The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1911-03-10
OBSTACLES suRMouNTAeLE.

Senator Townsend's suggestion for
a scheme of international waterways
10 open the great lakes FOR the use
of ocean vessels is not only notable
for its great utility but il also de-
served to take rank with the greatest
of world undertakings in difficulties to
be overcome and expense involved. At
first glance the proposal seems to con-
template the enlargement of the wa
terways connecting Lake Erie with
tidewater at Montreal. This would in
volve the enlargement of the Welland
canal. p miles long. from a depth of
IA feet 10 at least % feet. and a cor
responding increase of width and there
building Of the present 20 locks 10 a
corresponding depth and not less than
coo feet in length instead Of the pres
ent 270 and reducing the number of
locks. Below Lake Ontario are nine
canals, making a total length Of AZ
miles, for passing around the rapids
of the st. Lawrence river. These canals
are IA feet deep and their many locks
dA -tV AftA III lNAAH III ffAAAls nus al
ocean vessel would be admitted to the
great lakes by locking it up a little
over 500 feet above mean tide level of
the ocean.
But shipbuilding for ocean trade diff
fers somewhat from that i'm practice
for the great lakes. our huge freight
ers carry larger cargoes in proportion
to their draft than anything on the
high seas They are flat-bottomed
craft so cunningly designed for carry
ing capacity at the sacrifice Of other
considerations that they have been de-
scribed as huge boxes. To send such
a craft across the ocean carrying per-
haps 10000 tons of freight on a 49,
foot draft would be TO invite disaster
because the larger seas encountered on
the ocean would produce strains which
the simple box-like structures would
hardly stand. Ocean vessels are COM
monty built with more nodded depth
and instead Of limiting their load TO a
draft Of 10 or 20 feet they load TO 25
and p feet, thus securing a lower CEN
ter of gravity and greater stability and
structural strength. I'm order TO put
the system on a thoroughly practical
basis the waterways would have to be
deepened throughout to a depth Of at
least 25 feet. Even now that attain
ment is looked forward TO by the car
riers Of the great lakes, for freights
are cheapened by charging the carry
ing capacity of ships
After bringing the 81 miles Of Ca
madam canals to this capacity there
viii still remain five or six miles of
channel to deepen at the mouth OF
Detroit river. The channel across
Lake st. clair must be deepened five
feet and the st. Clair river must be
given the same depth throughout.
Further improvements must be made
by deepening the channels through
St. Mary's river, and the 500 locks
must be made 20 conform 20 the gem
eral scheme. Twenty-Five years ago
this proposal would have been dis
missed as n dream, bright and beau
tiful TO contemplate on paper but too
expensive TO be considered by practical
engineers. Today the ability of ma
tons 10 pay is greatly increased and
the inventions and appliances for con-
structive engineering have been so
vastly improved that the once impossi-
Bile has become easily possible The
cost ofremoving a cubic yard Of either
rock, clay or quicksand is but frac-
ton Of what it was. because. by con-
slant trying and tackling forbidding
undertakings men have found better
ways Of doing such work.
The -to-the-sea international
route invites the serious consideration
OF the two governments quite regard
less Of the opposition that may develop
and the dlscouraging predictions that
will be made. for they can have this
means of opening up the Interior OF
two great empires TO the sea II they
will.-Detroit News.