New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-01-09
TIE COVjfFRCE or NEW YORK.

1t is an oft-told tale, Of which some may be
weary But the Governor does well to repeat
it in his message, directly and emphatcally.
New-York has been for hundred years the
foremost port Of the Nation lis commerce has
been greater than that OF all other ports put TO-
gether and the profit thereof 10 the city, the
State and the Nation has been above all compu'
tation. Now. however, New-Iork Is losing that
pre-emnence Its commerce, If not actually de-
cnng is not increasing as rapidly as that Of
other ports. Some Of it is actually being d.
verted to the alien ports Of Canada To some eX-
tent this may be inevitable. But Mr.. Black does
we'll to raise the questions whether New-1 OK
comparative decline IS not largely due TO "a TOO
marrow policy prevailing with reference TO ter
''mna facilities" and whether that and other
malefc conditions cannot be overcome. Those
who have studied the subject on the spot are
ready 20 answer those questions, as the pro-
posed Commission WILL on investigation, as
suredly answer them. with an emphatic Yes!
The chief evils from which this port IS and
for years has been suffering are three: made
quate and too expensive dock. warehouse anu
elevator accommodations; slow, cunbrous ana
costly means of transfer between canal ana
railroad terminals and steamship lines; and in
sufficient depth Of water at the entrance to the
harbor The first Of these is matter for the
city and State TO deal with. Some Improvement
in respect to 1t is being made, especially in dock
accommodations. but there is urgent need Of
much more The second is partly for city and
State and partly. under the present system, for
the Nation to attend 10. Some progress has
been made in respect to 1t, but with deporable
slowness The task OF improving the Harlem
River and Bronx Kills, especially, drags YEARLY
as a fat cause in Chancery. Planned by De
Witt Clinton threeQuarters Of a century ago
as an integral part Of the Erie Canal system, II
threatens 10 be found still unfinished at the
century's end Yet il could, with proper enter
prise be done In a twelvemonth at cost OF
less than 1.-THE Of other less essential works.
and it would probably confer greater benefits
upon this port than any other Improvement now
under consideration.
The third evil is the one TO which most atten-
ton has been paid At III" present moment agi-
tation is being made through the New-York
Board Of Trade and Transportation for deep
ening Of the Sandy Hook channel to thirtyhye
feet That is a moderate request. The en-
trance-way TO this harbor ought TO be not an
inch less than thir;y-fvc feet deep at the lowest
possible tide. and wide enough for half doZc n
ocean liners to steam abreast without fear or
1ostling Nothing less than that Is worthy IL
such port rs this or Of the Nation which inds
here It's chief gateway. Such facilities for en-
trance and exit d, not now exist at Sandy Hook.
They may be provided and maintained there II
sufficient money be Appropriated and rightly OK
pended They do exist at this very moment at
the New-Y0rk end Of Long Island Sound. re-
curing only slight local Improvements at Port
Morris to make them available and 10 make
possible the daily dispatch Of an express
steamer on the shortest and safest route 10 Eu-
rope at an hour fixed without regard to tide
or weather Ncw-York is big enough and the
! Nation behind It is big enough to have both
! these gatcways Of this harbor thrown wide open
and kept wide open al all times TO the peaceful
naves Of the world.
The Board Of Trade and Transportation looks.
as usual 10 the National Government for the
doing Of the work. IT is part ~ the present
/ system that river anl hIrbor improvement IS
! thus 20 be done. There are objections 10 that
| system and there are advantages in It. Certain
| ~ such port as NewYOrk Is Of sufficient value
TO the whole Nation to warrant its Improvement