Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-12-21
HAS PERRY In MIND
Foster Has No Fears Of Cam
/, adian Cutters.
THAT ANCIENT TREATY OF 1877.
This Country Can Protect ths Great Lakss
and Inland Sec .Possf IA Case
Of War. -

stou VI tcvcuuo Cutt9to on Tue &SU8t
lakes bv the Canadian suthorilies, has
received renewed consideratiou blythe
officials OF the treasury department
within the past few days. since the ~
csipt OF report made BY one Of the
lieutenants in the service 10 Captsin
Sheppard o. the revenue marine SER
vice. In this report tho lieutenant
writes at considerable length of the
new vessels which have been built by
Canada within the past year or 20,
and which now arc about ready for
service.
There are three of them-the Con-
stance, the Curlew and the Petrek.
Designs Of the ships have been occurred
and accompany the report. They show
that in. oil essential features. tle bows
are naval vessels. They have steel
protected decks. ram bows, are fitted
for the reception OF torpedo tubes,
have filings for the mounting of one
inch Hotchkiss rapid fire guns, and
carry three guns, one on either bow
and one at the stern, of the maximum
Norfeidt type-vcsy effective weapons.
The designs for the boats were furn.
ished from the British admiralty; the
construction was sCperintended by
officers from the admiralty, and the
officers of the vessels, it is understood,
Will come from the British navy.
Looking Ahead.
The report states that English and
Canadian officers and citizens explained
that these vessels were built with q
view TO protecting tho Welland canal
from destruction in CASE of attack.
And in this connection the statement
was made that there are fifty vessels
in the British navy that can be intro.
duced into the great lakes via the st.
have been let for enlarging and
Montreal (which is the shallowest and
containing the smallest locks), so that
when completed, vessels 230 feet Tong
and drawing from twelve to fourteen
feet will be transported through the
canals with practically no loss OF time.
The report does not excite any ap-
prehenslon or alarm At the treasury
department.. Assistant Secretary Spald-
ing says he has no Fear that England
will at any time endeavor to rush q
fleet of fifty vessels through the st.
Lawrence 10 the lakes, nor that the
BritishSvessels. ON the lakes will ever
seriously menace, either the commerce
Of the inland seas or the great cities
that lie on the borders thereof. Owing
to the absence ffom the city of Captain
Sheppard, the report has not yet been
officially communicated 10 the officials
of tho treasury department and hence
its contents have nOt been transmitted
to the department Of the state.
Fosser Ia sasguine.
Secretary J. w. Foster stated today
that no information of the building OF
vessels on the lakes by Canada had
been received by his department since
the date OF his recent report to the
president upon the treaty Of 1917, reg
ula;iDg the force OF armed vessels 10
be maintained on the lakes, which waa
transmitted to congress week before
last.
''Is it the policy of the United States
to meet an increase of force on tho
lakes by Canada by . similar increase
of our own armament" was asked.
Speaking only for the state depart
ment." WAS the reply, II should say
the United States will not build any
revenue cutters on the lakes unless II
needs them. That is question for the
treasury department to determine.
When additional ships are needed in
the current business Of the country
they will be constructed, and not be-
fore. The treaty of 1917, as construed
by both the United States and Great
Britain. places no restriction upon the
force of revenue vessels that may be
on the lakes by either
party. But the documents should be
amended in some important particulars
to make 1t conform to modern condi-
tlons. In its present shape 1t IS out of
date. and some of its requirements are
ignored by mutual consent"