The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-12-23
Our Northern Defenselessness.

While soldiers and statesmen are
regaling US with the possibility OF wat.
between this country and Germany or:
other powers, and much space In the:
newspapers is being devoted toa de-.
mand for strengthening our sea coast
defenses. But one portion OF our:
border seems to have been lost sight.
Of, and it remains for the Pittsburg
Dispatch to bring it to our attention.
The Canadian irritation over the
Alaskan decision has produced a.
prompt objection to the recent pro
position to ask a modification Of the
treaty 1917 so as I'd permit the United
State to maintain naval training
station on the Great Lakes, says the
Dispatch. The Ottawa Citizen points
out that in the case Of a rupture Great
Britain by means Of the Canadian
canals could bring in warships and:
hold the lake cities Of the United
States at her mercy. The Canadians
are unwilling to give up this adyant-
age.
The existence of this advantage In
the probable case OF war between the
United States andsGreat Britain has
often been referred to. So far as the
naval training station Is concerned
that would offer no material oppcsi-z.
tion to. the preponderance OF naval
power which Great Britain could :n-ES
troduce through the canals. Some
people have proposed to abrogate the
old treaty and build Warships on: the J
lakes. But to build warships enoU 3h
to match all the vessels OF tourte ne
feet draft, or less, that Great Brit an I
could send through the canals .woi I'D
mean the maintaining Of large f ;et5
in utter idleness and which Wo Id
probably become efete and usel sss
before it was needed. ---1sl.ss. -.
So far the United States has relied
solely on the bonds of peace between
itself and Great Britain and left its
northern border wholly undefended.
II that magnificent trustfulness
should be deemed inexpedient-and it
is really a doubtful question-there
are two means Of providing for the
exigency. One is to build strong forti-=
fcations commanding the ST, Law
renee channel on the northern bound;
ary of New York, and SO prevent the
passage Of war vessels up that stream.
That should be done if any defense is
necessary at all. But even that will
not defend the upper lakes, If the
Georgian Bay and Ottawa river canal
is completed, against attack by the
vessels which could pass through that
waterway.
The only way for the United States {
to redress this disadvantage is to
adopt the measure in which Canada is
so far ahead Of her. That Is to build J,
ship canals by which the vessels Of her.
own navy could be transferred to the
lakes and meet the British vessels
there. The present decision is to
make the Erie cannal smaller than
would serve that purpose. But naval
and commercial reasons both urge the ;
Of the great interior rivers
and their connections With the lakes
20 that even larger vessels than those
that could pass the Canadian canals
,ould be sent to defend the lakes II
hey were needed The oVerwheln-
ng probability is that they will never
oe needed; but if they are not the
commercial benefits OF this waterway
would repay the cost.
Beyond that, If war should ever
hreaten between the United States
nd Great Britain, this nation would
re blindly stupid if it did not have a.
orce ready to sieze and hold the Wei
and canal within twenty-four hours
fter war was declared. ~