The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-05-29
TORPEDO BoArs ron TEE LAKES.
The Proposal 60 Esiarse the Leeks Of che
Erie tanai for Thetr use.

Erie Casai for Their Use.
wAsHfNoToN. May os.-The bill introduced
by Congressman Mahany for the enlarRing
OF the locks on the Erie Canal, 90 that tor
pedo bonts can get access TO the great lakes,
Is to bo made the subject Of investigation by
Major Symons OF tho Engineer Corps. lie will
mako a report upon IL to Gen. CrnIRhill be-
fore tho opening Of the neat session Of Con-
gross, and his statistics as to the probable
cost Of the undertaking will doubtless carry
weight with the House committee which has
charge Of the bill.
In It's present form the bill appropriates
50, 900, 900 for widening the locks, 'in order
To permit tho passage Of torpedo boats and
other vessels Of war Of similar dimensions, to
tho end Of protecting tho lake cities In
tho case Of war;" The sum may seem
large, since n whole notllla Of torpedo boats
could be built with IL. But the trouble Is
that no such fotilla could be stationed on tho
lakes. as the Rush Bagot treaty forbids II.
Yet II there were adequate means Of getting
torpedo boats to tho lakes, the entire force
Of thcm on the Atlantic seaboard would be
available for sending up the Hudson and
through the Erie Canal.
What makes tho bill specially timely Il that
the state of New York is now TO lay out n
large sum in deepening this canal. improving
the locks. and otherwise bctterinR 1t. IL will
necessarily keep IN view only commercial re-
q~uiremeDts; but II Congress should desire.
for strategic reasons, to make such other
changes as tho ono proposed in Mr.. Mahany's
bill the present Is obviously. a good occasion.
II may further be suggested that as the Erie
Canal lie q free canal. largely used by tho
great Northwest Tor the transportation OF It's
poses. which should also aid its commercial
uses. would favorably affect a great area, so
that In q double sense the work would DO
Two years ago and moro the Endicott For
of the various harbors, put down S720. 900 for
torpedo boats at the lake ports. OF course IL
which limits both England and our country to
an Insignificant naval force on the lakes.
But 1t pointed out that whereas in those early
days the borders Of the lakes were undevel-
oped, now large cities dot the coasts, and tho
wealth and property liable TO destruction arc
enormous. In the meanwhile our neiRhbors
over the line have surmounted, the rapids Of
the 81. Lawrence and the Falls OF Niagara.
boats Of nine feet drausht. and whom the i'm
provements shall have been finished. will have
a depth Of fourteen feet, 80 that srmGd YES
float IN the water. OF Lake Erie. 4 state OF
war. therefore, with that power: would at this
still more noticoably the report proceeds
from bombardment." II proposed. how
sy'F str to R5SssHs LH Fsrt Hn %ay asa a: and '' EsIa
RomerJ at Rouse's Point, and to construct a
1T is proposed to keep in one of the Interior
lakes OF New York vessels armed with light
guns and furnished with self moving tor
pedoes, to be sent when needed, by canal, into
Lake Ontario. Some might be senE, to Buff
flo fss l fST se nN1s Of IN 1s ,hs qp n,sr,6 lsa & sort a of ron on
uge, was to be established.
Thus 1t will be seen that long ago this prob
lem OF torpedo boats was under consideration,
Canal on the st. Lawrence, between Lachine
and Montreal, has a maximum depth Of four
teen feet, though only twelve, It is said, can
gee, now under construction, is also for q
depth Of fourteen feet, as is the famous We'll
land. though the latter is subject to some
fiuctuation in the summit level by reason of
high winds on Lake Erie. 1t may further be
noted that the degree of Importance attached
the Endicott Board placed them fourth in
ports. New York. San Francisco. and Boston
Capt. Sampson, the Chief of tho Bureau OF
Naval Ordinance, said not very long ago that the
improvement of the New York canals might DO
Of almost i%nestimable value in enabling the
Government to protect the lakes. The only
other things to do, he said. in order to prevent
an English feet from overrunning the lakes in
case OF war. would be to hurry an armed force
across the border to destroy tho Dominion ca
nails, and to have guns ready for mounting on
merchantmen. But the canals in New York. no
added. could, at comparatively small cost, be
made nsviRable for torpedo boats from the At
lantic to the lakes by enlarHing their locks.
similar opinions were expressed by Com
mander Converse Of the Newport torpedo sta
ton Referring TO the recommendation Of the
pedo Runboats to be kept ready for emergency.
he said I, would be better II the canals we're 90
GLASS. perhaps $50 feet long.
The whole question is likely now to receive
careful attention, and u careful report on 1t may
be expected before the end Of the year.