The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-07-29
Control Of the Cape Canal.

While the guns of renewed submarine
lighting were booming again off Cape
Cod this morning, the wires licked out
the news that the president had formally
assumed operation and control of the
cape canal This move has for some
time been expected. Even apart from
the lesson taught by the Orleans affair,
the United States railroad administra
ton has long had such a step under se-
rious consideration. And this has been
with good reason. During recent months,
when the cape waterway should have
developed maximum OF utility, it has
failed of that service The need Of new
dredging has been In evidence along its
route and the government refusing to
step In where a private company was
concerned, has looked to the owners for
this works performance. The company,
on the other hand, has regarded further
improvements as a natural charge of the
government, not only for the expedition
Of wartime shipping but also in view of
the jurisdiction customarily assumed
over waterways by the federal power,
In consequence Of this partial deadlock,
the movement of shipping has suffered
Of the 100000 tons which move each
year along this coast, only compare
lively small percentage has been using
the canal, with its boon Of safety and
economy, while large proportion has
continued TO pass around the open cape
where Sundays submarine raid sufficed
to make evident the lurking dangers.
The United States railroad administra.
this situation at once, 1t will not only
have an obvious and undivided author.
ity, but also command Of the labor and
machinery required for the new improve
ments. According to information re
eeiyed here, the government has dredgers
which it can Immediately assign to the
Cape Cod canal to undertake the widen.
ing and deepening needed At present
the channel has maximum depth at
| high water of 30 feet, and the deepest
draught of vessel yet carried in it was
one of 10 feet. Captain A. L. Crowley oi
the emergency fleet corporation would
see the canals maximum depth increased
to IS feet, with corresponding increase
in the draught Of vessels which it could
carry. Mr. Storrow has pointed out that
some such improvement is needed If Goa
ships are to be moved in maximum mum
bers along this safe waterway. Although
the canal has a minimum width Of l0(
feet at the bottom, 1t appears that thi.
measurement also might well be extend
| ed. The widening is chiefly required a.
means Of Strengthening out the ship chan
mel, at various points of which there art
now some rather bad curves, All these
betterments we are assured the govern
ment can carry on with expedition and
at no great expense.
Although local agents Of the emergen
| cy feet corporation say that the govern
ment already has all the authority ii re
quires to order the routing Of ooastwise
ships along the safest and most RAPID
course, still il seems that there must b.
some gain in Capitalization and co-ordi
nation Of control as result of actua
| federal operation of the canal Further
more, 1t Ia expected mirabile dictu--
that toll rates will be lowered, and il
| this is done, then it should forthwith in
crease the use Of the canal quite appre
ciably. Certainly the entrance of tht
government into full authority over I
canal which is among the most impor
tant Of its kind in the world, should b,
a helpful step in the development of thu
army and navy's organization of oul
coast defense. In a commercial way L
will substitute single and undivided re
sponsibility for the partial deadlock
which now retards the canals fortunes
Quite without contrary argument, i