The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-01-04
TIE GREAT LAKES.
The Question Of an American
Navy Upon Them.
SMUGGLING OPIUM FROM CANADA:
1t Is Going On at Lively Rate-Chinese are
Being Brought in lllegally-In-
vestigating the Matter.

CHICAGO, Jan. 3.-Judge Richard Prem
dergast in his inaugural address to-day as
president of the Chicago Ship canal trus
tees, made some notable utterances After
outlining the present status of the enter
prise and suggesting the immense water
power that would be created at the western
edge of the city On Desplaines river, max
ing possible the construction there
of perhaps the greatest mills on
the continent, Judge Prendergast said
the general subject of such waterway, as it
is the policy of the state of Illinois to Co
operate in constructing it, includes branch
which IN the peaceful and profitable days
OF commercial, industrial and agricultural
activities, is not borne in mind by the
masses of the people, and yet which is i'm
portaut to all of them. The judge refers to
Gne restriction of our naval force on the
great lakes by treaty with Great
Britain made when the territories tribu-
tary from them were a mighty wilder
ness. Now, the lakes are bordered with
regions of dense population and great
cities are all along their shores. The
British Canadian authorities, at an eX-
penditure of more than $500, 100000 have
constructed series of water ways
between the lakes and the Atlantic
seaboard of such dimensions that over one
hundred and twenty-five war vessels on
the British naval list can pass into the great
lakes, and in addition, it has been the policy
of that government to foster the construc-
ton of steel vessels for commercial pur-
poses to navigate Canadian waters Suscept-
IDLE of use as armed cruisers in case of
hostilities.
He mentions the system of armament on
Vancouver island, commanding Puget
sound, and says: 'In addition to all this,
as well as the British military and naval
stations that circle our country in other
waters, we have on our northern frontier a
| rich, strong and vigorous country and a
people bound by many ties to England,
| presenting all along our borders magnih-
cent system of offensive and de-
| fensive utilities, and up to this hour
the government of the United States has
| done substantially nothing to meet or cop
with hostile demonstration from this
| source. The federal government has sur
veyed Lake Peoria, which is but widening
| of the Illinois river, near the city of Peo-
ria, and naval experts have pronounced ii
an adequate and available site for a gov
| eminent station for the construction, ma
neuvering and storing of torpedo boats
| Indeed, most of the Investigations and
expenditures made by the federal govern
ment in Illinois relating to the subject
| OF ultimately p5rfeCtlng accessibility
from the Mississippi river to
Lake Michigan. But Of course
such station would be an absurdity in sc
far as it relates to the lakes, without &
channel for the passage of vessels from il
to the lakes and there is no doubt the con
| struction of main channel, aided by the
| logic of the situation and of events, vii
compel the construction of the remainder
of q water way by the federal government,
with, among other things, the construction
of such a naval station near the city of Pc
oria."
After a resume of what he considers the
tremendous probable commercial effects Of
the canal, Judge Prendergast, in conclu
sion. said: ''When Marquette, Joliet, LIZ
Sale and Hennepin made their weary
marches to reach the river of De Soto, they
walked the way of destiny. This valley
region, formerly the highway Of waters
has become and must become more aDC
more the highway of commerce"