The Washington herald., 1918-07-29
TAKECAPECOD
CANALFOR U. S.
Holland Recalls John c. Cal
houn Advised 1t 100
Years Ago.

hundreds years ago John c. Calhoun
when Secretary of War In the admin
istration Of President Monroe, rec
commended that the government con-
struct a canal across the shoulder Of
Cape Cod so that II would be one Of
the links In a government interior
waterway paralleling the coast and
stretching from Cape Cod TO the
sounds Of North Carolina, ultimately
across South Carolina to the savan-
nan River.
II this had been done this link, al
though only seven miles in length,
would have been an integral part OF
an interior waterway system approx
mately 100 miles IN length.
CaIhoun's recommendations were
never acted upon, although Il was ad-
mitted that were a waterway Of that
kind established Il would be sufiicient
to protect coastwise shipping along
the entire Atlantic Coast from at
tacks Of an enemy; and would fur
thermore facilitate the movement Of
commerce. since II would bring the
Southern ports a hundred miles near
er New England than they then were.
Many were the propositions made
from time to time after Calhoun ad-
vocated the building by the govern
ment Of a canal across the shoulder
OF Cape Cod for the construction OF
this canal by private capital
Not many years ago. Henry N.
Whitney, one Of the foremost busi-
ness forces Of New England, went
farther than hereby TO propose the
cutting Of a canal from Buzzards Bay
to Massachusetts Bay.
whitney Interested.
Mr.. Whitney invested a good many
thousand dollars in securing adequate
engineering reports and in taking the
first steps in the direction OF the con-
struction of this canal. But the re-
ports OF the engineers were not en-
tirely favorable.
Some Of them deemed Il essential
that a great breakwater should be
established on the Massachusetts Bay
terminal OF the proposed canal. to pro-
tect the canal from the high tides
and the great waves which storms
occasionally cause in Massachusetts
Bay.
There was skillful computation Of
the relation Of cost to the presuua Bile
tolls which might be obtained from
vessels that made use Of the canal.
These seemed to show that the cost
Of the undertaking would be SO great
that II would be necessary to exact
such heavy tolls as would prevent the
use OF the canal for commercial pur-
poses.
Mr.. Whitney himself was the owner
OF one OF the largest Of the coastwfse
transportation lines which operated
between Boston and some OF the
Southern ports. And it may have
been this ownership which at irst
suggested to him that IL might be
the part OF business wisdom to learn
whe-her a canal across Cape Cod
would be commercially practicable.
Plan Abandoned.
Acting presumably upon the reports
made TO him by the experts. Mr..
Whitney abandoned the idea Of con-
structing a canal across Cape Cod.
other attempts which were equally
abortive were later made, and not un-
I'll August Belmont persuaded capital,
which. united with own, would be
sufhcient to nay for the construction
OF this canal. was the work under
taken.
Mr.. Belmont, in that way. initiated
Na'N hASu hC IdO SET a IeW
years earlier when he, after others
had declined to entertain a proposi-
ton for a subway in New York City.
decided himself to undertake Il, al
though some of his friends in the
world Of finance thought he was act
ing with imprudence.
Mr.. Belmont built the canal and II
was opened to navigation only a few
years ago. But there has always been
feeling that the canal would not be
OF the greatest possible advantage
unless substantial and very great
oreakwater were constructed In Mas
sachusetts Bay a little beyond the
terminal and unless the canal was
wtdened and deepened so as to per
NIT the largest vessels to navigate Il.
This, however, would have entaiied so
great cost as presumably to make Il
necessary to exact such heavy tolls
that steamers and vessels would pre-
fer to make the outside and often dam
gerous route around the tip of Cane
Cod to Boston Harbor.
Government May Buy IL.
Since the war began. army engineers
have been In consultation. presumably
for the purpose of deciding whether
recommendations should be made to
Congress that the government buy the
canal II that were done. the canal
would be widened so as to be 2o0 feet
from bank to bank and there would
be a depth Of thirty-five feet MAIN
tained, as well as large breakwater
constructed.
There was no doubt about the COM
mercial practicability of this route so
far as communication from Southern
ports with Boston, and therefore New
England, was concerned, for IL the
plan to widen and deepen Il was
adopted then vast amounts of coal
from the Southern ports could be
towed to Boston and then distributed
throughout New England
But 1t was not until the U-boats
appeared OF the coast OF New Eng
land and especially in the vicinity Of
Cape Cod. that the importance OF this
waterway for the protection OF our
coastwise shipping was fully under
stood. 1t ts for this reason chiefly
that President Wilson has assumed
control Of the canal, and 1t is not i'm
probable that Congress may be per-
suaded that II would be, from all
points OF view. Of advantage for the
government to buy the canal and Inn
prove IL
To the South.
This canal links Massa chusetts Bay
with Long Island Sound. Then there