Evening journal., 1916-06-27
REOPEN FIGHT Fer
GOVERNMENT Canal
Congressman Moore Tells OF
Dangers That Turks in
in Delay
WOULD COST PRICE
OF ONE BATTLESHIP


Chesapeake and Delaware Canal, and,
in fact the providing of a series Of
deep canals. in connection with the
natural waterways from Boston TO
Charleston. S. c.. by recent debates
in Congress on the program Of a broad
and effective system of national de-
Tense against invasion by a foreign
foe The leader in these debates,
which will be continued until some
thing tangible shall have been done,
is Congressman J. Hampton Moore. Of
Philadelphia, president of the Allan
tic Waterways Association. In his de-
bates. in which he has parried all at
tacks, Mr.. Moore has quoted exten-
sively from the report Of the Commis-
sion. headed by Gen. Felix Agnus'
which investigated the whole proposi-
ton involving the purchase. deepen
ing and widening of the Chesapeake
and Delaware Canal in 1907 and
which submitted a detailed report to
Congress.
Extracts from Mr. Moore's speech
bring out in bold relief the import
ance of the project from strategic
point of view in time of war and from
a convenience point of view in time OF
peace. "a
The proposition to construct u
foot canal" said Mr. Moore. in a de-
bate on June 13. "as recommended ny
the Bixby report of 1912, IS not ieas-
ible A canal Of this depth would
not be sufficient for the passage OF
mo0efr. torpedo boats or submarines.
Earlier commissions made careful
estimates of cost for depths exceeding
10 feet The highest of these was
nresented by the Agnus Commission
OF 1907. which made, perhaps, the
most careful survey of any or lhe
commissions and went more careIuily
into the element of cost. This com
mission recommended 35-ioot depth
and estimated that all necessary WORK
could he done. including the purchase
nf the property. for a total ol S2O,b2l,-
g22 70 This estimate included all
necessary dredging from deep water
in Chesapeake Bay to deep water III
Delaware Bay. but Congress az the
time did not look with favor either
unon the expenditure of $20,0OOOOO oi
unon the construction of a 35-too'
channel AS showing that we 'iail.
cd to take time by the forelock ah'
have permitted ourselves to remain II
state Of unprenaredness in this mat
ter 7 call attention to the fact ina
tbe total cost of our modern oattle
ebins has now reached about $2OVoO'
noo and that they require a channe
depth Of 35 feet
Danger Turks in Delay.
II is unfortunate that we did no
,oai- far enough ahead in 1907 to an
ticipate our present necess'lles' ""
that is no good reason lot luitle,
nostponing them. l repeat we l oOulu
nrovide an up-to-date canal pelMeei
The Chesapeake and Delaware nay
tbat would be invaluable TO com
r,erce in times Of peace ana OF IN
astirnable worth 10 the government il
times of peace or war for the cost .
eingle battleship. If we do not pro
,-ida such a passageway. IT may nap
49,, come dav that our neglect IN ina
pl.egard will cost us the price OF
dozen battleships. , -
Was reading a little while as'
,ror, the report Of the Agnus Com
1,iesion with respect to the naVa
and army importance Of the Chesa
nealze and Delaware Canal. na'
roacbed that point where the com
,.trsion smoke Of the overpowerlhs
,,,,nortance for naval purposes OF
n-atervav TO connect the navy yaru
.1one the Atlantic seaboard, ana u
ri,-e the vessels Of the high-seas meet
if driven in. a place to go for repairs
80 thew would be now blocked an
solutely. with the chesapeake an an,
delaware Canal in its present colul
Fon This board, made up OF uls
tineuished naval and military men
renorted 10 Congress as folloWs'
The civil war developed the enor
NOUS value of the present canal as
means of transportation of troops
sunplies and prisoners. While on
railroad facilities have greatly IN
creased since that time, it is easi
conceivable that in future wars o
International disturbances the pre-
nosed shin canal would very likel
nrove an important adjunct to RAJ
Transportation, and possibly a Nita
factor in campaigns should IA
transportation be interrupted by a'
,idents. strikes or hostile RAIDS
What Might Happen.
And there. parenthetically, ca
attention to the fact that all rallroa
communication between the Mort
and the South could he overthrow
in an hour by one foreign vessel eI
tering the present unprotected Dela
ware Bay. and we would nave 10 r'
sort to new methods of transportm
the materials for which this bill pre-
vides. One vessel up the Delawal
River. shooting up the tracks of II
Baltimore and Ohio and the Pennsy
vania Railroads. or landing enoug
men to tear them up, would depriN
the South of communication with u
North and utterly shut off the Mort
from the South, and if our enemi'
had the seas. God save the country
II we had an open waterway. sue
IS Is proposed, between the Chess
peake and Delaware Bays. we cou
resort 10 strategy, repair or equi
our ships. get the navy out at ono
TWO approaches, meet the enemy an
drive him back But We have not pr
vided for that. This Agnus board hs
this in mind when it said further
rs report.
The experts Of the present Nav
General Board would be satisfied Il
The canal 10 pass vessels of 16-fo
draft and 60-foot beam; in oth'
words. monitors, torpedo boats al