, 1886-04-01

ut an annual expense Of SJn,UDO.OlO.
Considering these facts. and 2 host
Of others of a similar character which
might hp DroscnteG, i i not strange
that public attention should be dl-
rectel TO .he causes for the great de
cline in the shipping interest OF the
United States. or to the remedy which
should be provided therefor, Hav-
ing all the requisite raw material N
abundance. and having succeeded in
every other line Of industrial pur-
suits, it Is not readily seen why we
should not make a success of the
work OF building and sailing ships.
1t i: not 50 much my purpose, how
ever, to present arguments for ehec-
tive measures to restore our mer-
chant and naval marine to the posi-
ton it should occupy in the world, as
it Is to offer some suggestions aS to
the superior advantages OF Puget
Sound az a suitable location for q
first class naval station. From the
time when Juan de Fuca and Span
ish associates. IN the year 1872, dis
covered the straits which have since
borne his name, down TO the present
the waters of Puget Sound, and
those adjacent thereto, entered by
these straits. have been the wonder
and the admiration of every navlga
tor who has ever looked in upon
them. Nature has not been lavish
IN providing harbOrs on the west
coast of North and South America,
but she would seem to have hberally
made up for shortcomings elsewhere
by providing a harbor on the north
west coast of Washington Territory,
which, in beauty, in extent, and IN all
its wealth of natural advantages, sur
passes every other harbor IN the
known world. Admiral Charles
Wilkes, of the l. 5. Exploring EXpe
dition, who made survey III 1871 of
the coasts, bays, inlets, cOves, chan
nels and harbors connected with
Puget Sound, after describing minute,
ly their details, sums up as follows:
Nothing can exceed the beauty of
these waters and their safety. Not a
shoal exists within the Straits of Jaun
de Fuca, Admiralty Inlet, or Hoods
navigation by 74-gun ship. | venture
nothing in saying that there is no coun-
try in the world that possesses waters
equal to these. They cover an area OF
Of about two thousand square miles.
The shores of all these inlets and bays
are remarkably bold, so much so that in
many places d ships side would strike
the shore before the keel would touch
the ground The cpuRtry by which
these waters are surrou nded Is remarka-
bly, salubrious. and offers every advan-
tage for the accommodation of vast
commercial and military marine, with
convenience for docks, and great many
sites for towns and cities, at all times
well supplied with water, and capable of
being well provided with everything by
the surrounding country, which Is well
adapted tor agriculture. The Straits OF
Juan de t'uca are ninety-fiye miles In
length, and have an average width of
eleven miles. At the entrance (eight
miles width) no danger exists, and it may
be safely navigated throughout. No
part Of the world affords finer iuland
sounds, or greater numbers of harbors
than are found within the Str tits ofJauu
de Fuca, capable of receiving the largest
class of vessels, and without danger
within them which is not visible. From
the rise and fall of the tides (eightecn
ieet) every facility is offered for the erec-
tion of works for a great maritime ma
ton. The country also affords as many
sites for wateE-power as any other"
The following exhibit of shore line
has been furnished by Capt, Jas. S.
T.awCOn of tha Il 9 Coast Survey,