The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-08-21
WOLCOTTLAUGHEDAT
Chamber Of Commerce Wants
Modern Revenue Steamer
THAT GAN CATCH sMueoLERs.


The Chamber Of Commerce is making .
renewed effort 70 induce the government
20 place on Puget sound q revenue marine
vessel which is capable of running down
smusgiers and rescuing shIpwrecked sea-
men on the ocean 81 the mouth of the
Straits The following letter mas been sent
20 Secretary Carlisle BY President Graves
and Secretary whittlesey. By order Of the
Chamber Of Commerce:
So: The Chamber of Commerce of the
city OF Seattle would respectfully direct
the attention of the treasury department.
10 the inacequate and inefficient revenue
marine service on the North Pacific coast
ana especially in this Puget sound couu-
try.
I'VE have in these Puget sound waters
and the Straits of Juan de Fuca together
sea coast lire Of more than 2, 2O miles,
intending that Of the islands, with almost
numheriess bays and inlets. afford
Ing the best Of harborage, ali
peculiarly exposed 70 Illegal inya-
ssons from abroad. Our close proximity
TO The British possessions. and the fact
that We are about 500 miles nearer the
Chinese and Japanese empire than is any
other part OF our coast, expose Us to law
breaking attempts from those countries.
The great quantity of prepared opium
brought through these waters from the
refineries of British Columbia, compared
with the small quantity that paws the
required duty. and the number of Chinese
laborers introduced in violation of law,
clearly demonstrates the necessity of bet
ter facilities for enforcing our revenue and
immigration laws.
zone Of the pressing needs OF commerce
In this quarter 10 vessel capsule OF going
upon the ocean and rendering aid to ships
In distress IN times OF storm. such q ves-
sci We have not and never have had. and
in consequences, il is believed here. several
ships have been lost with their crews and
cargoes.
Service OF this kind elsewhere falls to
the craft of the revenue marine. and has
been nobly discharged many times on the
Atlantic coast. Humanity makes appeal
for this ~ well IS trade, and the general
government. now that attention has been
called to it, viii. We hope, properly re-
spond
ITO meet thess important demands the
government has for service here in these
waters only the revenue mari ne steamer
Oliver Woicott. This vessel Is now about
twenty years old, and was built to supply
the wants of this coast at the time of her
construction. but at her best would have
been utterly inadequate for the service re-
quired now.
'.She is o wooden vessel of an old style,
equipped with machinery of obsolete pat
tern. which is practically worn out, her
boiler being in that condition that
it would long since have been dis
csraed II in the merchant marine. This
vessel cannot be pushed to any greater
speed than eight knots an hour, oftener
being able to make not more than six or
seven. By reason of her peculiar construc-
ton she makes noise while in motion that
may be heard with favorable conditions
for miles. thereby notifying law-breakers
Of her approach in time to get out of her
way. In fact, with all the energy and
vigilance her officers may display,
so notorious is her inefiiciency
that she has been for years
the standing joke of observers and
the contempt and derision of criminals
She is, furthermore unseaworthy and
practically useless for the relief Of vessels
in distress outside on the sea coast.
This vessel has had all the revenue
marine duty Of these waters TO perform for
many years and, during the summer sea-
son. that of the whole Pacific coast.
I'VE therefore respectfully urge on the
department that a modern sufficiently
speedy seaworthy revenue marine steamer
be speedily assigned 70 Puget sound for
permanent duty thereon and outside on
the Pacific coast