The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-05-27
No Deep Harbor in the South.
Congressional Record)

Congressional Recordl
Mr. Underwood. | would like to
ask the gentleman, if We build a ship
or ships of the ,DreadnOught type
1 how many harbOTs in this country
! could that. ship enter?.t ..-'..-
Mr.. Foss. we'll IT. would not be
! necessary to enter but a few. 1t
/ could enter New York harbor, if
remember correctly. The harbor will
have depth of 40 feet, Now, the
DreadnOught draws % feet.
Mr.. Underwood. What 1t the num-
/ Der Of feet that this ship that it is
proposed to build will draw?
Mr.. Foss. About the same.
Mr.. Underwood. Then, so far as
the southern coast and the Southern
Atlantic and Gulf coasts are concern
ed that ship could not go there at all,
It could not protect that. coast, be-
cause it would have no harbor that 1t
could go in for supplies.
Mr.. Foss. That ship would never
go into a harbor to protect the coast.
That ship would meet the enemy out
en- the sea and give battle.
Mr.. Underwood. 1t has to have a
harbor to go back to in order to OBJ
tain supplies. 1t has to have a base
of supplies. --...-r
Mr.. Foss Our ships draw nearly
q feet to-day. --- 80
Mr.. Underwood. Well, l know, and
| for a large portion of our coast these
ships that draw that much will have
nc harbor Of refuge at all.
Mr.. Foss. There would be a few
harbors in which the ship -
Mr.. Underwood. And on account Of
the water they draw they could not
defend a large portion of our coast
line. But does the gentleman think
it wise q
Mr.. Foss. They would defend out
side; they would not defend inside
Mr.. Underwood Does the gentle
man think 1t wise to enter upon a
naval programme to build ships that
can not possibly defend at least three
fourths of the coast line Of the
United States? ..-....-.t .... 90. 49,.
Mr.. Foss Well, do not agree with
the gentleman that it is necessary for
a ship to be in the harbor to defend
the coast line 1 hope if we ever
enter into a war with any nation that
our ships will not remain in the har-
bor but that they will go out and
meet the enemy.
Mr.. Underwood. UnqueStiOnably
but We have got to have a harbor
of supply harbor to start from.
Mr.. Floss. There will be plenty of
harbors which this ship can enter.
Mr. Underwood. If l am correctly
informed. do not think there are
any in the southern waters.
Mr.. Meyer. I would state to the
gentleman from Alabama 0Mr I'm
derwoo6O that New Orleans is one
Of the harbors which that vessel will
be able to enter, although there are
now about 20 feet only. and in less
than two years, long before this bat
tleship can be completed, she will
have from 33 to 35 feet.
Mr.. Underwood / hope that in the
course of time we will have much
deeper harbors than we have now.
Mr.. Meyer But this work, | will
say. is in the course of contraction
and will assuredly be completed with
in. two years.
Mr.. Underwood. Is it not a fact
that the commanders of big naval
vessels do not like to carry them to
New Orleans to-day, even where they
nave SulhClSHC uTdlC VI "oCSi
Mr.. Meyer. They Go not now. be-
cause they regard the channel at
Pass as somewhat narrow. but this
new channel at Southwest Pass, will
be Of ample width for any ship in
the world. 1t Is not something thai
is in doubt or in contemplation. It
Is something that is in the course Of
construction and will assuredly be-
completed within the next two years,
probably in a year and half, long
before this battleship which Is pro-
posed can be completed.
Mr.. Underwood That is only one
harbor, and a dangerous harbor for
battleships.