The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-11-20

s Louch, Augustine & Co. 3
E SIS and 81. First Ave. 3
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Salmon bay slight change In direction be-
low the dock and an gnbankment would
shield the gates from direct FIRE"
Favored by Lieut.. Com. Drake.
4 year ago las, summer the following sig
nsticant communication was addressed by
Lieut.. Commander Drake. then executive
officer Of the Oregon. to Mayor Wood. Of
this city. II has never before been made
public. 1t viii be found to favor strongly a
fresh water basin in Lake Union. even
though the dry dock remains where IL now
IS:
y. S. S. Oregon
Esqa!nai:, Z. C., June "A. 1897.
lion. ". II Wood, Mayor, Seattle, Wash:
Dear Sir: The most important question
which Il absorbing the attention OF the
navy department today, is the following
What is the most economical method BY
which our steel vessels can Do preserved
in readiness for any emergency CALI!
Tie answer to this question involves the
following conditions.
A clear fresh water basin OF uniform
depth, not exposed 10 fresaets. strong cur
rents or heavy winds.
B-This basin 10 be accessible a. ali
times and al. Stages CT tides, conditions of
weather and seasons.
Go be located near navy yard which
Is capable Of docking and repairing our
largest DattiesnipA
D-aI'o tie within the limits OF large
manufacturing center. in order that mater
tai. skilled labor and mechanics NAV be
had at any and all times.
Provisions for q Basin ON the At
Iantic Seab0ard.
The government. has already commenced
the location OF a fresh water basin near
League island. where large sums OF money
viii have To be expended. reaching several
hundred thousand dollars for dredging.
and thsn. when completed. the water Will
be brackish, muddy and very shoal, not
over thirty feet in depth, and vessels laid
up In this basin will be exposed TO heavy
winds and winter ice. and all OF the inc!e-
mencies OF a winter season on the Atlsntic
staboard.
Hence, with many difficulties surround
ing the League island basin for our ships
Oh the Atlantic coast large expenditures
VIII constantly have TO be made IN order
to preserve the halls from the exposure to
climate and the effects OF heavy gsiss.
when sweep over that section during 'he
summer and winter weather.
Moreover. the battleships and armo~sd
miles from docking facilities tthe Port
Royal dry dock).
These are the tics. conditions which CUR
round and approach even TO fresh water
basin on the Atlantis side.
Basin on the Pacific Coast.
Plans are already under way for locat-
ing and excavating d basin az Vallejo, near
the navy yard in Mare Island strait.
The size proposed is tule mud nat.
with five to seven feet OF water az tides.
The surrounding country from Vallejo 10
Suisun empties It's tributaries into this
strait. whlcli also forms the outlet 10 the
basin or the foothills of Napa. Green and
Sunerna valleys.
The securing of this section Is constantly
deposited In this strait and also on the site
where the navy department could possibly
establish q basin. This deposit is largely
Increased In the rainy season. and to such
an extent that constant dredging Is the
only means OF preserving an average depth
OF twenty feet at low water along the
navy yard wall. where the tides and strong
currents have clean sweep.
With these unsurInountable difficulties
opposing the advocates of supposed fresh
water basin nj Vallejo. /, would be i'm
possible 10 place lini. upon the annual
expense. necessary 10 keep a basin, having
an area of q few acres only, in such con-
dltion that vessels laid up would not be
grounded upon their own mud banks form
ed BY the etidies OF the swift currents III
this. locality. Besides II would take NIL
Hons 10 dredge and keep open a three-mil,4
channel for hattleships over the San Pablo
flats. below the navy yard. where the en-
Its resting place.
The vallejo basin would be exposed to the
fun force of the spring. winter and fan
gales. which sweep over this section with
great force. The water is muddy and very
orarkish. with a rise and fall of tide from
six 20 eight feet. Bottoms OF ships conse-
quentiy become foul here in short space
OF time. Hence the underwater body 81 a
battleShp or arTorcd cruiser laid up here
for year would not be in a condition FOR
speed II called into service and they could
" asesfp
miles 20 the Puget sound dry dock. An en-
eSCnSable waste Of time and material TO
say nothing OF the running expenses. II
* also 10 be observed that the depth OF
water on the San Francisco bar is such
that battleship OF the oregon class draw
ing fwcnty-slx TO twenty~ScFen feet Of wa
Ter IN sea trim. would he able 20 cross only
under the most favorable circumstances.
when normally smooth and having the least
swell swell II two or three feet on sha
bar produces a pitching motion equal 20 ten
20 twelve feet rise and fall ar the bow aad
storm 90 one ~ these big Fighters dispiac-
ing - $50 10 Is 900 tons. Hence under The
m,est faN 5raole circumstances. with pos
; tia 7crth ~ 'h'rtv-etEh' feet AT high wa
ter tne san Francisco bar becomes a men
Hre 90 Uncle Sans 3 90. CsAa ships too ex-
i,1s3No Heht52g vessels with which "a take
char go without any margin ~ safety. T-@
Bonita channel. therefore becomes the Oniv
safe t4!rwar % irgress ard egress and
ou.y fhcn Wien thrs ,ten'ng weather is not
eS>ss~le"crf from tNA west. southwest
south and from southeasters
f'RelnG merely ou1jntd the obstacles
VI p stand In the way o. conditions set
yrtsa water e3elns or 'hs proposed sstts on
the Atlantic ard Pacific seahaar3s s,uf7 ~
faEef sound. if- us examine this locality.
So whsfs "a t-ratsti tAr cuf~ dry 9etek IN
avafeEyt eraiSeT@ Etfers ncv See tad Il
ro8sss 81 tHe puEe, 50 4Ni rAva' sta.ier AZ
Pee Nreaard. where EEis io-k IS io.ratei
Eoai:t. \ calls tor 2 clear fresh wafer
ta~fn ~ rHtfgrtU g. H'A nDE sXN@eat -