The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-04-08
MOBILES NAVY YARD.
How the Mississippi River Is to Be shorp
Of Some Of It's Glory.


Of Some Of It's Glory.
From the Mobile (Ala.) Register
The people of Mobile-indeed the peo-
pie OF Alabama, through their delegates,
who assembled here yesterday from vari-
Gus interior cities-extend cordial salu-
tation to Commodore Mccain, Capts.
Boyd and Brownson and Lieut.. Kennedy,
OF the navy, and to Gen. Casey, OF tho
army. The Naval Commission, in exam
lining the Gulf coast with view to select
ing an eligible site for navy yard, will
probably be limited by the necessities OF
the case to one OF three places, the old
navy yard at Pensacola, point on the
Mississippi River or the Mount Vernon
reservation upon Mobile River.
There is little to be said in favor OF PEN
sacola, except that navy yard was once
there. But that was in the DAYS of wooden
ships Now, hostile fleet could stand
| out at sea and batter down navy-yard at
that point. Apart from the exposure of
the harbor, there are no navigable streams
back of Pensacola. The bay is simply n
pocket in the coast.
The contest will be between the Missis-
sippi River and Mount Vernon. The only
advantage offered by the Mississippi River
is the water communication which would
connect the navy-yard with the lakes and
interior points. But this advantage is
more apparent than real To get coal and
iron for navy-yard at Algiers, it would
be necessary to transport ii down the War.
rior or Coosa, past Mount Vernon, through
Grants Pass and through Lakes Borgne
and Pontchartrain, and by canal into the
Mississippi River.
Just as easily by this land.locked route
the gunboats needed on the Mississippi
and its tributaries could pass from Mount
Vernon into the Mississippi just rs steam
boats can now pass, and just US barges will
pass with coal the moment the works at
Tuscaloosa are completed. But the Mis-
sissippi River Is not TO be the only water
route for the Mississippi Valley. The
opening OF the Coosa is now determined
upon and will be an accomplished fact in
few years. The removal OF the obstruc-
tons at the lower end of the river will be
| speedily followed with a canal only thirty
miles in length connecting the Coosa and
Tennessee. Then the Mississippi River
will actually have mouth at Mobile, rs
she now has n mouth here practically
through the sound. 1t is very evident
that the Mississippi River once flowed
over the basin now covered by the lakes
and the sound. IL may enter into her
erratc head 10 do so again. but whether
sue keeps on past Algiers and submits
TO the curb which Eads put into her
capacious mouth, or whether she breaks
through the Atchaialaya and makes
that her chief stream, leaving New Orleans
and Algicrs for the buEards to roost on,
or whether she breaks through Lake Pont-
chartrain and comes sweeping on to make
a new mouth at Dauphin lsland-no mat
ter what she does she has no closer and
certainly no more reliable water commu-
nication with the interior than Mobile now
has, and not 30 good as Mobile will have
in the near future. Against Algiers or any
other point on the Mississippi within con-
venient reach OF the coast aud within suili-
cient depth Of water will doubtless be
urged the shifting character OF the river
and the dangers OF the climate. Whether
these objections are valid or not the cons
mission will have abundant facts before
\ them TO determine.
But II Is certain that none OF these OBJ
jections pertain to Mount Vernon.
TWAS long ago selected as a Government
arsenal and named for the home OF Wash
ingion. II Is sufficiently removed from
the sea and guns Of hostile fleets. Tho
climate is absolutely perfect. II has direct
river and rail communication with the coal
and iron fields OF Alabama. IL could com.
mand, at least, all the various materials FOL
ship-building.