The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-10-25

SEATTLE. MONDAY. OCT. -.
pasL.pELpuIs's NAVAL BASIN.

The Phiiadelphia Ledger Oh OttoDef
6 contains a description OF the work
ON the new naval basin at League
island. which contains some points Of
special interest In Seattle. where a
naval basin In Lake Union is under
consideration.
II appears that In order 10 make
basin which IL calculated To hold six
battieships IL viii be necessary TO ex-
cayate i.250.o00 cubic yards OF dirt.
and when this. is done the basin will
be 1900 feet long, 436 feet wide and 80
feet deep
The Ledger says that the cruisers
Minneapolis and Columbia are now iy-
Ing anchored In the Delaware river.
of the navy yard, where there In dan
ger, in case heavy ice forms and begins
running, OF injury 90 the propellers
and rudders." and 1t also adds the in
teresting information that when these
two vessels are laid up 'in ordinary"
which is their condition when kept in
a naval basin, they will each have on
board five officers and seventy men;
80 persons 20 the two yessels
The condition at League island is
the best which exists on the Atlantic
coast. Al best the water is brackish,
muddy and shoal. Vessels laid up are
exposed to heavy winds and winter ice.
involving large expenditures 10 pre-
serve the hulls OF the vessels from
climatic effect. In winter. with the
river frozen. II would be a serious mat
ter 70 get the vessels ready quickly for
service and 10 force a way through the
ice. The Ledger itself states that the
ice Is a source OF danger.
Yet with these disadvantages the
Federal government has gone ahead
and contracted for several hundred
thousand dollars 20 be expended ia
making basin. Doubtless this is both
necessary and desirable. but II so, Il
certainly points clearly 10 the immedl-
ate desirahility of the establishment OF
Lake Union as a naval basin on the
Pacific coast.
Here will be found n clear. fresh
water basin OF uniform depth. not ex-
posed 20 freshets. strong currents or
heavy weather. II will be accessible
at all time. and all stages of tides. con-
ditions Of weather and seasons. II Is
near the only dock In the United States
capable OF docking and repairing the
largest battleshlps. as it has already
done. And this basin Is within the
limits OF large manufacturing center.
Thus Lake Union meets successfully
oil the conditions required by the navy
department for the best naval basin.
The only other place on the Pacific
coast where tho government Is consid-
ering the establishment of n naval
basin is az Vallejo. near Mare island
navy yard. Tho site there proposed IS
ON iule mud Hat which will need %
be eNcavated az least twenty five feet
deep. The Napa and Sonoma val
leys and the country from Vallejo
10 Suisan, all soour on % The site pro-
posed, and hence constant dredging
would be necessary 20 preserve even an
average Of twenty fcct depth. no, 10
speak OF the fouling Of ;he ships' bot
toms 10y ihe muddy and brackish
waters. nor 20 mention The force Of the
winter and spring gales which sweep
violently over ;he district. Moreover.
under The most favorable cireun.
stances. San Francisco bar Is a threat
ening danger 20 4 s. ooo.ooa battle
ship, since a swell ~ only Two or three
feet on the bar produces q pitching
movement % nearly twelve fear n
bow ana stern Of oue " ,he ves.els
drawing twenty SIX feeL and so they
eoa'd cross caly when the water On
the bar MAS bo,h as high tide ana
smooth.
Uader suc1 circumstance A these 81,
would seem aluos, folly f5r the Fed.
eral government 90 delay long in de-
TRIMMING 30 establish q naval basin il,
lake Union