Salt Lake Tribune | 1914-09-26 | Page 5 | Daniels Approves Inland Waterways

DANIELS APPROVES Secretary of Navy Declares Canals an Aid to Defenses ALBANY, N. T., Sept." 25. What the proposed great inland waterway from Massachusetts bay to 'the Rio Grande would mean to the nation in time of war was discussed here today by Secretary Daniels of the navy department before the convention of the Atlantic Deeper Waterways association. Mr. Daniels said: Not only will thia walertvay lend itself tremendously to the development develop-ment of internal commerce and tend to bring down the rates of transportation, transpor-tation, but it also provides unusual facilities for self -defense in time uf war. In any conflict: between nations which have armies the all important consideration is to secure, if possible, immediate control of the wea, and the power which possesses the superior ' navy is usually able to do this. In such case the navy of the weaker power takes refuge in some deep and well-defended harbor, where it seeks to wear out its enemy by fighting it in detachments. If this weaker power, having thus taken refuge in a safe harbor, can maneuver its ships hrough inland channels to other exits. ex-its. It enjoys a great advantage. If only the submarines of the navy could have free movement through an inland waterway the power whose navy was bottled up would be in a position to make a longer defense. Even in times of peace the canal is important to the navy and lends itself to preparation for national security. se-curity. Large quantities of heavy materials ma-terials are constantly required by the government for its navy yards and on these the transportation charges by tho waterway would be more than cut in half.