The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-10-07

IN other respects are - gress that .carr<lx
sny hesitation would Be needed heso-r Fr-
ine upon Il. were IL upon the eastern in
ssead OF the western shore. A euryorv In
sfecfson ct the charts viii be sas5s~;ent -
show the ahsnece Of good harbors and the
oI<nness to stack os ali the east SHORES Of
the sound. and the com mission has ..ts.-
ned Itself that they do not offer . savorabse
Topography.
great nsvyyard has sxo-gold asr<~s.
~ u on the one hand business e.saha..h-
ment Tor carrying on certain work Of |. verx
special kind. On the other hsnd. II l.. 70.
me coast and feet dependent upon il. a
nsse OF operations in the naoss vita, sense
o. the word: AID nowhere mere 80 than or
Fugei sound. where the defense s,f the
water and its cities will rest mainly anon
the armed shipping. end 40 ultima eIy anon
tne eficsency and security OF the Yard
Ine latter character. though obtaining only
Ia ams OF war. is the more important
Ins tendency OF business establishment
70 place itself near the material,
labor and sources Of rover which IL
ases-near III resourcss-must. there
lore, In this case be checked BY a con-
siderasion Of the military exlgenci.s and.
III the two requirements cannot be perfectly
reconciied, the military necessity must
override the convenience of business. Al
ios'ng. for the moment only. that the husi.
hess advantages are all In favor Of the east
SIDE OF the Sound. IL must also be admitted
- possible that hostile ships might pss.
any and all stationary deienses. ineisdinp
The Sarrows. Having effected sach a pass-
age, through the absence or misforsunes Of
our armed shipping, their guns will com.
mand the shore line in question.
with It's cities. unless the latter
De adequately protected By batteries in
tne.r immediate neighborhoods, a eondi.
ton difficult Of fsltiilmen, and not Iikely
10 he met. A hayward close 70 them
woaid both be exposed TO and invite an at
tack whieh considerations OF Agmani,y
might otherwise avert. Puget sound Is not
among those waters OF which il can be af-
hrmed that the art oil the engineer has
solved the problem absolutely OF excluding
ali armed fleets.
Fort Orchard. on the contrary. admits
the application TO the utmost extent. and
IN the least expensive manner, of all the
resources Of the engineer. Ii Is the citadel
OF Puget sound. not 10 be reduced except
by long aud regular approaches. even IL the
outer defenses be forced and the rest OF the
Sound be in the hands Of an enemy. suit
ably defended, 1t Is safe both from ssaden
dash ana from distant bomhardment bv
shipping. Within its ample limits not
only the hayward. but all the merchant
shippang OF the Sound can lind a secure
retreat; while with two natural outlets. ten
miles apart and of ample depth, the ships
OF war cannot be shot mp. as they might
nv Ia mi. -
remain constant threat to all enemy out
SHE and hindrance TO any extensive
operations farther up the Sound
But while the military reasons for Sc
leesing this locality are so strong, the as
sumption, admitted for the moment that
the Business considerations are all in favor
OF the other side. is not correct In its
business capacity a hayward needs not
only TO be near centers of supply and
labor. and In easy communication with
them: IL requires also good anchorage of
Ii. water deep. but not too deep, ample
water fronta ye, and a sufficient acreage Of
ground of slight elevation above high wa ter
mark, either level or of light grade. to adj
NIT Of the easy transportation of heavy
masses and the inexpensive excavation of
dry docks. II in the former conditions
Port Orchard is somewhat inferior To- the
neighborhood Of the Sound cities. II is
greatly and decisively superior in the full
fillment which il presents Of the latter
group OF requirements; while in the
character OF the ground for supporting
heavy buildings. In the seaithfnlness o, the
climate, and In the supply OF good drinking
water, the two localities are equally
favored
In regard TO the position n somewhat
removed from eenters of supply. the COM
mission have not been disposed to attach
much weight to the necessity of trans
shipment by water OF supplies brought 10
the cities BY rail. Ii Is admitted to be an
inconvenience. but not more. Port Orchard
Is distant by water from Seattle between
ten and fifteen miles. from Tacoma double
the distance. Except this Inconvenience.
the resources In the way of supply of the
rest Of the Sound and OF the whole North
west are equally the resources of Port
Orchard. II may be added, although the
commission has - q rule avoided surmises
on the future and confined itself 10
present conditions. that there is good
reason 10 expect railroad communications
before very long. A road has already been
built from the head OF Hoods canal toward
Port Orchard. which, although for logging
only is Incorporated: the distance is only
ten miles. the ground Is reported as OF easy
grade, and this road would readily com
municate with others already projected.
The question is important rather from the
military point Of view than from tina, of
inconvenience. rs aforiing a second line
of communication less open To Interrupt
ton than that by water.
The distance from centers OF labor seems
of more consequence. The intermittent ac-
tiyity which characierizes our navyyards.
the taking on and discharging of men ac-
eording In the state OF appropriation. the
necessity for increasing he force largely on
emergency, makes II an undoubsed incon-
venience 10 have yard distant from the
ordinary abo,ies of the required labor. The
inducements afforded by nayyvards under
present conditions. and especially under
the eight-hoIr law. may probably oe re
lied on 10 meet this difficulty
which reduces itself namely to the
question OF providing lodging and food
on the spot for considerable temporary
increase of the working force. This Diff
Guilty j. ninimiEed by the abundance and
cheapness of lumber and the conditions o.
the climate, which is so moderate a. 10 ad-
mil Of men living comfortably and health
fully i'm the uerest shells. 4 village named
Sidney IL already established 4 mile from
the site selected by the commission.
The chief and. in the opinion Of the com
mission. only defect Of Port Orchard
having now been stated and sufficiently
hieh .Fg.-s b..