Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-09-17
CANALS FOR COAST DEFENSE.
A Novel Plan for Protection I'm Case OF
Attack ON the SenbOard.

4
Attack ON the scabOard.
SYSTEM OF WATERWAYS FOR AN INSIDE PASSAGE
FROM BOSTON TO wAsHrNGToS-oUIcK coNcENTRA-
| TON OF THE NAVY THE OBJECT SOUGHT FOR
| From the Philadelphia Press
| Long before Admiral Luce began his present trip
10 Norfolk from New York by way OF internal
| waterways instead NJ by sea, VIM, b. Eltonhead
| ana several other gentlemen OF this city were dis
| cussing a novel scheme OF coast defenses which
Will soon be submitted TO the consideration OF the
| war Department. straight line drawn between
| washington and Boston passes close to nearly
| every large Atlantic seaboard city, all OF which
would be vulnerable 10 attack In case OF war with
maritime power. The principal cities that are
In an almost direct line running from the North
east 10 Southwest are Washington, Baltimore,
| Wilmington, Philadelphia, New York, New Haven,
/ Newark, Hartford, Brooklyn, Providence, Jersey
/ City, and Boston. Among the important towns
| on the same line Alexandra, Annapolis Havre-
de-Grace, Delaware City, Chester, Burlington,
! Newton, New Brunswick, Elizabeth, Bridgeport,
| New London and others along the line OF Long
and towns outside OF this direct line that are CON
| nected with the places mentioned by water COM
munications and would be equally liable 10 attack
The new scheme to protect these Atlantic sea-
board towns and cities consists in placing them
| in deep-water communication with each other by
means OF ship-canas. II Is proposed To cut deep
ana Wide canal from point on the Delaware
River, near Wilmington or New Castle, To the
head OF chesapeake Bay, near Havre de Grace
The canal would be between 10 and II miles
long A second canal would be cut from point
near Annapolis TO the Potomac River, between
Washington and Alexandria. A third canal would
| run from Che Delaware River, near Bordentown
| across New Jersey TO Raritan Bay. Another canal
would run from point near New Bedford, Mass,
through the Cape Cod strip OF land from BuzZardS
Bay TO cape Code Bay The last canal would en-
tend from the Delaware River, near this city, to
some point on the Atlantic Ocean, near Atlantic
city. The longest canal would not exceed % or
| 80 miles With this series OF canals every import
ant city and town on the Eastern seaboard would
DC IN direct water communication with each other.
ALL THE FORTS USELESS.
The construction OF the canals is the first step
| in the proposed scheme OF coast defenses. This
accomplished the projectors propose to make
League Island the rendezvous or harborage OF all
the heavy war vessels OF the American fleet Snow
We will suppose" said a gentleman yesterday who
Is interested in the scheme, "that hosItieS should
| break out with Great Britain and fleet OF her
powerful war vessels were sent over TO lombard
| an American city, say New York. Boston or WASH
lngton. As the forts that were designed to pro-
tect those cities are acknowledged be practically
Inadequate 10 stand the lire OF any OF the great
modern war ships and TO save city from destruc-
| tion or levying tribute, the invading Ship should
pe met with others OF similar power. An official
OF the United States EngineerCorps told that one
| war vessel like the English Thunderer could demo-
ish any fort on the Atlantic coast In two hours AL
| ready 100000 have been expended on Fort
Delaware but it will take g, 100000 more to put
| IL In decent condition, and even then the Thun-
silence its batteries in short order and come to
Philadelphia and put the city at its mercy.
THAT illustration applies to every important
city on the Atlantic coast. The remedy we sug-
geot In such asuppoSititous Is this: on the
celpt OF Information that a hostile fleet is sud-
denly approaching some city fleet or dynamite
cruisers and other war vessels lying In the back
channel at League Island could then steam away
and before the hostile fleet could lombard the city
they would be met Win equal or superior force
and the battle could be fought an equal footing
In this way quick concentration OF the vessels
could DE effected. Assuming that New York was
threatened by an invading fleet and our fleet was
IN the back channel the latter could steam up
the Delaware TO the canal near Bordentown across
10 Raritan Bay and thence around Staten Island
TO the river harbor or New York and within few
hours be In position to protect the city. The
distance could be covered In five hours, shorter
time than the enemy's vessels might OCCUPY in
crossing the bar. II Boston was threatened the
fleet could be sent there by the way OF the Della
ware River to the canal at BordentOwn, thence TO
Raritan Bay, up the East River to Long Island
sound, past Newport New Bedford TO Inc short
canal cut through from BaZZard'S Bay 10 Cape Cod
Bay ana thence 10 Boston harbor.
PROTECTION TO WASHINGTON.
Another important point is this: The distance
from Philadelphia to Washington by railroad is
about lao miles; by water 1t is between 500 and
600 miles. The latter route is down the Delaware
70 the Atlantic, and past Capes Henry and Charles
into chesapeake Bay, thence to the Potomac River
and up the latter to Washington. II Is danger
Gus as well as a long route II this canal system
could be sent from Philadelphia to Washington
and reach there before the enemy's vessels, which
would have to pass up Chesapeake Bay, notice OF
which would be immediately telegraphed from
Cape Henry"
'why do you select Philadelphia as the central
point for the rendezvous for these war veSSels?"
was asked.
because Philadelphia is the central point In the
chain OF cities have mentioned, and League Island
Is the best point for the vessels to concentrate.
"fhe whole country has been agitated for some
time on the subject OF coast defenses and there Is
a deep-rooted opinion that existing defenses are
NdlQeIeSS, and tudt even the expenditure
additional millions OF dollars on forts and for
uhcations would not bring about feeling of ma
tiona security In the event OF Bills Tor this
object that have been passed by Congress and
other bills still pending call for expenditure OF
many millions. That this amount could be ex-
pended 10 better advantage In the way have sug-
gested / hardly think admits OF a doubt. There
ton as TO how the money appropriated should be
expended Some contend Tor heavy guns and
others Tor additional forts. AS solution we sug-
geSt that forts be abandoned and the money Tor
their erection or repair be devoted to the cutting
OF the canals and the construction OF more war
ships.
"Ihere is another and equally important aues-
OF coast defense and that is the almost incalcula-
BILE beneht this series or canals would be to the
commercial element OF the country. The mari
time or commercial advantage OF having the dlf-
1erent cities and towns OF the Atlantic seaboaId
linked together by water communication is self
evident. There Is certainly not an intelligent meg
chant in Philadelphia who Will not indorse the
the cost OF constructing these canals but | think
IL would be less than that OF building forts forti-
cations and additional war vessels This leaves
the commercial advantage out OF the question:"