New-York tribune., 1918-07-22
Chief of Engineers Would
Have Entire Waterway
System Taken Over
(epociol Disp1tch TO The Tribune

tSpociGt Dispatch TO Ihe ITt0unel
WASHINGTON, July 21.-The de-
struction of the cruiser San Diego and
the continued depredations of U-boats
against coastwise shipping in the
North Atlantic have revived interest in
Congress in the proposal that the gov
ernment take over all the waterways
paralleling the coast between Boston
and Beaufort, n. c. General William
NJ. Black, chief of engineers, IN a re-
port just made public rec commends that
the entire system of inland canals be
operated by the railroad administra
ton.
The great value of these canals as en-
arm Of the military defence Of the At
,lantic coast viii be brought out at a
hearing Tuesday before the Army Board
of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors.
The board consists Of the following en-
gineer officers: Major General Peter c.
Hains, Brigadier Generals William I.
kossell, Frederic Y. Abbott and T.
Eyleth Wnslow, and Colonies Walter
L. Fisk. Solomon W Roessler and Henry
I {. Newcomer.
The hearing will begin Tuesday
morning and probably will extend over
two days. 1t is held under resolution
J
President Wilson signed on Friday, di-
recting this board to make the inves-
tlgation into the military and the com
mercial value of the entire canal sys-
TEN from Boston to Beaufort, n.
O., and to report the Secretaries Of
War, Navy and Commerce.
Part of Navigable Waters
Under an opinion by the Attorney
/ al.Iy bo ho l.,
are considered part of the naviga Bile
waters of the United States and to
some extent under the jurisdiction of
the Secretary of Commerce.
While the investigation refers to all
the canals, the hearing Will be devoted
exclusively TO the arguments made in
favor of the government acquisition
OF the Cape Cod Canal, as all
other canals along the Atlantic coast
are now IN various stages of action of
government ownership or control. The
the Federal government regarding
the canals along the Atlantic coast
has not been consistent.
1t built the Neuse River Canal ir
North Carolina, by which an inlanc
route has been made open from Beau
tort to Norfolk through the Pam
llco and Albemarle sounds and through
the Chesapeake and Albemarle Canal
This latter canal has been bought b,
the government and is now beins
wldened and deepened.
The government has further starte,
proceedings which will end in the &C
QUESTION and the improvement of tn.
Chesapeake and Delaware Canal. |
has taken over as a part of the trans
portatlon system Of the East the Della
ware and Rarltan Canal, and it has ius
made large appropriation Tor tht
deepening Of Hell Gate.
Thus series of government canal
, from Beaufort to New York has beer
provided for by Congress. The on,
link IN the entire chain that is no
owned by the government is the Cap,
5 commerce end defence of Boston
which, next to Atlantic City. is tn,
: most exposed city on the Atlantic Coas
' to attacks by foreign fleets.
To Save Small Shipping
/ The government, purpose in acquir
ing this series of inland waterway
' south of Norfolk is to save small shin
f ping from disaster off Cape Hatteras.
e Ii the same provision had been mad
: by which the Cape Cod Canal had bee
= acquired by the government an
e thrown open to the coastwise commerce
: Of the Atlantic, raids made bv the Ger
: man submarines last May would hav
n been impossible, officials say. and
k the Cape Cod Cana! had been deepene
e and wldened as has been officially reC
n commended by Admiral Benson, chic
a OF naval operations, the San deg
:. would still be afioat to-day.
1t is conservatively estimated ths
the value of the shipping destroyed b
the u-boats in their raid last sprin
5 is far greater than what it would co:
:, to deepen and widen the Cape Co
Canal according to the plans of nav;
r officers into waterway of sufficier
f width and depth for the accommods
ton of epapnincr ahin md u,a IA Ia