New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-01
WARVESSELS ON THE LAKES
ropprDo.ROATs MAY PASS THROUGH
THE ERIE CANAL WHEN i"'
MENTs ARE FINISHED.
,opos,r,oN HOWEVER. is BEFORE CONGRESS
FOR INCREASING THE CAPACITY OF THE
WATERWAY so AS TO PERMIT THE
c,ssAGE OF GUNBoATs.
PASSAGE OF GUNBoATs.

passage OF GUNB0ATs.
,,.,a,,ns,on Feb 2s (specaD.-An interesting re-
~, from General Wilson. CHER or Eng'heers'
,rarsmitting reports OF Majors Thomas W. s!ino"s
"a w s Stanton. Corps OF engineers mas peen
snr,,,,ed TO Congress on the proposition contained
q. Two House bills which propose TO widen the
,Ls In the Erie and Oswego canals respectively
On order to permit the passage of modern torpedo
boats and other vessels of war OF similar uiiheh-
sons TO the end of protecting the lake ci'ies III
case of war. Two million dollars Is proVoeo
with which to defray the expenses of the work
The bill directs the Secretary OF war 10 cause 10
,e made an examination of the proposition and re-
ort 20 Congress as TO the practicabiity and prob
uble cost OF the enterprise. Under ORDERS from
,he Chief OF Engineers. Majors Symohs ana
Stanton were directed to investigate the subject
Major svmons examined the locks Of the Erie
Canal and Major Stanton those in the OsweSo
canal The former discusses the proposition of
Congress not only in military sense but also In
tts commercial aspects. lie says that IN consld-
erine The capacity of the Erie Canal for the
massage Of torpedoboats and other vessels of war
Of similar dimensions it is proper 10 take into ac-
count not what the canal is now. but what 1t Will
be when the improvements in progress. for which
money has been appropriated. are completed. IL
will then permit the passage Of boats of l''s feet
beam and feet draught and up to 2S0 feet IN
length.
He submits a table giving the dimensions OF the
built and which now under contract 10 be
built From this table 1t appears that wheh 'he
work in progress on the canal is completed u VIII
allow the passage from the seaboard to the lakes
of any of torpedoboats now in service or uhoer
contract with the exception of two. the Destroyer
which has beam of 2l7 feet and No II. which
Is ~ have beam Of 903 feet. Major Symons re-
marks that this clearly indicates that under eX-
listing conditions there Is little necessity ior the
Government TO take any action toward widening
the locks for purpose of passing torpedo-ooats
through the canal The top works of some OF
The boats would have 10 be lowered or temporarily
removed 10 permit of their passage under bridges,
etc. He adds that widening or charging the locks
Of the Erie Canal would not permit the passage Of
these boats through the Great Lakes, as their
draught is too great 1t is, however probable that
they could be lghtened so as 10 be passed through
the canal after it is deepened TO nine feet.
Major Symons closes this feature OF his report by
saving: a consideration of the foregoing data
indicates, first that the Erie Canal. as it is being
enlarged by the State of NewYork, will be suffi-
Gent In size for the passage of ordinary torpedo
boats. but that it will not be large enough for the
passage of the largest class OF torpedo-boats and
torpedo desroyers: second. that the canal will
not have sufficient capacity for the passage Of gun
boats like those in the service Of the United States
England"
Speaking OF the cost OF the proposed improve
ments. he says that in order 10 prepare estimates
it has been necessary 10 fix upon definite plan.
The plan he adopted. he states. is one which full
fils the spirit and intent Of the House bill. and
one which. If carried out, would be in the highest
degree useful. not only providing for the passage
Of torpedo-boats and gunboats but also serving
the interests of general commerce Estimates are
submitted for locks . feet deep. go feet long and
o. 81 and 81 feet wide. large enough for the
passage Of boats a. 80 and a. feet beam. Estimates
also given for the same locks increased in
depth to II feet. To enlarge forty-eight locks on
MI. lie and
single-chamber. steel-ft locks at Cohoes. Little
Falls, Newark and Lockport-all locks and lifts
10 be $50 feet long, feet deep and % feet wide,
suitable for boats of q feet beam and feet
dra ueht-vl cost the report shows 81 IS, 900. To
make the locks 81 feet cost sis24Goo and
make them 81 feet wide will cost 1881 900. II
the locks made II feet deep their cost if
% feet wide. will be- A.11SO00. If 81 feet wide
s5,3s4,cco; If 81 feet wide, s5,94 900. The report
says that from engineering point Of view
It is perfectly practicable 10 widen the locks of the
Erie Canal in the manner indicated in the House
bill. The cost will depend upon the selection Of
the locks 10 be enlarged and the size of their en-
7srgement and upon whether New-YOrk will CO.
operate with the Government and build steel-ft
locks at four points. large enough to correspond
with the enlargement decided upon for the
masonry locks.
Under the head of Commercial Aspects" Major
Symons says:
When the current improvements are completed
and drawng safey fee T'n of wa,d Io iGet long
nection with the time which will be saved in
fully IS per cent: that is a Single boat of the
larger size can, in single season, transport Is per
boats can under existing conditions
me added expense for this additional amount
.! transporting the smaller amount under the
This would reduce the net first cost of transport
ing bushel of wheat from Buffalo to New-York
70 about Il per cent OF the present cost if this
present nrSt cost is assumed a 2i1 wi
under the new conditions with boats 115 feet long
and drawing feet Of water, be reduced to l.7s
cents;
If the capacity Of the canal were still further in
used without any increase IN draught beyond
elsht FEET the capacity OF each boat for doing bust
capacity Of the single boat under the present CON
"ltlons. Assuming that the increased cost of
'PeIalhg would be - per over the cost of
Hteia'hhS lfz,foot boat for an equal number Of
ing a busn r. Of grain from Buffalo to New-York
, noD 1e % Per cent OF the present cost. lla
~, II the cspaeiiy Of the canal were increased so
lhst noa's OF 80 feet width could be used with
che capacity Of each boat for doing business would
be 502 times that of boat under present condi-
cost OF doing greater business, this would reduce
~, ~ hpt W OF Transporting bushel of wheat
ne present cost, or u, cents per bushel
abdva ae GSpSGy o. lne canal were increased
rs capacity would be Increased 35l times and the
cost OF transporting bushel Of wheat reduced IA
bIshe - '-' ''i'' P'i
II Is believed that this could be stiu furthcr 70
14ced by deepening the canal and widening 1;
WNnere necessary; by lettering the terminal facjli.
,ies by perfected organization which win labor
70 secure business and do away with DELAYS ~
terminal points and keep boats going continionsii,,
@nrns The period of navigation and secure retur2
eIght 10 the greatest possible extent: and bv he
'otai ehinina ton OF the mule as 4 motive ,ov,n,
"n9 the complete substitution therefor Of Steam
ana possibly OF electricity ""'
aod Is renewed that the goal. the aim of all inter
800, IN IN" Erie Canal. may well be 10 PM tho
"Hdl INFO such condition that IL will be possihie
~ transport wheat from Buffalo 10 New York n
p -.--. DACSSMAkING. BOA