Evening journal., 1915-06-30
WOULD FORTIFY
THE EASTERN coast
Waterways Members Hear
UnpreparednesS Warning
and Would Take Head
WILL INSPECT THE
RIVER DEFENSES

The need Of constructing inland
waterways as a part OF the coast de.
Tense plan was touched upon yesterday
by Congressman J. Hampton Moore,
president OF the Atlantic Deeper and
Delaware Waterways Association. at a
meeting Of the Philadelphia members OF
the association. Mr.. Moore predicted
that as result Of the European war.
Congress would pay more attention to
inland waterways in the future. The
meeting. which was held in the offices
of the commissioners of navigation in the
Boursc. was called TO perfect prelmi-
nary arrangements for the annual CON
vention at Savannah, Ca, in the fall,
and TO plan a trip to inspect the de-
fenses along the Delaware river.
II was decided to charter the steam.
ship Persian, Of the Merchants a
Miners Line. 10 convey the Philadelphia
members 20 the convention which will
meet In Savannah about the middle OF
November Those who do not care 10
take the water trip will 90 by train.
arrangements will be made for stop.
overs and meetings in Richmond, Va.
Washington. Raleigh \. C.. and Column
bia. S. c. Baltimore and the Hudson
river towns viii send delegations by
boat to the convention and the Boston
delegates are considering the project OF
chartering a vessel
The date for the trip to inspect the
for Notifications along the Delaware
river was set for Wednesday, July Is.
A steamer will be chartered for the
trip. which will also include ap inspec-
tion OF the Delaware river approach to
the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal.
II is probable that the next Con-
gress will pay more attention to in
land waterways than II has done here
tofore," said Mr.. Moore in opening
the meeting. I'VE will necessarily
have TO consider coast Notifications,
for they are now receiving the atten-
ton of military men in such a way
as to increase their importance On
both the Atlantic and Pacific ciasts.
We have 900 men on the island IF
Hawaii now and we are not entirely
satisfied with our Notifications there.
II we must pay so much attention to
these islands, 200 miles from the
o'iit NoaNAf ~ ibiAOWo Aitdi VIC must
also pay closer attention to our de-
fcnses adong the Atlantic and the
Pacific and on the Gulf The Pacific
coast is not well fortified as the mill
tary men view the situation, and the
capture of the Hawaiian Islands
would be a serious blow TO the United
States. which 1t would take thousands
of lives and untold millions to re-
cover. Likewise it would be horrify-
ing 10 the entire country and eXpen-
siye and humiliating beyond measure
IL we should lose any Of our fortif-
cations along the Atlantic seaboard
This brings up the question of in
land waterways as a relief PROPOSE
ton We must have such passages
as the Chesapeake and Delaware
Canal opened for the use of naval yes
sells. We are not invulnerable along
the Atlantic coast, and while none of
us are for war. we ought 10 be as
we'll prepared to defend ourselves
against attack as any nation on earth.
We cannot be we'll prepared nor well
fortified along the Atlantic coast
while we deliberately close up all our
avenues of communication like the in
land waterways and rivers for which
there would be an absolute necessity
if such vantage points as New York
Bay or Chesapeake and Delaware
Bays should become the centres of
naval activities"