Morning journal and courier., 1891-12-09
\ GREAT WATER WAY.

The National Movementfo for Increased
 Coast and Harbor Defenses-Nevv
 York, Long Island Sound and New
 Haven Breakxvater-The Proposed
 Forts for New Haven,s Protection
 New Haven,s Chamber of Conn
 merce.
 The past week has been spent in Wash ington by the chairman of the New Haven chamber of commerce committee on forti- fcations at the east entrance of Long Isl and sound and also on breakwaters and harbor improvements. While there the scheme for coast defenses, which, when completed will be the strongest coast pro- | lection on this continent and will cost mil lions of dollars, was presented to con- gress.
 This committee, composed of important l citizens, of which Captain Townshend is | chairman, which was also appointed by | the New Haven chamber of commerce Ito draft bill for fortifying the islands at | the east entrance of Long Island sound. From Captain Townshend we learn the | following He has just returned from | Washington, where during the week he | devoted his time to looking up interests of great importance and magnitude for | this section of the United States coast Captain Townshend, besides being chairman of two important committees of | the chamber of commerce, represents the | chamber also regarding the two forts rec commended by late act of congress to be 1 erected at New Haven for protection to | the Harbor of Refuge.
 Captain T. says he called on United l States Senator Hawley and the representa- l tive of the New Haven district, Hon. WE. Wilcox, M. O., who were found at their posts ready for duty, and submitted the | New Haven chamber of commerce bill for | fortifying the islands at the east entrance of Long Island sound for the protection | (already too long neglected) of the coasts | of New York, Connecticut and Rhode Island against invasion from an enemy's feet The text of this bill, it will be re- COURIER verbatim the morning following it's unanimous adoption by the chamber at their meeting last month.
 1 Representative Wilcox at once secured an appointment with the secretary of war, who received the New Haven com mittee; although just having resigned his post to take the place of Senator Ed munds in the United States senate. He expressed himself earnestly in favor of the l proposed bill and at once caused an audi ence to be had with General Casy, chief of engineers, United States army, who assured the committee that every effort would be made to bring before this con- gross proper scheme for this important work, which should at once be commenced. l During the interview, General Scofeld, the commanding general of the United l States navy, met thescommittee and later 6 l call was made at the office of the secretary of the navy. He, however, was absent from the office, but from @ previous talk with Admiral Walker, United States navy
 who the past summer while in command of the White squadron had an opportunity to study the problem and had before ex. pressed his views on this important prob lem, it is expected that enough has been done to impress upon our congressmen the 1 importance of immediate action on this highly important project.
 The United States engineer also inform
 ed the committee that the work on the New
 Haven harbor of refuge was progressing
 favorably. Every precaution would bt
 made against disaster by night, and snow
 storms and fog during tempestuous
 weather, and he had recommended $500, ,00(
 for the breakwater and $63,O ,O00 for dredg
 ing the harbor channel. Being fully
 aware also of the importance of the grea l "O1h hOW OoluS COuuuCGcu 1OI
 the general benefit of commerce he should
 do everything in his power to hurry it tt
 completion. It is estimated that the oute
 harbor off the port of New Haven vii
 have a roadstead four times thu
 capacity of New London, and that the bes
 breakwaters will cover good anchorage
 ground off Oyster river with a depth O.
 from thirty to thirty-five feet at mean lov
 water. The roadstead will also be pro
 tected by still another breakwater, farthe
 southwestward (one mile long), to give pro
 tection from southwest gales which, durin,
 the autumn months, blow with unprotected
 sweep from this direction. These heavy
 winds impart to the ebb or tide running eastward increased energy, increasing al already heavy sea which breaks it's force
 in Morris Cove or on the rocky shore east ) ward of old New Haven Lighthouse point l This western breakwater, Captain Town shend adds, will give pacific roadsteat
 which will fit the requirements of futur Commence when ships of the tonnage } sf the "Great Eastern" C22, 900 tons) whicl , has several times navigated within fev
 miles of here shall have use for it and tn
 combined navies of the world, such a Captain Townshend saw rendezvous a Cherbourgh, France, in 1867, shall hay use for it and when the population in
 cluding New York city along Long Islan' sound shall count 10, 900, ,00O souls.
 Besides all this double the oommerc ) passes through this great waterway-Lon Island sound-than passes annuall through the Suez canal.