Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-10-09
LAKE NAVAL DErESsEs.


Il WAsnuerox, Oct sit b altogether
peuhahls that ~ Secretary Of NE NAVY
win IN his annual report, or perhaps through
. communicasicn BY the PRECEDENT TO TIE
next session Of Congress. recommend the
modification, abfogation or extension Of
the ssrsement Of 1877, BY which the
United States and Great Britain are re-
ssricsed TO the maintenance on the lakes OF
the very small force Of vessels permitted to
be kept up by that agreement, which
vas apparently one solicited by fhe unifed
Ssstes. While no cause of irritation 10 nov
apparent that viii call for the presence on
the lakes Of fleets Of armed vessels, the
growing Importance of the lake ports aud
the commerce % the United States on the
lakes, together with some restrictions placed
upon the Government in the use OF money
20 increase the means Of defense in tire
even. Of hostile denominations, render II
advisable that there should be new I'M
defsfanding, and that il should ahord this
country the opportunity Of making use Of
the means ct its command to provide for
more sdeQuste defense in case OF N inter-
ruption of the existing friendly relations.
The agreement Of 1917 can be abrogated,
by its own terms. upon the notice BY one
government OF Its desire to abandon IL. Six
months notice 10 required. This require
meet would Of course be void in the event
OF extreme occasion for disresafding it, but
tho agreement uld not be 80 great IN
OBSTACLE 10 self defence by the UGite d
States IS the ste, utory prohibition OF tue
sovernmsnt TO expand money NOT previous
~ appropriated. Even with the agreement
set aside, this government. IN t1e even. of
an unexpected outbreak when the Congress
was rot in session, could not pro
vide q fleet fer delei c., nor sp-
propriats vessels for emergency service, 10
he ah.epcs of authority by the Congtess
for tina 1eer ditnre ST mons y in that difee-
lion IL Is sdlu,ite3 ihaI, sith the closing
to the United Ststes OF the Weliard Canal.
which, in case of hostilities, would remain
open for The p ,sssge only of such vessels
OF Great britain SO eoai3 move through
that canal TO the Upper Lakes, the ports Of
Lakes Ontario ana Erie would be exposed
for considerable time TO attacks which
thu government would be rowerless to
repel.
The secretary 10 nor convinced that there
are not ways Of providing for defense within
the meanirg of the agreement Sithe III
building and manning fleet, but it seem.
10 him, as it will to all persons desirous
that this Government shalt proceed in an
open aud honorable way that there should
be 20 doubt. The interest Of Great Britain.
as ss,imsted b. her commerce o. the tskes.
10 smsll as compared with thst Of the United
States. Aside from the ships of one pas
senger line, .hst Of the Canadian Pacific,
the Canadian vessels on The upper lakes are
small in number and inferior Ia size to tine
aversge United States vessel. The Cana
dian Pacific boats are squsl in capacity and
speed to these of any other line on the
lskes. Some OF thsm were built on the
Clyde, brought from the other side with
cargoes. broken in two ut the Weliand
Canal, floated through the cana. in sections
and rivsted together again at Buffalo.
There are on the lakes, scooidlog to the
lstess sveiisble statistics. STOUT $50 steam
vessels of are than 1000 tons burden be,
longing 10 American osneTs More than
100 Of these vessels are Of steel. iror, or of
wosd and steel and iron Many Of them
are Of the best modern type, with triple
expaIsio engine that are po~etful enough
10 drive then along at the rate Of 10 to l6
miles an hour. Not one OF these fine ships
has been constructed With sny reference to
adaptation 10 pu pores If deierse or cffense
in case of hos,ililies, but in the even. of
necessity there ia no doubt thst many Of
them could quickly be converted into de-
tenders Of the commerce of the LAKES
agsins. any force that could be hastily
,hyovn ip;o the lakes far Caua3a