and grea. interest Is felt in the
probable action of Congress on the sub
ect, Colonel W. y. Craighill, after
whom is named the main channel OF
the Chesapeake Bay, and N. II. Hut
ton have surveyed the proposed courses
of the canal, aud their report has just
been submitted to Congress by the War
Department. Philadelphia business
men are Inclined to favor tho project,
not because it will advance the ship
ping interests OF the Maryland city, but
on the ground that it will increase the
i'm portance of the Delaware Break.
water and make that point the leading
port Of call on the Atlantic coast. There
are seven proposed routes, the eatimat-
I'd cost OF which range from eight mil.
lion TO forty and IL half million dol
lars each.
THE DISIANtE SAVED.
The distance travelled by vessels going
north ward from Baltimore by way OF
the Capes and passing ton or Twelve
miles ltside of the Delaware Break
water is about three hundred and TWEEN
ty-fve miles BY the shortest canal
route the distance to the Breakwatsr
would be but one hundred and fifty
miles and by the longest about two
hundred miles. Lewes is named as the
coast terminus Of three of the lines and
these are vie wed wi most favor by per-
sons in this city who have examined
the various routes. The canal vii! be-
100 feet wide at the bottom, 26 feet deep
at low water and III feet wide on the
surface at ebb tide. The locks are esti.
mated to be 80 feet by 500 in the cham
bers and are intended to pass vessels
drawing from 22l = to 90 feet. Owing to
the alluvial character OF much of the
country through which the canal will
pass and the ability to utilize hundreds
of small water courses the cost OF con-
struction will De comparatively light
and the work can be pushed forward
with great rapidity.
THE PRESENT LITTLE CANAL.
The Chesapeake hay and Delaware
river have long been connected by a
small, shallow canal, through which
propslers and schooners can pass, This
canal is thirteen miles long and has
been in use since July 4, 1879. 1t cost
81, 250, 900, of which one fifth was paid
by Che United States, 800, 900 by Penn
syIvania, $50, 900 by Mary land, $4,000
by Delaware and the remainder by
citizens Of the States. In 1872 the
Maryland and Delaware Ship Canal
Company was chartered by the State
it was named after, but nothing came
of the movement. In speaking of the
present agi alton of the subject William
Brockie, president Of the Philadelphia
Marine Exchange, said yesterday: 81
think the project one of great lmpor-
taace to commercial circles, for all snch
improvements are in the long run for
the general good. The canal will put
Baltimore $50 miles nearer the Break
water than it is now and have a good
effect on the grain and oil trades. PAil-
adelphia will be benefited in many in
direct ways. The Importance OF the
Delaware Breakwater, which is the
pride Of Pennsylvania shipping mer-
chants, will be increased as port OF
call | have heard tho matter very
generally discussed within the past day
or Two and every one seems to look on
it with favor and hope that the project
will b. carried out. do not know OF
any antagonism.'
BIG APPROPRIATIONS WANTED.
Philip Fitzpatrick, a prominent ship
ping merchant, is convinced that the
canal would be a great benefit to ship
pers and sh;p-owners and would have
a good effect on the commerce OF Baltl-
more, but in cont iD uation he remarked
"Thera is a great deal of talk about the
canal and | am inclined to think that
those who are now pushing the project
in Congress haven't the good Of the
public as much at heart as they have
their own interests. Their object Is to
get big appropriations from the United
States, the States most interested in the
matter and corporations and then reap
IA reward for the building Of the canal. !
While the work is feasible It is a big
and i doubt whether it
will bs commenced for some time to
come"
Waiter G. Wilson, the president of
the Mercantile Exchange of this city, |
expressed his views on the canal very |
freely. He i'avors the canal and believes
that nine tenths Of the business men
and shippers in Philadelphia take the
same view of the project. In his opin-
ion the canal will advance business in
terests all over America, and conse.
quently should be built at an early |