Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-12-18
e,+suIae'91 Ixsnins Ses,sSdsy sssss 1882
WEDNESDAY. DECEMBER Is, 1918.
Good Prospects for the Canal.

Very interesting and most encouragins
was the special Washington correspond
ence printed In Every Evening, ycstcr-
day, IN relation TO the prospects OF the
Chesapeake and Delaware Canal, soor
tn be taken over, in all probability, by
the Federal government. \ large delega-
fion Of business men from Philadelphis
and Baltimore had hearing before the
House committee on rivers and harbors-
Why business men Of Wilmington also
were not of the delegation IS somewhat
surprising ng-and received assurances that
the sum OF five million dollars would be in
eiudcd in the coming annual waterways
bill, for the immediate taking over of the
canal by the Federal government and It's
material improvement.
The first improvement will be the deep
ening OF the canal 10 uniform depth OF
II feet, and while this will be valuable,
1t will be far from sufficient But II was
set forth in our Washington corresponds
enco that this Improvement of deepen
ing 70 l2 feet Is only beginning. The
tentative program already set out con
templates an eventual deepening TO AZ
least 25 feet, and probably the conversion
OF the waterway into a sea level canal
thus doing away with the necessity for
locks, which arc delay 70 navigation,
but must form a part of canal that docs
not overcome the difficulty Of various
levels along its length by making them
miown
But tho explanation given also IS
satisfactory. II will be admitted that,
no matter how desirable it is 10 have a
canal Of st least 25 feet depth of water,
and sea level canal ahc, it would not
be wise at this time to press for the large
appropriation OF money that would be
necessary TO make all the desired improve
r,ents This would incite opposition,
and might endanger the entire scheme,
now In such promising position.
The first step is to have the government
take over the canal, and this is practically
assured. The next step will be its deepen
ing 10 IL feet, also q material improvement
and aid to navigation And, having
once taken the step of purchase and
entered upon the work Of Improvement.
n Is not doubted the Federal government
viii improve this important waterway 10
The most desirable extent
II has been long and hard fight TO
bring about the present canal situation,
but the results make it worth while. Our
canal is most important link OF the
intercoastal waterway from Boston to
Nsrfolk, Va and eventually TO Florida
in fact, an essential connection, with
out which the efficiency of the inland
waterway would be seriously impaired.
The change and the contemplated I'M
provements would be Of great business
importance TO all important cities along
the route-Boston, New York, Philadel-
phia, Wilmington and Baltimore. All
would have sn equal interest. Philadel-
phia's interest says the Public Ledger
OF that city, is no less and no greater than
that OF Baltimore Indeed. the proposal Is
far from being a local one either IN its in
ception or IN the benefits that will un-
doubtedly flow from the completion Of
deep-water communications along the At
lantic seaboard. Compared with the ad-
vantages that will flow from the acquisi-
ton and deepening of this canal, the |
price the government IS asked TO pay for |
the property and the amount that must be |
expended upon it to fit 1t for modern |
chipping requirements are not worthy Of /
serous consideration. II IS essentially !
war measure. quite as much as many Of ,
the undertakings which have been set on (
foot and carried TO completion with 3
.ithe Of the delay and discussion which |
have characterized the Chesapeake canal !
plan"
However let US hope we viii never be !
called upon TO employ our canal-en-
larged, dcepened and under government /
war purposes, but there is |
DO doubt that should war come, its value |
10 our government under the proposed I
conditions would be enormous Its value I
IN all the branches Of peaceful business
will be no less so, and will be continually
never destructive
We may well congratulate ourselves
upon the almost certainty that the canal
project is going through TO gratifying sue
,ess. II has been a long fight, hard
me, but il is worth II All who were
in bringing success IN the
md are entitled 10 great credit