The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-05-28
Naval Board to Locate a Dry Dock
10 the City.
HOUSTON IS INTERESTED IN II.
III IL Ia Located at the Mouth Of TIN
san Jacinto IL WIN Help Toward
the ship Channel.


rear admiral of the United States navy ard
president OF the board: II. c. Assermon
chief engineer. and J, II Lnnaud.
The gentlemen were met at the station
by Mayor Fly and committee OF cit.eons
and escorted to the fremont hotsl This
afternoon they will begin the serious work
OF their visit-that Is. the inspection Of
proposed sites. and the collection of data
as to the cost. etc.
Prior to the arrival OF the naval board a
committees of prominent citizens, consist
Ing OF Mossrs. w. l.. Moody, Judge Geo
e. Mann. Geo. NJ, Courts. Jchn E. Bailey
Julius Runge, Mayor Fly, j. II. nawley
and a. Il. Homer met at the chamber OF
commerce TO devise ways and means Of
supplying the board with all tho informa.
ton they desire. Colonel Charles S. Richie
also attended the meeting and gave 1t con
siderable advice from an engineering stand
point
Colonel Moody was made chairman VI
the meeting and n desultory discussion
ensued as TO the different sites for a dry
dock, Three places we're mentioned as
being suitable in every way for the pro-
posed work, as follows The east end OF
Galveston island. near Fort Point. where
the government already has some land
on strip of land near Texas city, where
it would require but slight prolongation OF
the present channel to secure deep water,
and, lastly, at Morgan's cut at the mouth
of the San Jacinto river This location
is the idea of Mr.. j. II Hawlcy. who be-
liovCs il TO be the most feasible ON account
of the proposed ship chanuel between
Houston ana Galveston, Tue place would
also furnish plenty OF fresh water, a very
necessary thing in the building OF a airy
dock.
At Colonel Moody's suggestion. however,
II was decided TO take no steps until after
the naval board makes "A preliminary uX-
animation and the committee lis informed
as 10 what II wants. Before adiunrnlng
the following was unanimously adoptei as
the sense OF the meeting:
Taking a birds eye view OF the naval
airy dock situation, one might say than
the correct policy would be for us TO
have the dry docks SYSTEMATICALLY DIS
trihuted where they would render The
greatest service with the least waste %
time to our navy, especially in the
event of war. This requires that there
should be dry docks at four or more
localities ON the Atlantic coast. say
three on the Pacific and at least two
on the Gulf.
Away from our own coast the navy
will not find these facilities in time OF
war. Ii would be necessary for men
of war TO return to our coast for dock
ing purposes, II would. therefore, seem
to he the proper policy 10 place these
docks MS close TO the eNtremties OF our
nocessitae dock on the New Eng
land ooast tat Portland Maine. Ports
mouth, n. H.. or Boston. Mass }, one
on the Florida coast (say as near the
southern end of the peninsula as pos
siblo), with. say, two or more docks
in between Port ROYAL, Norfolk phia-
dcphia and New York This would
take care Of the Atlantic coast,
On the Pacific, one should be IN
Puget Sound and another at the lower
end OF California, say San Diego or
San Pedro. with an Intermediate dock
at San Francisco and one at Hawaii. II
We ever succeed IN annexing the LAT
ter. This would take care OF the Pa
cifc coast
The eastern portion of the Gulf OF
Meyioo viii be sufficiently provided for
by the dock near the southern end OF
Florida peninsula II would therefore
become unnecessary to consider l'enBa-
cola or Mobile In selecting "A site for
dock TO care for the western portion
OF the gulf, it should bp borne IN mind
that the main use Of such n docn would
be for vessels cruising TO the south OF
our boundary. The proper location for
tho dock would therefore be at the
nearest deep water harbor TO our
southern boundary and that barbor is
Galveston.
In addition 10 this general geograph-
- III. .l,n fAt-
| Loving local advantages can be cited
!. At Galveston there IL range OF
less than two feet In the water surface
owing 10 tidss. Hence n floating dock
and its shore plant can always be kept
| at practically the same relative eleva-
tion.
2 OWING TO the small rise and fall Of
the tide the current is never excessive.
g. good foundation for any needed
| structure can be obtained at Galveston.
a. tho sandy soil In the vicinity can
readily be made 10 bear any load which
| II is desired to put upon It, as tho nu
merous heavy structures In this local
ity amply testify.
4. The health conditions OF Galveston
are OF the best. The locality Is free
| from malaria and has not been visited
by any epidemic for years. II Is by FAR
the healthiest city In the South. and
it's official death rate is very small. II
| is unlikely that II can ever be Bottled
IN by quarantine regulations.
5. Although not generally known, Gal
weston Is easily defended against naval
| attack. II is an Ideal place for the
planting and operating OF submarine
| mines and the entrance to its harbor
| will soon be SO fortified as to render
| an attack from the sea certain OF fall
IRE. The soil will support any weight
| of gun that II Is desired to mount. and
| the submarine mines and the forts VIII
be close 10 each other. where they can
form = mutual support. The only por-
ton CT the town that Is In any danger
from naval attack Is the residence por'
tion near. the beach, and It's entire OBJ
Iteration would not render dry dock
less secure. or In any way impair It's
efficiency.
The government now owns one n.y.
drsulic dredge at Galveston and will
Roon undoubtedly own from two 10 six
more Any dredging necessary 10 in
stall dry dock could be done by the
governments own dredges nj cost Of
rot over cents cubic yard. The ma
tfrial in this vicinity can all be readily
handled by this method and greater
latitude is therefore permissible IN Sc
| fnr Irvr A<>nl,