Evening journal., 1917-12-11
WILL LMINGTON CAN
QUICKLY DEVELOP
HARROR FACILITIES
Continued from page Il

The committee have not established
any arbitrary or inhexible rule. They
are conscious that the public must be
induced to realize its obligations in the
development of water transportation by
the processes Of publicity and education.
They find it difficult to excuse larger
cities where production is large and ad-
ditional facilities of transportation are
50 nsistent and where neither ignorance
nor poverty can be pleaded in extenua-
lion. The committee are further aware
that time will be required even where
the civic conscience has been aroused
TO provide these facilities and to fully
utilize navigable waterways. For the
present the committee only insists there
shall be no willful disregard Of local and
public obligations in these respects"
ln reply Secretary Of War, Baker,
said; This statement has my hearty
approval. ...........l consider it a most
Opportune reminder to local interests
generally of the essential part they must
take in the national development of
water transportation so that it may
best serve the commercial and industrial
needs of the country"
have received letters from Hon. j.
Hampton Moore, President, Atlantic
Deeper Waterways Asso .iation and Hon.
:. A. Thompson, Secretary, National
Rivers and Harbors Congress, commend
inS this Board for giving consideration
li this time 10 the development OF hsr-
n facilities, which they deem a most
patrIotic and essential duty as an aid
io tnv Government in winning the War,
and as a splenu.u bus ms proposition
Tor Wilmington to undertake immed-
Iateiy. These letters are in our files
and have been published in the daily
press OF the City.
The following is a copy of an edi-
torial appearing the Engineering News
Record, published in New York City,
Nov 2Znd, 1917, which with the fore
going uJterances of prominent citizens
Oh goes 10 indicate what is Wilmington S
duty at this time.
OCEAN PORTS MUST BE DEVELOPED
The secondary ports of the Atlantic
seaboard-and by that is meant all the
ports but New York, for about SOGo
ot the Atlantic foreign trade passes
through that port-have never been able
TO compete with the metropolis, nor in
deed have they even been able to realize
fair proportion Of the, business prom
ised by mOdernization and enlargement
ot their facilities. Habits Of shippers
the Capitalization Of the big railroads
and the influence OF the greatest inan-
cial center, all have tended 10 keep New
York the premier port, although the
lesser rivals have, with uncontrovertible
theory, provided better wharves, more
efficient handling and superior railway
connections. The war, wrecker Of tradi-
tiOn and previous practice though il is
will hardly be able to remove this su.
periority, but it will certainly bring more
close the performance and the promise
Of scientific development in the lesser
ports.
''Within a few months the amount Of
shipping from the Atlantic Seaboarc
viii far exceed the capacity Of existing
ports. Millions Of dollars must be ex
peuded in the erection Of warehouses
wharves and terminals where none nov
exist. Necessarily all such works al
ready in existence must be taxed to ca
pacity and, what is most important
centralized control IN Washington vii
dictate where and when the unprece
dented freight will be shipped. No Longer
viii the undoubted advantages Of GER
tain ports be outweighed by ulterioi
considerations pointing to New York
Every terminal viii have to take just
A little more than it can conveniently
handle. The result will be that shippers
viii be trained to the use of the lesser
ports so that when once more free com
petition will be resumed a certain part
of the patronage will remain. In a year
II the Shipping Boards hopes are real
lzed, the United States will be the second
maritime nation in the world. No on,
or two ports can handle the business Of
the IA 600 600 tons of ships we should
have by 1915. Il behooves the citizenl
Of every coast city, then, to consider th'
present-day conditions and forget thai
in the past the dreams of port enthus
lasts too often proved 10 have the airy
fabric Of dreams when put into actua
practice. Port deveiovment in the UniteS
States is at last a manifest necessity.
AMERICAN MERCHANT MARINE.
For years il has been the dream an,
hope Of the American people to havl
more essels flying the Stars and Stripe
ulving the seven seas. This dream Il
about 10 become a reality owing to tn
var. For many decades, to our disgrace
he imports and exports OF this grea
country have been carried under fOreig
flags. Congress in 1915 passed the Ship
ping Act and in January 1917 organizes
hereunder the United States Shipping
Board end later the Emergency Flee
Corporation. Billions OF dollars hav
been appropriated for the construction
Jperation Of vessels and commahdeerinl
ID a vast tonnage of ships being bull
ID private yards as well as all of tn
interned enemy owned vessels. Tn
shipyards in every American Seapor
are working night and day and it is esti
mated that the year 1918 will see adde
10 the American Mercantile Marine an
dying the Nations Flag upwards Of leo
vessels. with a tonnage Of over min
million tons
AS about seventy per cent. Of Oh
value OF the country's exports and i'm
ports arrive and leave from ports o.
the Atlantic Coast between Massachu
setts and Maryland it is a natural con
sequence that the rail and water facili
ties at the ports in this section are al
ready overcrowded and congested-
order to take care of this immense mer
chant feet, soon to be ready for servic'
increased port facilities must be pro
vided. Now is the time for Wilmingto
Co get to work to provide the mos
modern terminals, and enter the fel
Of foreign commerce. AS soon as it
decided 10 commence work the Unite
states Shipping Board and the Emer
eency Fleet Corporation, the Nations
Council of Defense, War Department an
Steamship Companies should be advise
of the contemplated plans. This is
patriotic as well as a business duty
owes 10 the nation and itself as a man
ufacturing community.
THE NEW AMERICAN MERcHAN'
MARINE AFTER THE WAR I