The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1897-11-28
THE GOVERNMENT DOCK QUESTION

THE GOVERNMENT DOCK QUESTION
n 81 Is the purpose to take any aotio'
In Astoria, either through the chambe
Os commerce or otherwise. to develop,
some plan Of cooperation with the com
mittce lately appointed by the PortlanC
chamber OF commerce to bring to tn,
governments attention the advantage:
offered by Astoria as a location for one
OF the proposed new dry docks. or q
fresh water naval station. no time should
be lost in proceeding with the matter
We are certainly not going TO sit still
and leave to Portland the entire response
btlity and duty OF presenting a question
OF 50 much moment to our own people.
Such a course OF inaction should and
would expose US to the rodicule OF every
newspaper published on the Pacific coast.
and is, besides, a poor return for the inter-
est shown IN the development and pros
perity OF Astoria from source which we
have been led to believe was inimical TO
every proposition tending to Astoria's ma
terial advancement
From the advance sheets of Secretary
Longs report to the forthcoming session
OF congress. II is evident that the matter
OF providing new dry docks for the ac-
eommodaeon Of our rapidly growing navy
viH be one of the first important sub
Jects which will be attended to by that
body. The urgency of the situation is so
great that it IS probable congress will
go on. Of the regular order TO appropri-
ate the money necessary to start the work
that board of naval experts was ap-
pointed laS. August TO examine the mat
ter Of improving the governments dock
ing facilities, and that that board rec
commended among other new docks to be
provided al the coming session OF con-
gress. the location and construction OF
dry dock Of the first class at Mare Isl
and, in California and that this was the
snly recommendation for dock on the
Pacific coast.
Secretary Long dsvotes a large amount
OF space to the dry dock question in his
report, and ct is plain from a study Of
some of his suggestions that he knows
nothing about Astoria, and that with the
proper effort, he might be so convinced
of the advantages offered by Astoria over
those of Mare Island as location for the
new dry dock that the California location
would no longer be considered. Among
other things, the secretary says:
It appears from the report Of the Bu-
reau Of Yards and Docks that today the
most urgent need of the naval service
IL tn increase Of docking facilitts. or
the eleven government dOcks-nine on
the Atlantic and two on the Pacific coast
three were designed to accommodate
battle sfdps Of the first class, one at New
York. one at Port Royal. S. c.. and one
at Bremerton, Wash. on Puget Sound
But the dock at New York has been for
six months, and Is likely for three months
more to be undergoing repairs, and al
the dock at Port Royal there IS not only
an insuficency of water, but the cross
section of the dock IS too small 10 safely
admit battle ships with bilge keels affixed
A modern ship should be docked every .
few months, and owing 10 the above con- I
dItion Of the docks on this coast it was .
necessary to send the Indiana to Halifax .
IN August last for this purpose
On the Pacific coast there is but one
dock of sufficient size to dock a modern /
battle ship. This is on Puget Sound 800 .
miles from San Francisco. Access 10 It /
is through a narrow channel 20 miles .
long, one side Of which is in possession /
Of foreign country.
This lack Of docking facilities should /
be remedied at the earliest possible mo- |
ment. The necessity is imperative The |
department, therefore. appointed in Au- |
gust last a special board to examine the |
matter, and the valuable report made by |
II Will be forwarded to congress as soon
as It meets
This board reports that timber docks.
although less expensive than stone or
concrete. are not durablr.
A plan for the location Of additional
government docks, recommended by this
board as a result Of fits Investigations. is
comprehensive and should be substantial
ly carried out When completed, It viii
give the necessary facilities demanded !
by the extensive coast Kne Of our coun- !
try.
There are seven strategic divisions Of /.
our coast: First, from the Bay Of Fundy
to Cape Cod: second. from Cape Cod to /,
Sandy Hook: third. from Sandy Hook to
Cape Henry: fourth. from Cape Henry to .
Cape Sable; fifth, the coast line bordering
On hhe cuH Of Mexico: sixth, the south /
ern portion Of the Pacific coast, and sev-