The Savannah morning news., 1904-04-09
SAVANNAH HARBOR
WORK INSPECTED
GOVERNMENT AGENT PLEASED
SAVANNAH SHOULD HAVE THIRTY
FIVE FOOT CHANNEL TO SEA.

This Is what Commander MenOcal,
Retired Naval officer, Thinks-Trip
Not OmciaI But VIII Rebound to
savannah's BENEFIT Talked of
Isthminn Canal - Believes Con-
structiOn of Waterway VIII Make
Savannah Leading Port south of
New York.
Savannah should have a thirty-five
foot channel"
The harbor was inspected yesterday
morning by Mr.. A. G.. MenOcal, re-
tired United States naval commander,
who is now serving the gov
eminent in the Engineer Department.
and who made this statement after
the inspection.
Mr.. MenoGaI says that while the in
spection was not exactly an official one,
he believes 1t will rebound to Savan-
nah's benefit. He was very much
pleased with the harbor and made
careful inspection of the dredging work
that is now being done.
Mr.. Arthur S. Cooper, assistant en-
gineer in Col. Quinn's office, accom-
panied Mr.. Menocal on the trip,
which was made in the government
launch. Mr.. Menocal declared upon
his return that Savannah undoubtedly
has one of the best ports on the At
lantic side, not excepting Philadelphia
and Baltimore. He believes that the
government should make liberal APP
preparations to give a thirty-five foot
channel from the city to the sea.
Canal VIII BENEFIT savannah.
Mr.. Menocal was for several years
a member of the Nicaraguan Canal
Commission, and believes that the Mic
araguan route was far more feasible
than the Panama route. He said the
matter Is now settled, and 1t is the duty
of every American citizen to support
the President in his efforts to construct
the great waterway He believes the
existence of volcanoes on the Mica
| rauguan route had the tendency of
causing the government to abandon
that route for Panama.
There are many difficult engineering
problems that will have to be solved
in the construction of the canal across
Panama that would not have been en-
countered if the Nicaraguan route had
| been chosen Mr.. Menocal said. The
| completion of the canal, he said, and
a 35-foot channel for this harbor, will
make Savannah the leading harbor
south of New York. He says the work
for a deeper channel should be pushed
by the citizens of Savannah every day
in the year. in order that by the time
the canal Is completed the desired depth
may have been obtained in the harbor
Canal VIII Cost Over 5000, 0OO, 900.
Mr.. Menocal made the survey across
the Panama in 1876 when this govern
ment first began the agitation of an
isthmian canal. This was before the
French corporation undertook the work
of connecting the two oceans by the
way of the Panama route. He believes
it will take this government over ten
years to complete the canal, and thinks
the cost will run far above the esti-
mated 5000, 100000.
The digging of the canal, he de-
clares, will revolutionize the trade of
| all the Southern ports, and Will make
! the South one of the very richest sec
tions of the entire Union. Not only
| in reduced freight rates by water will
! the shippers profit he says, but the
shortening of the route for the steam
ers will cause the great trans-conu-
mental railroads to greatly lower their
| freight rates in order to compete with
the steamship lines.
Believes in Savnnnah's Future.
81 have been here three days now"
said Mr.. Menocal, ''and ] do not hest
tate to say 1 have never visited city
that l was more favorably impressed
with. On every hand l can see signs
of progress, and If l am not badly mis-
taken l believe you have a citizenship
| here that will make Savannah one of
the greatest cities in the South. l be-
lieve in the future of your city and
will ever stand In readiness to speak a
word in behalf of any efforts you make
| to improve your beautiful city"
Mr.. Menocal will leave to-day for
| Mobile where he will inspect the
dredging work that is being done there.
| From Mobile he will go to New Or
leans and Galveston. He is pleased
with his visit here and expressed the
| hope that he might have the pleasure
of visiting Savannah oftener in the flu
| ture.