The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-03-24
TO URGE NIcARAeuES CANAL.
ADMIRAL ASIMEN'S ADVOCACY OF
THE CANAL SCHEME.

To Address the Board of Trade and
Cotton ExchanEe-The AdmiraI's
Ideas Of Coast Defense and of the
Port Royal Dry DOck-Savannah
Easily Defended in Case of Attack
by Foreign Fleet.
Rear Admiral Daniel Ammen Of the
navy Is stopping at the Pulaski house.
Since his retirement Admiral Ammen
has taken a warm interest in the inter
oceanic canal question and was sent 10
Paris as a delegate 20 the Paris canal
congress. OF late years he has been
warm advocate Of the Nicaragua canal,
and will address the members Of the
board of trade tomorrow al noon in the
board Of trade rooms. and members OF
the cotton exchange. on the canal scheme.
To a Morning News reporter yesterday
Admiral Ammen said the two most re-
cent attacks made on the Nicaragua canal
have been an article i'm the New
York Herald and another in the Forum
for March over the signature Of ex-gOv-
ernment statistician Nimmo. "A Mr..
Nimmo." Admiral Ammen says, boldly
states that Nicaragua is in the calm
belt or doldrums on both sides. which is
ridiculous, as the Caribbean sea has
stronger trade winds than any other sea
l know" The Herald article, he said is
calculated to make people believe
that II the canal is in existence. it would
divert commerce from this country. The
young man who wrote that article said
Admiral Ammen did not evidently know
what he was writing about Nearly all
the commerce of Europe which crosses
the american continent goes by way OF
the Northern Pacific railroad. Even cot
TON IS sent north 10 the Northern Pacific
from savannah, and other points, and
taken in that way to China and Japan.
A large fleet of enormous merchan YES
sells Is being built now, under subsidies
of the English and Canadian governments,
TO sun further assist in diverting traffic
10 the Northern Pacific route.
Admiral Ammen was asked as to the
near possibility Of the United States gov
eminent acting in the matter.
The company that wishes to build the
canal, ne said, has a bill now before
congress and until congress acts either
faVorably or adversely no progress can
De De mace; The people who build the canai
VIII control II, not as a nation, hut az
owners. II has been asserted thar no
matter who built the canal the United
states would control il. To control Dron-
erty owned by other people is pirsc1
ADMIRAL Ammen mapped out a route
from Liverpool to China and JaDan
SniTone1 me proposed canal, having trade
WINDS TO commend it, both going ana
coming. The saving in coal alone. he
Salos would be tremendous
On account of his wide experience a. n
naval commander, as well az his far,fi
larlty with the coast, Admiral Amrnen
was asked as to the possibilities of da-
aSlrse ag ga 1 foreign fleet should one
savannah, he said. could be very easily
tLeiSIlueu, any medtum-sized warshiD
s',tyi'iar, up by few torpedoes. would be
SuilCIeht TOT the purpose. The coast line
below here however. should be defendnd
Inc internal waterway which exists froT,
charleston 20 Jacksonville would be very
usetul Tor that purpose, containing, as 4
boats S Iorpeuo
Speaking of the dry dock at Port RovaI
a., a. Ainnen SAID, The dock is a wood
en- one, which is always a mistake The gov
eminent should not build wooden docks
anywhere; they decay too readily, and ars
altogether unsatisfactory" -
Inc only other place on this mart of tba
coast available for dry dock pur-
poses admiral Ammen thinks. is KEY
west. Fla, The main trouble with the
docking of the Indiana consists he sa,,s
Of the action of the adverse winds or ~ ,,
tides' and the fact that latteriv the bigb
n ,5 nave come at night. A mistake was
d fIasue, ne says IN not making the dock
deeper; the sill, as it is, little higher than
lne top OF the bar. Admiral Ammen is a
Strong advocate. for a government dry
a JOCK az Key West, the coral formation
needed. The government, he said shoui5
nave good dry docks on the south Al
!antic, SO as TO obviate trouble in case of
1870, occupancy or northern waters by a
"a Admiral Ammen was the playfelIow and
hIe-iong friend OF Gen. Grant. He en-
, reaeo ne " navy IN 1886, and was in com
mana OF the steamer Seneca in the cap
ture OF Port Royal. He was also In
command Of the. monitor Patapsco in
s sis sSiacK on Foft .McAlisterc and in the
aItaek on Fort Sumter in 1868. During
the Two commandments of Fort Fisher he
was IN command of the Mohican,