The record-union., 1896-05-27

| whatever discharge of sediment there
would be from the creek. This creek
was used in the beginning by schoon-
ers and small craft which were suffi-
cient for the trade of the then unset
tied country. The circumstances of it's
location, favorable for such craft, are
unfavorable for the formation of a
great seaport such as the commerce of
Southern California now demands
| I'VE come now to that locality which
| appears specially favored by nature,
Santa Monica.
''The bay of Santa Monica is in it's
combination of natural features. unique
| on the Pacific Coast. Here the depth of
water increases from the beach out
ward with an easy and gradual slope
| for several miles,
Mr.. Frye, continuing, said: Then he
| Captain Taylor goes on to argue the
necessity and practicability of locating
| it at Santa Monica. Captain Taylor is
now the President of the Naval War
College at Newport. At the request Of
the committee / wrote to Captain Tay-
lor informing him that there was to
be hearing before the committee on
such day, and asking him if he
would not be present and give his tes-
timony. He received the letter too late
for the hearing. He wrote me that he
would come at any time the commit
tee desired, but that he must be au-
thorized to do SO by the Secretary of
the Navy. A telegram was sent to him
the next day, in order to save him from
coming if possible, to know whether or
not he had changed his mind any about
Santa Monica since he made the report
and he said in a telegram:
Nautical advantages excellent. Nat
ural location a great port. My opinion
strong"
Now, where can you get better tes-
tfmony than that? There is the man
who made aal the surveys, the man un-
der whose surveys these charts were
made, a man utterly Indifferent. When
there was no controversy, when there
were no two sides, when there was no
contest ON the one side and no contest
on the other, when no question was
presented to the Senate and no question
to the Committee on Commerce, this
naval officer gives his opinion selecting
above all within 200 miles, and he fa-
miliar with every mile of it, Santa
Monica, and giving his reasons.
/ received some time ago a letter from
General Miles, dated Chicago, H., May
%, 1894. He is the present General of
the United States army. He says:
MY Dear Senator: I have been in
formed that there is a movement on
foot to improve the harbor of Santa
Monica, Cal. l desire to say that l was
for several years in command of the
Department of Arizona, also in COM
mand of the Division of the Pacific, and
for more than two years had my head
quarters at Los Angeles, Cal. That
city is the center of communication and
commerce for that whole southwest
district of country, including South
ern California and Arizona There is
in prospect a road running northwest
that will connect it with Utah. Within
| sixteen miles, i'm a direct lina is the har-
bor of Santa Monica, which will un-
doubtedly be the principal port of en-
try on the Southern Pacific Coast
II have had excellent opportunity for
observing the condition of the climate
| and the effect of storms in all seasons
of the year, and have no hesitation in
saying that it has many advantages to
IL y
The Typographical features of the coast
are such as to give, to some extent
| natural protection. and, with the as
sistance that could be given to it by
either the Government or private enter
prises, will make it, in my opinion, a
perfectly safe harbor and good anchor
age for vessels. There is sufficient
depth of water for ships of any draft,
and the pier that was built many years
ago and the very large and important
one that was recently built have dem
onStrated the capacity of such con-
structions to stand the severest storms.
.I would recommend a liberal appro-
priation by the Government to improve
what nature has already done and
what private enterprises have SO gem
| erously contributed far in the advance
of the work which would naturally fall
to the Government TO perform, as the
| Improvement of the harbor is of ma
tional Importance.
I'm the immediate vicinity of Santa
Monica there are very high and COM
! mandfng bluffs upon which land bat
teries of mortars and rifle guns could
be placed, which would render the har-
| Dor easily defended. Very respectfully,
| your obedient servant,
NELSON A MILES.
"Major-General, L. s. A.
Hon WILLIAM p. FRYE. United
| States Senate Washington. d. c.
had thought to cite other testimony,
| but I am inclined to think / have pre-
sented, as we'll as j can, the views of the
| Committee on Commerce, and that it
! is unnecessary for me to present any
more testimony. But 1t is necessary
for me to say a word in reference to the