The Navy Wants a Freshwater Harbor in Seattle

The appropriation for the Lake Washington canal, contained in the river and harbor bill, is an important victory for the friends of the measure and a most perfect refutation of the charges made by its enemies that the project was a purely local scheme. The action of congress is an acknowledgment of the national importance of the canal, as shown by the report of the engineers, given herewith.

The visit of Secretary Herbert to Seattle and Puget sound this summer was fraught with the highest import to the people of this section. The secretary has sung the praises of the Sound and its people ever since his return to Washington City. He is delighted with it from a naval point of view, and if he can present it there will be no let up on the construction of the naval dry dock at Port Orchard.

Immediately upon his return to Washington City he sent a board of engineers, consisting of P. C. Asserson, A. G. Menocal and F. C. Prindle, three of the most prominent civil engineers in the naval service, to make a further examination of the dry dock with reference to some change in the plans which the secretary deemed advisable. At the request of Senator Squire these engineers also made a private examination of the proposed improvement of the waterway between Lake Washington and Puget sound. Upon their return to Washington City a few days ago they were instructed by Secretary Herbert, also at the request of Senator Squire, to make a report as to its feasibility. A brief resume of that report was telegraphed, but its full text, giving the reasons why the canal is considered a matter of national importance, will be good reading to every one interested in the state's progress. The report is as follows:

"NAVY DEPARTMENT, "WASHINGTON CITY, July 27, 1894. "To the Honorable Secretary of the Navy—Sir: We have the honor respectfully to acknowledge the receipt of the Hon. W. C. Squire's letter of the 25th inst., by reference for a brief expression of opinion in regard to the project of the proposed improvement of the waterway between Lake Washington and Puget sound, and to state as follows:

"We have, as engineers, been more or less familiar with this project of connecting these waters, and interested in its study and development, professionally, for some years past, and during our recent visit to the Sound on public duty in connection with the dry dock construction at the naval station at Port Orchard, we availed ourselves of the opportunity of visiting the locality.

"Our observations at that time have only served to confirm the conclusions previously formed as to the entire feasibility of the project, and the great value which access to Lake Washington would be to the navy as well as to commerce at large.

"The navy needs such sheltered, fresh-water harbor with good anchorage for laying up its steel vessels, etc., as a necessary adjunct of the navy yard in the Sound, such as is now availed of in the waters of the Delaware and James rivers in the North Atlantic coast, as the deterioration of steel and iron bottoms in sea waters is well known to be very great, both from fouling and corrosion, and their life and efficiency would be much prolonged by laying them up in it when not in commission.

"The great activity of the teredo in the waters of the Sound renders all timber construction of wharves, trestles, coal bunkers, etc., along the harbor and navy yard fronts very costly, both to build and maintain, while the limited anchorage ground obtainable in the harbor and the great range of tides at once increases the necessity for extensive wharfage constructions in deep water.

"All these disadvantages and obstacles to commerce would be overcome by the improvement of this waterway to make the fresh waters of the lake accessible as proposed.

"The cost of this work appears to be small in comparison with the very great advantages to the navy and commerce which its construction would secure.

"If there be no serious objections to the lowering of Lake Washington to the level of Lake Union, which seems much to be desired, and there appear to be no engineering difficulties in the way, access to both lakes would then be had through the single lock as projected and required at the outlet into the Sound, thus bringing the fresh waters of Salmon bay and Lakes Union and Washington all to the border of the Sound, and saving both time and cost in reaching them.

"The existence of this fine sheltered and tideless fresh water harbor on this coast, situated as it is in such a mild climate, in the midst of great natural resources already skirted by railways and reached direct by three transcontinental lines, and its proximity to our naval station, requiring such an adjunct, would seem to raise this question of its availability by this proposed improvement of the waterway to one of national importance. Very respectfully, "P. C. Asserson, "Civil Engineer, U.S. Navy. "A. G. Menocal, "Civil Engineer, U.S. Navy. "F. C. Prindle, "Civil Engineer, U.S. Navy."