The Washington herald., 1918-10-12
URGES COASTAL
CANAL SYSTEM
Sec. Redheld Renewing
Calhoun's Pet Project,
Holland Says.

eahinet oficer recommended the con-
unuction Of sea-level canals extend
ing from Massachusetts, Bay to the
euth Atlantic states, another cabinet
Shcer. although at the head Of
INHERENT department.. has earnestly
ecoT mepded to Congl ess that action
OF this kind be taken by the govern
ment John C Calhoun. when Sec
retary Of War in the flrst administra-
ton os President James Monroe. ad
Vocated with earnestness the con-
struction OF a sea-level canal which
when completed would parallel the At
Iantic coast line from Massachusetts
Bay to the far South.
Calhoun recommended government
construction of this kind partly be-
caLs- he believed that an interior
coast line canal would prove Of great
value in time OF war, especially If
this country were in danger of inva-
sion. In addition to this reason Cal
houn was convinced that an interior
coast-line canal would prove to be OF
great benefit to commerce. At that
time Calhoun was warmly in favor OF
every reasonable proposition designed
merce by land and by water 1t was
for this reason that he advocated the
construction of a national highway
which would give excellent facilities
for the transportation OF commodities
between the Ohio river and the At
lantc coast. Only few years after
Calhoun's recommendations were
made there came the advent of the
railroad and that seems to have been
tsut1cient to cause this coast-line can
al system to be forgotten.
RedHeId EnthusiastIc.
Now Secretary RedheId has made
n report to Congress advocating the
construction of the national canal
system which was recommended by
John c. Calhoun when he was Sec
retary of War.
The wondering awakening to our
material resources and opportuni-
ties which the war has occasioned
In part explains Secretary Redfeld 8
enthusiastic report in favor Of gov
eminent construction of an interior
eoast-line canal which, when COM
pleted. would parallel the Atlantic
practically from Boston to the far
South. For Secretary Redfield says
that he is now persuaded that gov
ernmental action of this kind should
De undertaken as soon as possible
The Secretary apparently has caus-
I'd a careful study to be made of
The conditions and opportunities as
sociated with canal construction OF
lhis kind. He began with the Cape
Cod canal. that little artificial
strait which bisects Cape Cod at
It's shoulder and makes possible
Ipeedy and safe navigation between
Massachusetts Bay and BuzZard's
Bay. Secretary Redfield is convinc-
ID that this Cape Cod canal is mod
srn and SO efficient in most respects
hat with a slight increase in its
nodate substantially all Of the
/, .oastwide trafic which now goes
: IrOund the dangerous peninsula of
Cape Cod.
+ Short as is this Cape Cod canal. be-
ing only about eight miles in length.
4 nevertheless has already proved to
De Of great commercial advantage. 1t
Is a little link but an important one
In the entire system which Secre-
larry Redheld recommends. Naviga-
ion through Buzzard's Bay and Long
island Sound % the harbor of New
York will be successfully attained
Tven by the largest sea-going vessels.
Secretary McAdoo finds that the
Chesapeake and Delaware canal fur
nishes the best basis for connecting
the Delaware River with Chesapeake
Bay. Not very much aid from the
government will be needed in order to
perfect this canal so as to make it
AVAILABLE for vessels Of heavy tonnage.
Must Rebuild in New Jersey.
On the other hand Secretary Red
Ield finds it will be essential to build
l new canal across New Jersey. hav-
ng an eastern terminal somewhere
N the Raritan River and the western
criminal upon the Delaware or some
niles above Philadelphia Then. ac-
.ording to his view, a continuous in
Ta-coastal waterway stretching from
Boston to Norfolk. with possibilities
II further extension to the sounds of
forth Carolina, would be established.
Secretary Redheld goes much far
her than Calhoun did. for he calls
Ittention to the fact that a canal
ystem of this kind would be a
sart of a great internal canal sys-
EN- Of the United States, $50 miles
Af which would be represented by
he Hudson River and 300 miles by
he new barge canal across New
FORK state to the terminal on Lake
Erie, so that the navigation of the
treat Lakes. the barge canal. the
hudson River and the intra-coastal
waterway would provide an admir-
BILE method for maintaining and
Increasing at low cost our internal
ommerce. Secretary Redfeld says
hat a system OF waterways of this
ind would serve most the populous
nd highly developed Industrial sec
Ions Of the country and would give
that our railroads do not now and
annot commercially provide, name
y, continuous and etncient
trough highway for transportation
xtendinz from Boston to the South
itlantic and from New York 10 the
treat Lakes. II Is believed that
congress, when II has the opportu-
ity carefully to consider this sub
sct. will adopt such legislation as
rlI make IL possible Immediately
fter the war ends to begin the con-
truction Of the intra-coastal water
rays which Secretary Redfeld so
ighly recommends.
HOLLAND.
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