The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-02-18
A Continental Waterway and Conti-
mental Union.

Aline Of deep-water communication be-
tween the great lakes and the ocean has
engaged the attention OF the Government
from time to time, not only for purposes OF
| the national defence, but for the promotion
OF internal and external commerce. Many
| lines have been surveyed. and many plans
and estimates have been submitted. and
| vet nothing effective has been done toward
| selecting a definite location or constructing
the work. 1t has been shown that a FEAST
BILE route exists along the Illinois and Mich
ipan Canal from Lake Michigan to the 1lli-
nois River. and thence by the Mississippi to
the Gulf Of Mexico. but as this could not be
used by %gunboats, except during high stages
Of water In the Illinois and Mississippi. 1t
cannot be available for the national defence.
1t has also been shown that the Erie Canal
might be enlarged 80 as to give us a safe
waterway for vessels OF twenty feet draught
from Lake Erie to the Hudson River. en-
tirely within our own territory, and out OF
the reach OF q hostile Canadian force. but
as such O waterway would cost somewhere
between four and five hundred million dol
lars, it must also be dismissed as imprac-
ticable for the present. And this may be
the more readily done. for the reason that
a much better waterway may be obtained
by enlarging the Welland and st. Lawrence
canals and using the st. Lawrence River.
all Of which could probably be done for less
than half the money that it would cost to
enlarge the Erie Canal. In other words. the
amount saved by charging the Canadian
system would be from W. hundred and
fifty to two hundred and eighty million
ADllora a nj apf1riapf fn nav tho pnfirp
debt Of the Dominion Government. But
the Canadian waterway. having short canals
and long reaches OF open river. would be
much more commodious and could be navi-
gated with much greater speed and econ
omy than the Erie. Indeed. there is scarce
ly room for comparison. The only advan-
tage Is that the latter would end in the
Hudson. and lead straight to New York.
while the former follows the st. Lawrence
and ends at Montreal.
But there Is an insuperable objection to
the st. Lawrence waterway so long as
Canada remains under the British flag.
Nor will 1t escape the attention Of the
reader that the presence OF that flag on this
continent is the strongest possible argu-
ment. in fact almost the. only one in favor
OF a deep waterway along the Erie Canal.
With continental union once accomplished.
We should be free to select and use the
better line. and there would be no shadow Of
occasion to employ it for the passage Of gum
boats into the great lakes. Tho national
defence in that quarter will be forever
secure when the national flag shall fly over
the regions which separate US from the
frozen ocean Of the north.
The commercial necessities Of the North
western States require an open waterway
to the Atlantic seaboard. and sooner or later
will compel its construction whatever may
be the cost. This much is certain. 1t only
remains for the national Government to Sc
cure the best possible route. and to this end
to adopt such a national policy as shall pro-
mote and not retard the advancement of its
manifest destiny.
A peaceable. orderly. and equal union OF
the Dominion Of Canada with the United
States seems to be called for by more than
one of our great continental interests. And
so far as we know. nothing is in the way OF
it but a conservative feeling in some Amer
leans, and a sentimental one in a few Ca
nadlans. who are unwilling to share the lot
Of the continent to which they belong. but
still revere the British flag and stand out
for the British connection.