Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-12-12
PROPOSED CHESAPEAKE AND
DELAWARE SHIP CANAL

Baltimore sun.
Twenty years ago the Sun urged the
construction by the Federal government
of a ship canal to connect the Chesa-
peake and Delaware bays. An sppro-
priation for survey was made aud the
work Of the survey was done under the
supervision of Gen. William P. Craig
hill of the United States Army. That
was as far as the matter went ut that
time. Since then there has been coca
sional discussion, but no results On
last Monday, the first day of the SEES
sion of Congress the Hon. Sydney e.
Mudd of Maryland introduced into the
House of Representatives bill to con-
directs the Secretary OF War to con-
struot ship canal through the States
of Maryland and Delaware, connecting
the two bays by the most convenient
route, the work not to cost more than
$40, 900, GOO. 1t is provided that the
| depth of water In the canal shall be ut
least 30 feet. The bill is ompanied
by resolution providing for the ap-
pointmeDG of a commission to deter.
mine the route. A bill similar to this
was introduced by Mr.. Mudd at the
last session, but at SO late q time that
| it failed of construction. The early
introduction at this session is a wise
preoaution. Mr.. Mudd has already won
great praise for his activity in looking
after the interests Of his State in Con-
gress. He has shown not only industry
and activity In these matters, but re-
margable adroitness IN carrying through
his purpose. This present effort is
| greatly to be commended and should
enlist the hearty support OF the entire
Mary land delegation in both HOUSES of
Congress. II Mr.. Mudd should succeed
in getting the bill through the House
then the State will look to her Senators
TO take care Of it in that body. Senator
McComas is high in the counsels Of his
Earty and enjoys great personal in
| fiuence and popularity and will be able,
it is believed, not only To take care Of
the bill in the Senate, but to aid MIR.
Mudd in getting it through the House.
Then tho, Mr.. Mudd should receive
the active aid and support of the com.
| meroial organizations of Baltimore,
Philadelphia, Wilmington and other
cities directly interested. In point of
| fact the whole country is interested, fot
! this ia, first of all, a measure OF national
defence. The amount carried In the
| bill and which, it is believed, will be
| sufficient to complete the work is but
| littla more than the cost Of two first
/ class battleships, class of vessels
primarily designed for coast defence.
| AS measure Of coast defence it Is plain
| that the canal would be far more
| effective than two, or even four, or per-
| haps 40, ships. In defending the Federal
capital and the other cities lying upon
the Chesapeake and Delaware bays and
their tributaries one feet with the
canal could do the work which would
require two or more without it.
| II the United States Is to keep on as
a word power" taking a hand in
the aifnirs OF nations; IL we are to
maintain the Monroe Doctrine when the
great countries of Europe become even
Iymore overorowded than they are now
! and are looking for colonies, then it is
| not improbable that we will have to
| fight. In war with great naval
rower the most efficient protection of
our enormous coast limo would be an
| inside passage through which a fleet
could be transferred from one point of
attack to another with safety and
celebrity. There should be an "inside
passage, with sufficient depth of water
Tor warship, all the way from Boston
to New Orleans. Nature has done the
greater part OF the work for US and the
time will come when the government
will do the rest. The completion of
the Cape God canal a short cut will in
effect connect Massachusetts Bay with
Long Island sound, great inside way.
Then the Raritan canal, enlarged and
deerened, will carry the waters of New
York harbor into the Delaware River.
Thence the Chesapeake q Delaware
ship canal would lead to the Chesa-
peake Bay. From the bay south it is
only necessary to enlarge the present
canal to reach a long stretch of inside
navigation through the North Carolina
sounds The military value of the in
side route il what primarily should
| interest the government. But the COM
mercial advantages interest a long
chain Of cities along the seaboard from
Boston south. 1t would give safe,
direct and cheap route for many of the
| products of tbs Southern States to reach
| the Northern markets. 1t would enable
| great part of the 4 atlantic Coast trade
to avoid the dangers of Cape Hatteras.
1t would shorten the way for the trade
of Baltimore for the wheat and corn
of the Middle Mississippi Valley to the
markets of Europe. In short, the
canal proposed by Mr.. Mud is the first
| link in cham of waterways which
cannot be constructed too soon. 1t is
the chief one OF all, and the country
should have il, even if it cannot have