The Republican journal., 1900-02-22
The paciflc Coast.

SlAT1IE, WA-uINtroN, Feb 10. 1900,
Did auy oae ever notice what an insgnif-
eanJ Uttle puadle 5 the Atlantic ocean a.,
compared with the expansive Pacific?
Thu North Atlantic ocean, hedged N on
the west by the American Continent, on
the south 10y the northern coast Of south
America. ON The east 10y the European
counties and Africa, and on the north by
'1reenland's icy mountains can easily
be crossed il a weeks time, while the
broad Pacific comprises one half the sur
lace Of the globe and ships spend a
month time il composing its wide ex-
tent.
The eastern shore of the United States,
bordering on the Atlantic, measures less
than half the extent of our possessions of
the American Continent alone bordering
nn the Pacific. The posi- bilities of com
mercal traffic over the broad Pacific are
engrossing the attention of all progress
sive Americans. The development of
Alaska, now forced upon us by the dis
coveries of untold gold within it's unknown
confines: the development and CONNER
cal assimilation of the Philippines and the
nearer Hawaiian isles with ''as much more
as We may be able to get hold on" will be
the absorbing question of the coming
years. Ii means 4 more serious and de
Jermined consideration of the question of
the Nicaraguan canal, and undoubtedly
its ready assumption by the American
government in the near future
In the meantime, and thenceforth, what
have We beside the canal fol natural aids
to die handling OF the commerce which
must necessarily develop from the new
CONDITIONS?
The Pacific coast much unlike that Of
the Atlantic Whereas the Atlantic has
more s,te halbors than you can - shake "a
stick at, " the Pacific coast has not more
than tAIee-and scarcely that. While the
Atlantic coast seems broken and shaped
iuto numerous and natural safe harbors
for the accommodation OF any craft which
may be made to float, the western shores
at The / ullttl ClGttS, DOItGI1uS we dCllc,
are continuous and abrupt for the most
part and afford few natural shelters for
vessels other than ordinary small craft
not to exceed eight in all. Five of these
are probably beyond the posi- bility of i'm
provements suitable for the safe harbor-
ing Of the larger ocean going craft
San Francisco harbor is the only natural
harbor of consequence on the whole Cali
fornia coast-and the same we may rea-
sonably claim tor Puget Sound en- the
Washington coast. The Columbia river
is intermediary in two respects it is be-
tween the other two and also between the
ports known as good, bad and Indifferent
The Golden Gate and Puget Sound are
both open ports to the sea, with no sign of
bar or other natural distinctions to their
free entrance Puget Sound is in the ex-
treme northwest corner of the United
States-nearest to Alaska and its natural
headquarters. San Francisco is three
days journey to the south from Puget
Sound, and the mouth of the COLUMBIA
river is $50 miles south of the entrance to
Puget Sound. There are two small harbors
on the Washington coast and two more on
the Oregon coast, suitable for the entrance
of sailing vessels of 10 to Is feet draught.
The Columbia river is INSTRUCTED by
very nasty bar aud requires the location
of a light ship off the entrance-and that
is occasionally driven from its position by
the fierce winds and waves which frequent
ly beset it. The Columbia and Willamette
rivers-whereon rests Portland, the prin-
cipal city of Oregon-are both subject to
floods and constantly changing channels
because thereof. Pilots are always re-
CURED in passing up these rivers, and the
government buoys are frequently changed
in position to designate the new channels
formed by the current and accommodating
silt brought down the river.
The fact alone that President Hill of
the Great Northern railway is construct
ing several of the largest steamers which
have ever f1oated for use in oriental COM
merce, with Puget Sound as their home
port, shows exactly what that great in
land sea is capable of-the handling and
the housing of the fleets of all creation.
Then where, how and by whom will
the great and growing commerce of the
mighty Pacific be handled in the coming
momentous years? When the Nicarau-