Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-01-04
A WAR WITH CANADA.
The Projected Chicago Ship Canal as
a Means of Defense.
NO STEPS TAKEN By THE STATES
To Watch Her Pathways for English Yes
sells of Destruction.
A NAVAL STATION ON LAKE PEORIA

CHICAGO, Jan. 3.-Judge Richard Pen
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 great water power
that will be created at the western edge of
the city on the Desplaines river, making
possible the construction there of perhaps
the greatest mills on the continent, Judge
Pendergast said:
'.The general subject of such a waterway,
as it is the policy of the State OF Illinois to
cooperate in constructing. includes a
branch, which in the peaceful and profitable
days of commercial, industrial and agri-
cultural activities, is rot borne in mind by
the masses of the people, and yet which is
important to all of them. II was stipulated
by Great Britain and the United States in
the treaty OF 1917, that both nations should
be restricted to three war vessels on the
great lakes, and by the terms of the treaty
these were to be of the kind ana armament
as then known, the armament being on each
vessel one 18-pounder brass cannon such as
was known at that time.
Canada's Great Waterways.
lakes and the vast territories tributary to
them were mighty wilderness. Now the
lakes are bordered with regions of dense
population, and mighty cities are all along
their shores. The British Canadian author
ities at an expenditure of more than $780,
900, ,000 have constructed series
OF waterways between the lakes
and the Atlantic sea Board OF
such dimensions that over 125 war vessels
on the British naval list can pass from the
British naval station at Halifax, into the
great lakes, and in addition it has been the
policy of the Government to foster the con-
structiou of steel vessels for commercial pur-
poses, to navigate the Canadian waters sus-
sceptible OF use as armed cruisers in case OF
hostilities.
On the northwestern corner of our country
is Puget Sound, and there on Vancouver
Island. commanding that sound as complete
ly as the Rock of Gibraltar commands the
entrance to the Mediterranean, is another
British military and naval station, remark
able, among other things, for having
Planted on the Fortiications
there, the largest gun ever sent out from
the establishment of Krupp. So that not
to speak OF British military and naval
stations that circle our country in others,
such as the West Indies and Belisle Terri
tory, and the islands of the Pacific. we have
upon our Northern frontier, a rich, strong
and vigorous country and people. bound by
many ties to England presenting all
along our borders a magnificent system OF
offensive and defensive works, and up to
this hour the Government OF the United
States has done substantially nothing to
meet or cope with hostile demonstration.
May not the disproportion existing between
the preparations for war account for the re-
suits of diplomatic correspondence between
the two countries, of which America would
appear to have no special reason to be
proud ?"
Continuing, Judge Prem dergast said the
Federal Government has surveyed Lake
Peoria, which is but widening of the
Illinois river, opposite and near the city of
Peoria, and its naval experts and depart
ment have pronounced it an adequate and
available site for a Government station for
the construction, maneuvering and storing
of torpedo gunboats. 4
Might Have Prevented the War.
Indeed, mos. of the investigations and
expenditures made bv the Federal Govern
ment in the Illinois river have had relation
to the subject of ultimately perfecting
accessibility from the Mississippi to Lake
Michigan. IT such station existed at
Lake Peoria at the breaking out of the
Civil War, it is the opinion of those COM
petent to judge that the backbone of the
rebellion would have been broken year or
two earlier than it was.
But of course iuch situation would be
an absurdity in so far as it relates to the
lakes without channel for the passage of
vessels from it to the lakes. This should
compel the construction of the remainder of
the waterway by the Federal Government.
After resume of what he considered the
tremendous probable commercial effects of
the canal, Judge Prendergast in conclusion
said: "When Marquette and Joliet and La
Sale and Hennepin made their weary
marches to reach the river OF De Soto they
walked the way of destiny. This valley re-
gion, formerly the highway of waters, has
become and must become more and more the
highway of commerce.,