The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-04-12
Work in middle section 1913. Below sea level

enough to float his ships, for it is likely
that he would be delayed by fog had
weather and other causes in using his
passage to such an extent as might
mean the difference between victory md
defeat for the force he commanded. The
only course left him Therefore 70 pursue
at present Is to proceed around Nan
tucket South Shoal. and in takins this
route, should the enemy preccde him INTO
Massachusetts Bay. he would hc go, m
from making a junction with Boston
harbor and its Notifications and leave
his small vessels with no port 10 fail
back upon in case they should %" d,s-
abled. The deepening Of the Cap cod
Canal sufficiently to permit tn passage
Of battleships would obviate thas, ob-
jectiOns, add greatly to the zone control
Of the fleet and increase the valu" ~ The
harbor defences OF Boston and New Eng
land ports as well.
We have conspicuous parallel 10
the Importance Of the Cape Cod canal
to New England interests in thu kel
Canal. which was built by Germany at
cost Of nearly sl0o,OOO,o0o for pral-
tically strategic purposes. Yet the re-
duction Of the distance between thc base
Of the German fleet in the Baltic and
the North Sea by way of the canal IS
but little more than that which W., be
gained for the American fleet by IN IN
largement Of the Cape Cod Canal No.
tween the two important strates!c 'en-
tres Newport and Boston.
IF then the Government needs ne
Cape Cod Canal as factor in The p'no-
lem of national defence, why should Il
not bear expense for its cons,ru.. un'
Boston. as one of the prinCipal ''s
for Western commerce, has an I'r-
| state importance aside from thr fse
| local interests Of the New I'm nj
| States it represents. and the pr ON
of ehs great emporium in time Nar
would he therefore for the gen.rt N..-
fare of all the people of the ,t.
and the expenditure of money It
nation to enlarge the Cape rrJ nal
for the fleet is just.fiable. In ..F 4
the fact that the construction 'l'
Cape Cod Canal Is "A private ,nY,.I' 80,
authorized by the state of Mt--II l-
sets, 1t Is a problem to bring dn' -
| control by the national GoNeruW'u. 1Ht
/ have'a suggestion to make in tI., ne
nection which will. | think. au~N '.t
purpose.
| THE length Of the cut for ID all
through the sandy suhstanc" 81 tpt
Cod Is eight miles from the high Ter
mark in Barnstable Bay to IT," NJ
II its Of the tide in Buzzards Bu' 1e
land covered by this cut is par le
Commonwealth of Massachus,' "a
of course the State has the pow, 10
Wat she will with it, Beyond ''t'
ton of the canal route. however "a
mel has been dug through the - ME
waters of the United States J.
made a part Of the canal syst s!
the franchise granted the Co. NJ
Canal Company by the STATE 90. 80
chusetts the company is given y
to regulate the commerce " 10
pass through.
"Of course the State of VI l'
sets has a right to grant su, 'S-
| sions over its own territory ~ -S
hut the right to regulate thu '"
which passes through this ,at. 81"
longs to the nation alone
regulated only by the nation.
istration. The depth Of the ]"
State owned territory is t. -. w.
> hVe feet. There are to-day SN "'
cial steamships, most of tH'W
which draw over twenty-five T. I'u
: and cannot use it, and II ''
that many coastwise ships in ''
! have greater displacement than '
ent. The American battloshu NN
: not be able to pass through Id
} unless II should be enlarged
! MY proposition then Is q d.
. Congress and the Executive =
adv ed To give up the idea If ,'
inE channel through TN '"i
Shoals and devote the mon '
probably cost, say. $+,0o0,00o
construction Of that part 81 ~
Cod Canal that has been ma. -
the navigahle waters of Oh
States, pay the canal comp y,
work already done On tho ~.
hreakwaier upon such I".
seem just and equitable aud ""
channel to n depth nj furtl
: the direction of the United
engineers.
s. "There would probably -,
T money coming Ia the CON
u this suggested arranp,m'u'
i TO drcdge the eight ma"
Is which runs through the S'a. -
y chusetts to a depth "t 'I'
Z and to increase its N,d.n I'D
u which dimensions have h''
n I'm builNlnp m, lriIHtS