Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-08-18

by the largest battle-ships of the navy,
can be reached only at high tide, and then
only by the smallest craft. The tug that
draws the fat-boats to and from Indian
Head with their valuable cargoes is with
great difnculty worked to her dock under
iavoring conditions, and the day is near
"nen the foundry will be utterly cut off
from the proving grounds and from the
meets that must occasionally assemble on
the coast That the capital Of the nation,
located on the Potomac largely because of
Its safe distance from and yet easy access
To the high seas, should be thus cut off
from communication with the naval force
was contingency that probably never
occurred to the statesmen who made the
selection of site as even the most remote
possibility. That it should be thus isolated
is not to be permitted
The dry dock that should form a sup.
plement to the gun foundry and the nucleus
OF new navy yard here Is sadly needed
by the naval establishment That our ships
must be sent for docking to the British
government dry dock at Halifax is a shame
to the American nation. The naval au-
thorities themselves realize the situation,
and the record is filled with their appeals
to Congress for appropriations for dry
docks to keep pace with the growing SQUAD
rons. board of officers has just held a
conference preliminary to the preparation
OF project for submission to Congress
next winter setting forth the needs Of the
service in this line. The survey of the sit
uation will be incomplete unless the ad-
vantages Of Washington as a site for a
dock are thoroughly investigated and ex-
plotted. A dock Of the desired size could
he 1,,;Ix W.
would be convenient of access as regards
distance from the sea and yet sufficiently
sheltered from an enemy to be secure. The
latter fact can not be maintained as to the
docks at New York and Norfolk.
OF course to the cost Of a dock at the
local navy yard must be added the expense
of the recreation of a proper channel to
the yard. This project of itself may cost
more than the DOCK but it is to be recalled
that of late Congress has virtually ac-
cepted as settled the ultimate need of
extensive improvements in this stream.
The answer to all recent appeals on this
subject has invariably been that the Treas
ury is at too low an ebb to warrant such
an expenditure, and, while there has been
no denial of the necessity of the better
ment, both from a sanitary and a military
point of view, the matter has been set aside
from session to session as something to be
done 'bye-and-bye."
The naval authorities, therefore. have
reason to regard this project as virtually
set down for accomplishment at some time,
and they should not be deferred by the
cost of harbor improvements from recon-
mending the construction of a dry dock
here. The two works need not proceed to-
gether The site for the dock can be
determined and the reclamation
of the marshes and the channel can then
be accomplished. 1t is the firm belief Of
all members of the present administration
that the new tariff will soon bring in an
abundant revenue and create a surplus in
the Treasury. If this should come about
there will no longer be any valid reason
for postponing such vitality necessary
projects as the rescue of the Eastern
Branch from the mud and filth and the re-
on its banks of fully equip
ped navy yard, with a gun foundry and
dry dock.