The times., 1899-12-25
A GREATER NAVY YARD.
Admiral Endicotts Plan for I'm
provements at New York.


provements at New York.
NEW YORK, Dec. 24.-The great in
crease of the navy afloat in the last TWO
years, with no proportionate increase in
the shore establishment. is already causing
serious embarrassment, and officers now
regard the improvement and enlargement
of naval repair stations as Of paramount
Importance to the efficiency of the service.
The necessity for a greater navy yard at
New York, already the chief rendezvous of
the ships. and the most valuable strategi-
cally, is deemed imperative, and various
projects have been under consideration to
meet the ordinary requirements of the SER
vice at this point.
Several years ago with a Brooklyn man
in charge of the Navy Department and
with the eXertion of strong pressure upon
Congress, the city OF Brooklyn was enabled
to buy a large slice of the navy yard, then
not indispensable to the Government but
now urgently needed for new shops and
drydocks and wharves.
The city is not satisfied, however, but
is working through political influence to
make further reductions in the available
area of the yard, to gain increased wharf
room by cutting away a portion of the in
valuable Cob Dock, which has long Leen
one Of the distinctive characteristics of
the yard, and which has been improved
at tremendous cost extending over a long
period.
One of the propositions Of the city Of
Brooklyn. which has strangely been sup
ported by few naval officers unacquaInIed
with all the elements of the problem has
involved the complete removal Of the
Cobb Dock Island at a cost which is in
.l.I ba CF Tod
wharf and ship facilities by building piers
into WalIabout Channel. The manifest
absurdity of the proposition from an eco
nomical point OF view is demonstrated by
a glance al the new map of adopted i'm
pTOvements submitted by Rear Admiral
Endicott TO Congress a few days ago.
This plan is the result of several years
study of the situation by eminent civil
engineers Besides giving the navy yard
the additional area demanded for the most
pressing needs Of the service. it has the
great merit of improving the navigation
of the East River and providing for an
ideal establishment on systematic lines
The Chief of Yards and Docks has not
only called 10 his support men of highest
experience in such matters. but has had
the hearty cooperation Of the Coast Survey
and Army engineers in his work. He pro
poses, instead Of sacrificing anything now
possessed Dy the government, 10 40 away
with the pocket trap for sewage and tiotsam
and jetsam, now a notorious nuisance at
the navy yard and to extend the pier line
out TO meet the true current curve OF the
East River, thereby compelling the river
to flow smoothly past the yard cleansing
It's basins by suction instead of filing them
with the refuse Of the metropolis.
Careful determination of the direction
and speed OF currents has indicated that
the extension Of jurisdiction shown on the
map will effect q remedy, and that the city
Of Brooklyn can then most advantageously
cut a widened channel of access to its
market from its own property near the
northern extremity of the new jurisdiction
line rather than destroy part Of the Gov
ernment's holding in the Cob Dock
To make the business part of the yard
more symmetrical and to provide room for
more shops and warehouses at tine point
where they are most needed, il is proposed
to condemn and buy the irregular strip
along the western boundary OF the yard
and lying between the present wall and
hudson Avenue.