The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-11-29
Believed to Be Necessary to Secure
a Deep Water Channel,
FROM HAMPTON ROADS TO MAYNARD
Interesting Interviews With Promi-
nent Men as 10 the Best PLAN to
BE Pursued-ro Invite the River
and IIarbor Committee 60 visit
This Port This Year.


diate action in the matter of deepening
the channel 20 the navy-yard sufficiently
10 permit the entrance of the largest
vessels. y communication from Colonel
William Lamb on the subject in sun
days Nirginian has crea ted widespread Il
discussion. In order to ascertain just
what action was proposed. and what
plans were in contemplation looking
toward securing for Norfolk an appro-
priation for the purpose, Il number of
representative gentlemen We're inter-
viewed yesterday by the Virgnian with
the following result:
COLONEL. LAMB TALKS.
Colonel William Lamb, in explaining
his position. said:
We need depth of not less than
twenty eight feet at low water. 1t is
well known that our largest warships
cannot get to our navy-yard without Sc
rious risk of grounding which would
cost the Government almost as much
as the work of diedging the channel to
the dePth mentioned. AT my earnest
solicitation. "a chairman of a committee
from the Chamber of Commerce of this
city, the Senate and House of the FIFTY
third Congress passed Il joint resolution
NaskinE that the Secretary of War be re-
tMestcd to furnish as soon as possible
eAtlmates OF the cos; of providing and
dtepening the channel $50 yards wide
and IS feet deep from Hampton Roads
toSth United States navy-yard here.
lUlteu SttleS Engineer AT tDlS point.
Captain Thomas Il. Casey, anticipating
THE passage of this resolution, sent such
an, estimate, placing the sum needed at
100000. The matter is now in the hands
of\ the River and Harbor Committee,
and L believe rhey are favorable to It,
Immediate action should be taken. and
I believe If this Is done the committee
willy recommend this appropriation. and
that bill for the same will be passed
by the. mex; Congress without delay,
whereas, If the mater is deferred. when
the new administration comes in there
Is no telling what will become of II. We
don't know what will be the attitude OF
the new committee or he new Congress
toward such Il bill, and the whole thing
viii have to be gone over and worked
up hgain. 1t Will be over n year, posSi-
blyJ two years, before any action could
be saken.
"People come to me asking for work
We can give them work as soon as we
getNwater here so deep that vessels built
at this yard won't have to be sent TO
New York for repairs; then our yard will
get US share of the work. There is no
telling how great the advantage: ghat
will accrue to this port, outside of this.
too, in n commercial way"
CAPTAIN CASEY TALKS
Captain Thomas l.. Casey. in charge Of
the United States Engineer Office nj this
point, had something of interest 10 say
on the subject. The work of his depart
ment, he said. was creative. not eXecu-
tive. He was not, therefore, in a posi-
tion to dictate to Congress what new
work should be done but n IS his per
sonal opinion that the 1850 900 appropri-
alton for 2S-foot channel should be Sc
cured before the effort TO widen the har-
bor by cutting off Hospital Point Is
made.
My idea would be-" said the Captain,
ITO dredge the present channel which ia
SuD feet wide. 1,nilI a "
eight feet from the deep wafer of Hamp-
ton Roads 10 the navy-yard. The chan
mel I'm the Eastern Branch To the Norfolk
and Western bridge, could then be made
Uwenty-five feet deep.
FINISHED IN \ YEAR
This work could be finished in one year
after the appropriation is made avail
able. On our present work on the %
foot channel We have three dredges a.
work, AT different points. and the entire
work Will he completed within five
months from its beginning
In my work under the last appropria-
hion, / made some experiments on my
lown responsibility. At SeWalrs Point
II had 40-foot strip in the middle OF the
channel cut 2S feet, with the idea that
tbs, sides would cave in around il and
give>a uniform depth of about PC or 27
was very successful. Whether & will be
utilized further is. of course, a matter
for Congressional decision.
FAVORS AN ADVISORY BOARD.
II consider the Virginian's plan for an
Advisory Board of public spirited citi-
zens who would look after the interests
OF the harbor, a good one. Such boards
are now in existence in several cities.
notably the Advisory Board TO the Dock
Committee of New York. composed of
men thoroughly acquainted with the
commercial needs of the port
Their advice is of incalculablc benefit
TO the committee in the conduct of their
department Then there is the Advisory
Board to the Port Wardens of Philadel-
phia, organized on the same lines.
by all means. let Norfolk have a per-
manent committee of the kind. whose
work would be in conjunction with the
Ifarbor Commissioners. II would be n
COED idea, and trust 1t will be adopted -
ADMIRAL GEORGE BROWN.
Admiral George Brown. commandant
of the Norfolk navy-yard. is of course
greatly interested in the subject, and
ever since his first assignment to this
station he has been un,iring in his ef-
forts to secure a deep water channel
from Hampton Roads to the navy-yard.
Continued on Sixth Page.)