The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-04-26
FAVOR A SHIP CANAL.
Advantages Of the Lakes as a
Fresh Water Iiarbor.
Way Vessels With . Fresh Water Har-
bar TO lie in BETTER Tssa Any
rand FaTs4seattoas-

The corn r3snGers Gt the s@fs Z 'fftss 1N@sSs
shire nox ia shs hsFhov have bscoTsas
ruuch interested IN the Advantages of cat
ting the ship esn&l from Lake assiIFag"
ton 20 the soaaA, and they appreciate TIE
benefit to naval vessels % having land
locked fresh water asrksor IN Sascb shLps
could lie and free themselves from fsafna-
cses That taey Ers rnsa competent 10
sfeAs xlta authority on the ssbsees 10 AZ
parent from their position IA shs service.
Tor Capt. Cisrk, Who commands the Old
ship-rlgged Mohican. wia also command
ths Ber.nx sea feet. and Capt. foigsF. xA7
IN ln command of the handsome white
steel gunboat yorktown. is an aesnoss .
efgesi authority On steel aa4 artnored yes
sells. m fact. IL said 10 Lee one Of the beet
Ia any navy. IS they explained tie
nastisad OF banding their respective
ships. typifgsng the old and the new. -
posT. lsrgiafGEscss reporter. they changed
the TOPIC 10 tie ship canal. ard saoeesi
much enthusiasm ia taking OF the hsss
I'll such fresh ~atsr hafssor ~ 1t would
afford.
Capt. Clark was a. first reluctant 20 give
his vie vs. on the subject. as he sal! he ha1
never been over the ground and .hsrs'ors
could not speak from accurate knowledge
Of The proposed cut. Bat. SAID the
captain, that fresh water haFbor would
BIZ Welcome 10 the navy and merchant
marine visiting these waters cannot be
doubted" lie continued:
ssSo Notifications are needed At the en-
trance Ia Puget sound. In fact the jus
tanees are so great that gunboats could
run by them AZ farfngat ran by the bat
teries along the Mississippi during The
war. A gnnbost can run away from a
Bhore battery. therefore such Qualifications
are not needed 81 the entrancs. What
woasd he Of inestisnabie yasus 10 this sec
ton OF the country woaIa be $40 or three
Ifonelads.
Daring the late trouble WITH Chile tie
Pacific coast Was threatened by the Chill
Fan navy. II their navy had come north
II wo1sd not have stopped rs san Fran
eisco. as there are IL, tfGcatsons and gun
boats there. The Chilean navy would
rot have made any attempt whatever 70
MODEST that city. but IL would have passed
ri, aud visited Puget sound, running any
Qualifications that might 0s At tae ELI
trance and ztsaning down 90 Seattle and
Tacoma. ieyyIng tribute on both cities.
There would be nothing 10 fear. But
~ess the United States 10 keep sronciais
on Puget seund. tina, or any other navy
would think twice before coming in, for
them in battle. Now. as this is really an
excellent place tor a naval rendezvous,
there ahonld be a fresh water harbor. and
the proposed canal would open up such .
haFbot 90 Us.
Again, there Is the navy yord at Port
Orchard. 1t viii grow aud TIE enlarged.
and boats alter being repaired could lie in
tie fresh water while waiting commission.
and should q foreign lleN coms down
The Sound those vessels would he able TO
give them chase and make better speed.
owing 10 their clean bottoms. ! think the
Idea OF the canal an excellent one"
Dr. Lewis, Of the Mohiean, IL also deeply
Interested ia the CANA. and With hts map
Of .he CITY has traced out the proposed
waterway and is working on plans of it.
Another officer who is interested in the
subject more than ordinarily In Lieut.. 4.
v. Wsdhsms. executive officer Of the flag.
ship Nohican. Mr.. Wadhams has spent
some time at Lake Washington since his
arrival here. and ia reply 10 question:
said:
IL have been examining the map show,
Ing the proposed route of the CANA aud II
has Impressed me. Although this IL my
nrsr visit 10 Puget sound, nay attention
has been called To its importance hy
brother officers. A hasty examination Of
ksss map anu IatA NHRAiAEd from festabas
sources make IL appear that the conssTue.
ton # the canal - not difficult matter.
ne natural resources Of Seattle are such
that the city must gros into one of great
commercial importance, especially to this
coast. The tendency OF legislation and
public sentiment ~ toward rebuilding our
navy. At the same time no one Is losing
sight OF cur merchant marine which is
also growing every year. Every one knows
&hn ali familiar usfh fha Hmx4ffa
coast, that IL unfortunately has bat fe~
good hasbors. consequently Seattle offers
great attraction 10 vessels coming from
tapsa and China over the great circle
route. which Is the shortest one. Should
u DC knoea that ship cousd be puE IN
fresh water Immediately on arrival. OF soon
after. the captains and owners would
nsnCh prefer - come - Seattle, a place
shege sh ps could - ia fresh water during
t5s4r sH)o0rn a. port. thereby cieAnta 1
their bottoms ST marine substances Ii
would be especially important If the gov,
srament had 4 fresh water basin IN which
the aes shirts could he mOared when oHl
Of commission. The navy yard as Port
bFcaaTa being - near. and 1t VIII utfl
msteiy 10 = yard If much importance
repairs could lie made oa vessels and they
could then be taken T. fresh water to res
~ small Goat untG ~au;esi Tor service.
hardly know ot uavat station shAt - au} 4
be tnose important should this fresh " aIe1
lake ~ open to commerce. and / nevc,
heard any naval officer sFeak except wttl
enthusiasm regAFdl@s sho pgojeetei ca
nal.
aerwt. .na rAt,srssa At r"rt Townsend
foHr 1owssrNn. Aprtt "a Special e.
The United states survey steamer L. =
Patterson and the revenue euiter Coru
arrived at an early hour ms moraln.