The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-08
New York Harbor Neglected.

We imagine that few readers of THE SUN
within the limits of the Greater New York
failed to mark and digest the facts and fig
ures which we printed yesterday to show
the treatment which u harbor has re-
ceived at the hands of the Federal Govern
ment. These data, which may be described
as startling, are the outcome of an inquiry
into the sums of money appropriated by
Congress for river and harbor improvements
during the whole period between 1890 nj
1896. The Insignificant amount expended
for that purpose on the port Of New York
is then contrasted with its huge contribu-
lions to that part of the Federal revenue
which Is derived from customs duties.
1t is maintained by Mr.. JOHN w. Am.
BRosE, the compiler of these statistics,
that the Federal money laid out for improv-
ing the Harlem River, for removing rocks
ut He'll Gate, and for improving the chan
mel off SandyHook, ought not to be charged
to New York harbor properly so called. AS
reasonable would 1t be to charge the vast
sums expended at the mouth of the Missis-
sippi River to the account of New Orleans.
The harbor of New York, as defined by Mr..
AMBROSE, Is that body of water which lies
inside and north of the Narrows at Fort
Hamilton, and comprises, first, the Upper
Bay, which terminates at the Battery /;
secondly, the East River, as far as Port
Morris, and. thirdly. the Hudson River,
from the Battery as far as Spuyten Duyvil
Greek. The improvements at Sandy Hook
he thinks should be charged to another &C.
count, as they affect not only the
ofNew York city, but also all the coastwise
trade of New England which fnds its way
southwark through Long Island Sound and
the East River. 1t was mainly to benefit
the same coastwise trade that the rocks at
He'll Gate were removed. Even II, how
ever, the appropriations for the channel off
Sandy Hook, for He'll Gate, and for the
Harlem River should be added to the sum
expended on New York harbor proper, the
total would still be ridiculously small,
when contrasted with New York's contri-
buttons to the Federal revenue.
Ifswe adopt Mr.. AMBRosE's definition OF
New York harbor as being one analogous
to that accepted In the case of New Orleans
n other ports, we find hat out of every
one hundred cents which the Federal Gov,
eminent has expended during the last LOG
years for the improvement of all the rivers
and harbors in the country, 1t has given
only one-half Of one cent to the harbor OF
New York. How much, on the other hand
has the port of New York dome for the
Federal Government Statistics showing
receipts from import duties prior to 1856
are not ~attainable, and Mr.. AMBROSE has
accordingly, confined his researches con
corning this matter to the forty-one years
from 1855 to 1895. both inclusive. The re
suit of the investigation is that out of every
one hundred cents collected by the Fedora.
Government at all the ports of the countr,
for these forty-one years, 90 cents wert
collected at New York, and only 81 cents
from all the rest. That is to say, the Fed
eral Government has secured at this port
two-thirds of the revenue that has enabled
1t to live and pay its debts, yet, for tn,
enormous benefits received from the pori
OF sew York, 1t has given practicall,
nothing in return. In the 1O8 years GOV
sTed ~ this inquiry, there are but tOul