Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-12-19
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 10. 1909.
SOME REASONS row A THIRTY
- FIVE FOOT CHANNEL. .

FORT News. Norfolk and Portsmouth
should have channel-way OF thirty
FIVE foot depth" are given In an in
terestng little folder which has just
beenAissued by the Harbor Improve
ment Committee of Norfolk. Ports
mouth and Newport News. A dozen
uncontrovertible "becauses" are given.
and. these. supported by mass OF
statistics and tabulated facts have
been submitted to the government,
engineering board. from which the re-
commendation to congress must come.
Everybody who knows anything at all
about the great commercial and
strategical Importance OF the Hamp-
ton Roads ports recognizes the fact
that we should have thirty-five foot
channels leading to the commercial
wbarves. the shipyard and navy yard.
but few people who have not invest-
ysted the situation really know how
very necessary this improvement Is
and what a just claim the Virginia
deepwater ports have upon congress
for an appropriation
AT this time both Norfolk and New
port News. are supposed to have chan
neis. thirty-two feet in depth As a
matter OF fact. however, the channels
have filed in until neither belongs
in the thirty-two foot class. On this
side. the Middle Ground bar, the
creates; thorn in the flesh OF New
port News shipping men, is the prime
cause Ct trouble. The channel dredged
sometime ago through this bar 10 a
cepth OF thirty-two feet at mean low
tide, has gradually flied until there
is hardly a depth of thirty 1.-TWO fleet
AT high tide. This is source OF in
convenience. and instead OF getting
better, the condition gradually is be-
coming worse every day. As result
vessel of extraordinary draft can
come and 20 from the local harbo.
with safety only at high tide. and de-
lays often occur on this account.
This filing of the channel, 1t is
claimed, Is due to the lines chosen for
dredging II Is believed that a chat
mel drcdged directly across the bar
not only would cut OF a mile OF two
# the trip from Chesapeake Bay 10
Newport News. but would be. Prac.
tlcally. proof against the mud which
is throsn OFT by NansemonG river
: large part cf which finds It's way
in;e the channel as 1t now stands.
FcIloSiug are several OF the mort
striking reasons Tor a thirty Eve foot
channel given in the joint commit
tees folder.
Because the combined tonnage
valuation of their Hampton Roads
Fortsg vater-bcrne shipments D.
with The exception OF New York. great
~ than that q any port en- the At
lsntic. Pacific OF Gulf coasts. theii
NM|.INUnNE 80 IN&Aa.N aoOAAIA -
Iet52o tons, valued at 81 .z7s. az. sO7
Because probably more than 2.
sc vcssels-mcrchant and navy
xisit these ports annually. On draft,
ranging from - Zee. 10 20 ieet. sil
inches q s1ter.
Because the situx~lG. geographi
cz.ly. IS one q vast strategic i'm
porrance. and because Of the unexccil
c1 facilities which are available 10
ships % wer--thcre being situated a
Norfolk the finest o. al navy yard
ard ~ Newport News a shlpbuiidinl
and dry cock plant capable o. build
INK end repairing vcrk Of the heavies
kind--csch place possessing three IN
mraEe dry dicks.
"firC1usc the amount Of appro
pflzlIcas - river ard hsreor In
fTesueHss fscs government sfstls
f't<l rhorn ~ fvrner~ ccmperisoi
that elArr pcFfs - ne country hav
rr1cisso fsou I've u l~eniJ and eve