The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-02-18
Commander Webster, U. S. N. Tells
Of the Great Advantages
WATER POWER OF TIE JAMES
This Could BE Utilized for fc1narH-
able BuiIdiu" Up OF the ohT-As
a S!ipbuiIding Place E'cn-
noud Second IN the South
A Good HarDor Needed
for Richmond.

Richmond has a great future.
I do rot know of any southern city
possessing SO great natural advan-
taees. Richmond has been ia
vored by Nature, and all tnat
needs be done is to take adVall-
taee Of the opportunities that pre-
sen. themselves. '-CoMMANDER
HARR1E WEBsTl:R, U. 5. n
In all probability there is in Richnoha
to-day no one 50 thoroughly conEefsaht
with naval affairs and the benehciai re-
suits due to the encouragement o. com
y,,arre as Commander Ilarrie Webster
United States Navy, the successor OIL
lieutenant w. Strother Smith as GOV
ernment inspector at the shipyafds OF
the William r. Trigg Company Com
1nandcr Webster has spent me past t"ii-
ty-el.glt wears ui his lie IN the navy l1e
has criised III all waters ana sefFeu ~
every cline. His service has aiiofueu
him exceptional opportunities TO sttuE thc
laws OF commerce and make hliiiSeii
thoroughly familiar with coloHeitS ~
its every stage. Besides these opportullt-
lies fL,rnalrindcr Webster has been AZ
tached to the Navy Department at wash
ington. thus enabling him to learn ana
l,n,w the theoretical aS WeA as Sle i'Lac-
tEcs1 ,l1t of The greatest human lnstllu-
tons, commerce.
FAVORED BY NATURE
.Etc'h:1Aad" Z" said C5jn5laI!>i-r " tp7.', 1i' i.
has been favored by nature as but itw
cities of the world have been. All that
needs Ia b. done Is to recognize these
-ayors ard take advantage OF them. Inc
lanes river brings millions of horse
power TO the very gates OF the cllV- IL
IS there, but centuries have PASSED, anu
II remained unknown and unrccognizea
until a short time ago. Now the effort
10 harness Il is being mdde and ! pfed'ct
that II Will be decided success. hIec-
,ricltv will Dc utilized in a hundred
ways that are now not thought OF. That
comparatively unknn-n Yet wonderful
agent Viii ,urn rhe wheels of your mills.
furnish the motive power for your cars
light your streets and houses, heat your
ltc-ncz and in hundred ether ways De
;rtil Zcd You, as 4 city, are the recipienl"
Of this great natural gilt Power Is inc
thing Sought after in the present age ana
no CITY IN the South has .Tuch unlimited
,,o,rels at rler deor . Idc7mord You haVe
inc advantage Of furnishing Tor less
cxnenditirrc an equal power. or Tor me
same amount a greater power than mas
any other city in this part of the coun-
try.
'Pichmncd ia destined % hccnmc one
of the manufacturing cities Of the coun-
try To-day. / understand, more first
class tonnage originates al this point
sf,sn ~ Hus Gh"c in lae 7'''tn, N't ny
prestige is becoming greater from year
10 wear. There are in the South other
ma. If-sr are a1,HaJar railTaa7 towns,
for Instance Atlanta Ga. There the
trans-shipmcnt of freight Is much great
cr. hut ii is not an originating point,
snOLp HAVE A GOOD iAIM5pts.
What Richmond needs Is n harhor,
and She should have it by all means.
The James should be drcdSed and widen
Cd and this could be done. the Sire
and CITY cooperating with the National
Government the latter bearing. rs IS
usual about GO per cent. of the cost II
wea,l when first considered. seeE&nsly y
ueccssitatc a great expenditure, nut lhe
benefits derived wonld far exceed any
outlay that might be made. Commerce
that rightly belongs to Richmond now
seess ut'ft ii,Nsw OK, i2-t 'f.'sH AMI
Philadelphia. ,-rne commerce Of the val
ley Of Virginia ana adjacent territory goes
North instead Of South. This should not
.ha ni1Ffa..y anE " NeHaaort News are now
coming into possession of part of the
trade and shipping hat rightuliy be-
longs 10 them but Richmond is handi-
capited in the race. You ask for a
depth of 30 IL feet at mean low tide. but
lock at the commerce of the world and
see what an enormous amount of Il is
carried on with 20 feet of water. DrcGge
your James river only 10 ~ feet If nee
essarr, and build a basin here to allow
the turning Of your ships. Do this and
the result Will be amazing. Richmond
,7s,',,d be !ne t5baccn market OF the
world; Norfolk is now the most northern
tdtg in w'Gich Is founI a cotton press, Yet
Ia carUnt EichrSoni Distribute cotton
to the world. Richmond was at one time
'ihe greatest -four market on the con-
tlneat. Why can she not be again2
GREAT sHIPYARDS.
.-Onc Of the ereatest Industries CT Rich
nond IS her shipyards. You have the
best OF facilities fct this work of any,
Newport tNows. Fresh water is always
an advantage.
''Of course Richmond will never be the
shirbuilding centre, owing to the great
crookedness of the James bat she VIII
rival the greatest of sh!pbuilding plants.
Admiral George w Melville. during q
recent visit TO the TrigS yards. said:
tGhGn visited Tis2rIplx' eleven or twelve
years ago. did not find as many tools
or those in use as mode;n. at that time,
sS ] find here This expression may be
considered as a prophecy
''Richnond. as ! have said, possesses
many natural advantages, bnt her form
er extreme corscrvatiSvn has done her
much harm. Within the last decade or
80 she has rrcde 'raf-vo'aus pl,er',nes at-
trtbuteoe to the discarding OF old ideas.
A.. a
3o;ncA the PROCESSION. Now let her keep
I'D VITA, It."