Middletown transcript., 1906-10-13
nnP AM INLAND WATER ROUTE


realize the wisdom Of providing
q general system Of inland
waterways back from The Attain
tic coast line. Germany has pro-
vided especial canals for the
quick passage of warships and
boats engaged in the work of
handling the commerce OF that
country but mainly as meas
ure Of protection.
ssTbe great coast line of the
United States on this side of the
continent frequently makes it a
serions matter to shift warshipS
from the north to the south or
the reverse There are q number
Of danger points along the coast
and for heavy slfils nav cation
is sometimes precatiaus. The
present agitation of the ship
canal project through the Della.
ware and Maryland peninsula is
but the beginning Of what is to
come some day. The subject, as
we have frequently noted, is not
Of purely local interest. 1t is o
subject that ought TO concern the
entire country. and it is ma
tional proposition. Thus it is
pertinent to quote what the
Times Union of Jacksonville has
to say on the subject of inland
waterways to Florida
An inland waterway from
Jacksonville to New York, deep
enough and wide enough for the
use of river steamers, would
make possible the shipment by
water to New York or any other
point on this waterway, without
change of bulk, of freight from
any town In the United States in
a nayigable river running into
the Atlantic Ocean south OF Cape
Cod. It would also make possi-
BILE the passage of torpedo boats,
torpedo boat destroyers and
light draft gunboats from any
other point on the coast to any
other protected by a strip of land
from the attack Of a hostile feet
which might be cruising outside.
It would make possible the con-
centration without hindrance of a
large part of the. United States
navy at any threatened point.
"a project is being discussed
of a ten-foot channel from Nor
folk to Beaufort inlet in North
Carolina. This would be accom-
plished by deepening either The
Albemarle and Chesapeake or
the Dismal Swamp canal. From
the Chesapeake to the Delaware
the deepening of the Chesapeake
and Delaware Canal would give
inland communication with Phil
adelphia. Then by the Delaware
and Raritan communication
would be had with New York,
Connecticut and Rhode Island
ports without going outside.
"If the government should un-
dertake this work, as it viii
sooner or later, it will continue
it into the gulf and this would
mean a canal across Florida. 1n-
land waterways would continue
to the southern extremity Of the
state, but to save time and give
American vessels an advantage
in case Of war a canal across the
state would be needed.
unlike the work of canal Dig
ging, each part of this work
would be useful as it progressed.
Sooner or later the government
will undertake it and will grad
ually complete Is. 1t will be of
vital Importance in case of war
and of vast benefit for CONNER
cial uses.
From New York to Jackson
vile the distance is given as 1O77
miles. By water we fancy that |
It would be much further, and es-
pecially when the matter of wind
ind other conditions are consid-
cred. By an inland water route |
Bhe distance would possibly be
close on to 1900 miles. but the
gain would be the avoidance of
storms and heavy seas. Should
It be made possible to send a
Warship from New York to Jack
sonyille by an inside route the
advantage would be tremendous,
particularly if there was a hurry
call for vessels to the far South.
1.-THE scheme is feasible and
5he consideration OF the canal
project between the Delaware
ind Chesapeake bays is merely |
She beginning. With canals al
ready existing the enlargement
. simply a question OF dollars
md labor. There are no hard
problems to solve from an engi-
leering point of view so far as
he Delaware and Raritan and the
Delaware and Chesapeake canals
ire concerned. AS to the canals
IT'LL further to The south we i'm
Lgine that the same conditions
lold good. No doubt the Ameri-
AN people of the future willhave
or their use just what the Jack
'onpille paper suggests com
oleted inlanl water route all the
Eay from New York 10 the Gulf
# Mexico. Morning NeUs.