Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-12
BY THE INSIDE ROUTE

Cape Hatteras the most dangerous point
upon our Atlantic seaboard, will cease to
exist as a menace to coastwise navigation
if the present plans of the United states
government are carried out, the details of
which will be called to the attention of Con-
gress at the present session. and an appro-
priation urged for their execution.
For generations the name of Cape Hat
teras has been synonymous with storms,
shipwrecks and Loss Of life. All sorts OF
schemes have been proposed to minimize Its
dangers. Millions of dollars have been
spent in attempts Ito properly light the cele-
brated Diamond shoals, which surround
Cape Hatteras. 1t was found impossible,
after years of labor to build a lighthouse
there. The heaviest and stanchest Hgnt-
ship ever constructed was placed at Dia-
mond shoals only to be blown away from
her giant muchroom anchors.
During all this time steamers lost their
bearings vessels were driven ashore and
millions of dollars worth of property and
hundreds of lives continued to be lost.
Every winter brought long record of dis
asters on Cape Hatteras.
The sailor coming from San Francisco
dreaded this one spot more than any other
In the long voyage round the Horn Inc
coaStwise vessels tried to give it wide
berth. But it has remained as a perma-
nent menace to navigation, and has done
more to injure coastwise commerce on the
Atlantic than any olnef agency.
The plan to avoid the cape contemplates
an ingenious and thoroughly practicable
system Of inland canals and channels, by
which the coastwise trade will be enabled
to pass behind Cape Hatteras protected
from the fury Of the ocean the whole way
down the coast by low lying sand bars.
The Dismal Swamp canal, miserable
ditch of comparatively small Importance, Is
to be deepene,- through it's whole length.
Here. bordered by cypress. gum and mag
nol1a, large coastwiSe vessels can sail or
tow in safety.
The extra insurance now put ships be-
cause of Capt HatteraS and it's dangers
will, it is claimed, more than pay for the
cost of towage in this new inside route.
The saving in time will be great. and the
safety to human life will be an item Of no
small importance.
The magnificent feet of yachts kept in
northern waters can then pass up and down
the coast in safety. When the inside route
is finished great advance In coaStW1Se
transportation is expected to take place.
An inside passage from Boston to Florida
is believed by officials to be one OF the pos
sibilities of the future. The present plan is
looked at the first and most important
step in this development.
To large extent the proposed waterway
is natural one, end to fit it for the pass
age of vessels Of the larger class, as con-
templated in the survey now being made,
is simply matter Of dredging channels
through the various sounds lying back Of
the narrow strip of land which forms Cape
HatteraS ana the dangerous coast on Its
north and south.
Hampton Roads. which will be the north
ern entrance to the inside passage, is con-
sidered one of the safest and most easy of
access of all the harbors on the coast. Yes
sells will pass into the Elizabeth river at
Norfolk and thence down the Dismal
Swamp canal to Pasquotank, into Abe
marie soun-, Pamlico sound, Core sound.
Back sound and Beaufort harbor.
When the improvements contemplated are
made it is probable that the inside route
will be continued below Beaufort inlet.
This will give the United States the great
est stretch of protected water in the world.
1t will be valuable in war time. as small
war ships and whole fleets of torpedo boats
can pass from northern waters almost to
the gulf without once going outside.