Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1902-06-09
ABANDON STATION
HALE WOULD DISCONTINUE THE
MARE ISLAND YARD
At San Francisco, on Account of Its Useless.
ness as Repair Depot for Large Yes.
sells Of the Navy-Success of Plan Means
Increased Importance Of the Puget Sound
Navyysrd.

Washington, June Ex-senator Hale,
of Maine, chairman of the committee
Oh naval affairs, and one of the most
conservative and influential members
of the senate, introduced an amend
ment to the naval bill today providing
that Mare Island navy yard at San
Francisco be abandoned. Coupled
with this plan is provision that a
board of officers be appointed to con-
slider the location of yard at some
point on San Francisco bay adjacent to
deep water. Senator Perkins, of Cali
fornia, who is also member of the
naval affairs committee, is bitterly OPP
posed to the scheme, for he believes it
means the permanent supremacy of
Puget Sound maynard.
Senator Hale's amendment IL as fol-
lows:
whereas, The United States navy
yard at Mare Island, California, is sit
uated remote from the seashore, and
can only be approached by smaller ves-
sells of the United States navy, no bat
tleship ever having been sent to the
yard; and,
"Whereas, Large sums of money
have been expended by the United
States in attempts to dredge the chan
mel of said yard, a large part of said
work having been made useless by re-
filling of the channel through natural
deposits; and,
"Whereas, Property of the govern
ment Of great value has lately been de-
stroyed and needs to be replaced;
"Therefore, the secretary of the navy
is hereby directed to appoint a commits
sion of three persons, consisting of one
officer of the engineering corlss of the
army, one officer of the civil engineer
corps of the navy and one experienced
and expert civil engineer from civil
life, whose duty il shall be to examine
ths situation at said maynard, the
channel leadfhg from the sea thereto,
and further to examine the shores Of
the bay of San Francisco and waters
nearly adjacent thereto for the purpose
OF selecting suitable site having am
pie deep water fur the purpose OF estab.-
fishing at such place Il new United'
States nmvyyard, to- wlsieh IN due time
all government property now in Mare
Island invyyard stall lie moved, =" far
as the same shall te practicable
''Said commission shawl rerSrt to the
secretary OF the navy the full re-
suits of their examinations, and full
description of the site selected for the
new navy ward, whii,h report shall be
transmitted to congress at its next ses-
sion, with amy recommendations there
Oh that the secretarWof tAe navy msay
see fit to make"
A few Days ago Senator Hale intr0-
duced RESTITUTION calling on tive navy
department for information calculates
to show the relative natural advantages
of the Puget Sound and Mare gsland
Wards. Although the formali reply Iras
not yet been made by, the Department,
Senator Hale Fsas learned enough t~
satisfy him tAat the Mare island varh
~ practically useless i6r first class re-
pair work Insler present cmditions-
Senator Perkins, in discussing. the
amendment, .ahl:
az shall fs2ht this Serene r,'a tini-Sa.
1t simply nseans that Salo Francisco
VIII have second Class naval station
instead OF Il aa,vyyard. and that Puget
Sound will get the bulk of the work ot
repairs on naval ships
The belief II general that congress
would not consent, ut least for lesag
time. to incur the expense Vi baildSng
mp a great new yard @n san Francisco
bay, especially as the government AL
ready has fine equipment at tlie Puget
Sound maynard.