46 THE HISTORY AND ECONOMIC VALUE OF CANALS. 



ciated with a company, the forerunner in the construction of a series of 

 canals which will be potent factors in the problem of regaining for this 

 country the old colonial spirit of the ocean. Our merchant marine, taught 

 among the shoals of Cape Cod, but dormant for half a century, will, if the 

 signs be right, once more encircle the globe. The recent renewed love for 

 our great navy, as well as history, proves this, and all should join with 

 helping hand and voice in this and every effort toward bringing the thought 

 of the United States "back to the sea." 



DISCUSSION. 

 The Chairman: — Is there any discussion on this paper, gentlemen? 



Captain Thomas I. Miller, Associate: — Mr. Chairman, I would Hke to ask 

 a question about a point which I consider important, and that is as to the prev- 

 alence of fogs in the upper part of Buzzards Bay as compared with the Nantucket 

 Shoals. This is a matter which will have a very important bearing upon naviga- 

 tion, and also, as Commodore Miller very well knows, additional lighthouses 

 and lightships will be required to make this new waterway comparatively safe. 



Commodore Miller: — Fogs are of course prevalent along the New England 

 coast, but they are much less dense in Buzzards Bay and Barnstable Bay than 

 they are oflf Cape Cod or in Vineyard Sound. Recognizing, however, that there 

 must be the utmost mobility through a narrow strait connecting two important 

 waterways where commerce demands speed for both night and day traffic, we 

 are giving the subject of lighting the canal most serious attention. We must make 

 it attractive for the whole twenty-four hours. We are therefore in communica- 

 tion with one of the foremost electric light companies upon the basis of what I may 

 term "street illumination," including the approach in Buzzards Bay to the end 

 of the breakwater at the eastern terminus. If this plan can be carried out there will 

 be a white lamp every 400 or 500 feet, throwing its reflection upon the channel, 

 and a green and red one designating the shores. The principle is to have marked 

 spots and buoys and to avoid horizontal rays which are blinding to pilots. 



Mr.E. PlaTT Stratton, Member; — Mr. Chairman, there is one question I would 

 like to ask the author of this paper regarding the depth of water in this canal — 

 25 feet. It seems to me this is a depth that will hardly meet the requirements of 

 our battleships, and Captain Miller has referred to the fact that the bridges over 



