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

ouire and viii have from thoer npor
snce to the country. a strong land 4,
fense; and as the docks also require
strong defense. one set " fcmlncatlon
Will cover bo;h civil and military proper
ty, In the great commercial ccnters ais,
from which plv large trNns-ocean stc0u
ers, tho govcmmont viii be able TO a,
rive some revenue from accommodatn
them in its docks
The board in its summary recommend
os sitss Cor docks urgently necessary
Boston, New York, Norfolk. Po< Roya
New Or aus, and Mar, Island. tn
ground on which they proceeded in thi
Recommendation appoors in tho followln
ouctat1on from their report:
Acts of cangress have repeatedly re
ou,r'd that navy yards, and dry docks
their most essential ard costly str,sct
ures, shall be heated WITH due rNgard q
the ccmmersial as well as the NAVAL IN
tercs,s and commissions have been IRON
time 10 time appointed to select suCl
ssiess The reports OF these commission
have furnished the boari valuable ingOr
nation in the discharge OF It's duty, l,
its ilstru stions to these commissions IN,
navy Department has formulated the spe
cial requirernents Of q site for a nav,
yard to BE-
!. 4 situation upon a gNnod harhor OF
sufiicsent size depth, and accessibility
for vessels OF the t,rTest size and heavi.
est draft
: A favorable position with respect tc
the principal lines OF defense
: A local security from water attack
due to. position and natural surround
/ ings.
| 4 Ample water frontage Of sufficient
depth and permanence. and with cur
rents OF moderate rapsdity.
S A favorable position with respect to
the lines OF interior communicatlon Cby
rail- or otherwise) with the principal
sources OF supply.
6, That the character OF the ground
shah be suitable for the construction Of
excavatei docks and basins and for heavy
structures
:. Proximity TO centers OF labor and
supplies Of material
s Healthiness Of the climate and suit
ability for outdoor labor
9. The existence in the vicinity OF an
ample supply OF good potable water.
It will be observed that there is not
one OF these requirements which Is not
fully met by the situation az Astoria:
and there Is another important cons'd-
GRAFTON not mentioned by the board-for
the reason probably that is was thought
beyond the bounds OF possibility to in
clude it among other elements Of the es-
sential oombination-which Astroia can
offer. and which cannot be satisfied by
any Of the various locations mentioned
as the site of existing docks, or those
to he constructed. This is the inestlma-
bic advantage of deep and commodi-
Gus harbor Of fresh water-directly and
easily accessible for vessels Of the larg-
est character from the open ocean. As
old as Astoria is, It may be doubted II
the government. in view Of its former
state of isolation and lack Of communi-
cation with the interior has ever given
It serious consideration as base FOR
naval operations. With this drawback
it would seem that the attention
Of the naval authorities only needed to
b. drawn in this direction to make As
toria one Of the largest and most valu-
able naval stations in the country.
In another part Of his report, Secretary
Long, recurring TO the urgency Of the
Try dock question, states a fact relative
to the selection Of Mare island as the
location for the only new Pacific coast
lock recommended which shows both an
objection TO the Mare island location.
and an evident dissatisfaction on his
art with it This is the fact that the
sntrance to the only site available for
! dock at that point consists Of only
.wenty feet Of water; and the secretary
that this difficulty will operate
o seriously delay the work Of construct
ng the dock, since It can only be rem
died by an expensive and tedious piece
4 dredging. Considering the fact that
I is doubtful If the navy department
viii ever risk the batteshlp Oregon in
he Port Orchard dock again, this coast
s left utterly unprovided with any
means Of preserving or repairing this
,reat snip in case Of accident, until the
lew dock can be completed. The result
s that there IS national necessity for the
ocation Of the dock at Astoria
There will perhaps never b. 80 good
n opportunity presented 70 Astoria n
mphasize the superior advantages Of
cred here for dry dock and naval sta
ion as the predicament which now con-
ronts the navy department, and II her
itizens and their good friends Of the
PORTLAND Chamber of Commerce Will On
t the matter with a proper spirit Of Wig
ance and Hgor there ought to be little
ihculty In the way Of the complete ac-
Of their purpose.
DA DV