The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-12-25

In an editorial yesterday we referred
20 the report OF the dry dock hoard
appointed by Assistant Secretary
Roosevelt After describing the pres
ent condition Of our docks. the board
recommends that a concrete dock be
constructed AT Boston. cost H.S00.ooo;
one at New York, $500. oo9. one at
Norfolk. &i.ieo.soo: at New London.
81. 600 90: q steel floating dock AZ New
port News. $3.50 600; At Tortugas. $780,
coo. at New Orleans. $50. 900. The At
iansic coast already has nine dry
docks. II Is now proposed to add seven
more, at an estimated cost OF $s.E9.-
coo. But this board also estimates that
another small dock should be built at
Mare Island. and as battieships can
not get 10 the yard the cost is only
100000 But TO keep the ships In Cali
fornia waters two big dry docks should
be built. one at Yerba Buena. near
San Francisco. and the other at San
Pedro. each 10 cost $3.50. 900. Thus
total expenditure of sie.250, 900 IL
recommended for new dry docks. while
the only dry dock the government has
In which a battieship can be locked
Ii virtually useless for want OF store
houses. repair shops, etc, which would
not cost In the aggregate a quarter OF
a million dollars. II Is true the Ore
son II sent up here to be locked. but
some sixty California mechanics are
also sent here to put on her bilge keels.
Each Of these Californians Is interest
ed In giving our naval station and dry
dock a black eye
Moran can get the necessary work
men to build torpedo boats and a score
OF steamers. But our naval station
is only used in case of absolute neces-
sity. because the Oregon cannot APP
proach the Mare Island navy yard or
be locked there
The chiefs of the bureaus OF CON
struction and repair" and Of steam
engineering each ask for $4,000 for
shops and tools TO repair vessels at
the Puget sound naval station. II the
present congress would appropriate a
quarter OF a million dollars for shops
and tools this splendid dry dock could
be kept In constant use, and there
would be no necessity for sending
workmen UP from California to make
repairs, as we would have a set of edu-
Gated mechanics resident here. The
residents OF Puget sound should make
themselves heard In this matter, and
our senator's and members of congress
should see that the appropriation COM
mittees are thoroughly eonversant with
the facts. We have a climate In which
outdoor work can be prosecuted the
year rouna. We have the lumber and
the coal which are used at the navy
yards. and which are shipped 10 Cali
fornia. We soon will manufacture our
own steel, as the raw materials exist
here In unlimited quantities. We have
a dry dock constructed on the shores
of land-locked bay. where the fleets
Of the world could ride at single an
Choir in safety. We have the site of a
naval station which can be easily and
etfectually defended from the attacks
OF an enemy. and with such suitable
requirements that any expenditure Of
money for developments would bring
greater results than at any existing
government yard. But we will never
have complete navy yard. with all
these manifest advantages. until con-
gress Is thoroughly advised In the
premises and our representatives there
make their demands constantly heard.