I am very sure, from past experience, that as soon as the plan for the Exposition as it now stands comes to be generally realized, there will be much pressure brought to bear to make use of the interior waters in many ways, for which plausible and taking reasons will not be wanting. I have given the question of what can be well done on the waters a good deal of thought and I wish to show you how the matter now stands in my mind, in order that you may guard against the unadvised entertainment of undesirable projects.

As the plan now stands, we allow a breadth of water at the bridges over the canal of 90 feet. It is probable that considerations of economy will compel us to reduce this a little. The bridges are expected to have a bow form, and probably near the abutments there will be insufficient head room for the passage of the boats. Let us assume a breadth of 60 feet for the available navigable water.

We should try to make the boating feature of the Exposition a gay and lively one in spectacular effect. I have no doubt that the use of the boats, if they are made as convenient and attractive as practicable, will be very great. We shall want to keep as many of them moving as we well can. The water will, in effect, be a street, at several points but 60 feet wide. The boats will have to be managed as vehicles in a street, but a boat cannot be managed as deftly as a horse and carriage and it cannot be guided as accurately. The safe course will be to allow no row boats upon the interior waters, nor any craft the guidance of which is to be with a man facing sternward. No paddle boats, no “swan boats,” no sailing boats nor any craft that cannot be turned and stopped very quickly and easily; none the appearance of which will not be graceful, ship-shape and stylish.

So much for what should be prevented in order not to crowd, embarrass or endanger such boating as it will be expedient to allow.

As to what should be allowed, I am seeking information from several sources, more especially as to actual experience in the use of electrically propelled boats, both in this country and abroad. I have written to London for this [301]and have consulted Mr. Burgess and others. What we shall want is a regular service of boats like that of an omnibus line in a city street. Our plan now provides for 16 landings, at each of which the passengers would go ashore and embark. Each of these landings would be as near as practicable to an entrance of one of the Exposition buildings and we should have as many boats running at regular intervals as we could have without the necessity of bringing two boats at a time to the same landing. The method would be very similar to that of the penny boats on the Thames. But, the water being narrower, and for other reasons, the boats should be comparatively small, perhaps 25 feet in length, and adapted to carry rather more than an ordinary omnibus load of passengers, say twenty at a time, with all seats filled. It is not desirable that they should be fast. A speed of not more than six miles an hour is all that I think should be required. The boats should be very nice boats, delicately decorated and altogether elegant in their appearance. It is desirable that they should have some original features designed especially for the occasion, and they should be altogether of such a character that, after one year’s use, they should be very salable, their attractiveness, convenience and handiness having been thoroughly well advertised during all of the Exposition. It is Mr. Burgess’s opinion and mine that they can be made a source of profit. They would probably pay their cost in fares during the year and in the end sell for nearly as much more. Mr. Burgess’s name as the designer of the boats would be worth a good deal in this respect.

I asked Mr. Burgess if he would be willing, upon a commission from the Directory, to build a sample boat suitable for the purpose and provide all her outfit. He replied, in effect, that he would do so with much interest and pleasure. The plan for such a boat having been prepared by Mr. Burgess, in conference with us, and approved by the Directory, the boat would be built under the supervision of Mr. Burgess and, after trial next Summer, and having been improved in any manner that trial should suggest to be desirable, would be the type and model in all respects of the entire fleet of omnibus boats for the Fair. Contracts would then be made with boat builders and manufacturers of electric plants for furnishing them equal in all respects to the model. The cost of such boats would, Mr. Burgess thought, be under a thousand dollars each, or less than the price of a good hackney coach carrying four.

I am advised from Washington the impression prevails with naval officers that, as yet, the most satisfactory motor for boats is steam, but this probably means for ships’ launches to be used for all manner of naval service in which boats can be employed. But I am still of the opinion, as is Mr. Burgess, that for a great deal of pleasure boating, electric engines would be satisfactory. This would be the case, for instance, on the small lakes of Central New York and Wisconsin. All the circumstances would be particularly favorable to the use of electricity on the Exposition waters. Probably storage batteries would be employed, and there would need to be a power house for charging them. But upon this point I wait advices from London.

Providing, as above suggested, for the actual necessities of water [302]transportation, I think there could be added, as a feature of interest, a small fleet of large birch bark canoes. These would be managed by Indians suitably trained, equipped and costumed for the purpose, (wearing deerskin shirts and moccasins with beading and feathers.) There would be little difficulty, I suppose, in arranging this in Canada. The canoes would add a feature of interest to all observers, and most Europeans coming to the Fair would be glad to have a trial of them and to pay liberally for it.

Small canoes, more especially of the type commonly used by our Canoe Clubs, of which there are now great numbers in the United States and Canada, might also be admitted to the waters. They would be very small, would have but one, or at most two, occupants; would be propelled by the paddle, the paddler looking forward. But this would not be safe, except with skilled canoemen. I should propose that no one be allowed to use the smaller canoes except members of the Canoeing Association. You know that this Association meets every year, when large numbers of very elegant canoes are brought.

I think the charge for a seat in the launches might be ten cents for the round trip under a system of collection similar to that used on the elevated railways in New York. For a seat in the bark canoes twenty-five cents would probably be charged.

Venetian gondolas, and any other curious and interesting boats to be propelled by sculling, not by rowing, would be admissible.

That is all I need say, at present, about the practical boat service of the interior waters of the Exposition, but I wish to add that it would seem to me most desirable to make a display of certain other marine features. Especially, to obtain from Spain a full-sized specimen of the kind of craft in which Columbus made his voyage. This would be, to all men interested in maritime affairs, an object of great curiosity, and although it is not probable that any clear account of the particular vessel in question can be obtained, I have very little doubt that a perfect representation of the type could be. I have not visited the headquarters of the navy department of Spain, but from what I have seen elsewhere, I should think it highly probable that pictures, if not models, of a caravel would be found there and a pretty good knowledge had of all the details of their fittings, rigging and equipment. Anything of that kind would be an object of great interest to many of us and an exhibition of it would illustrate the boldness and enterprise of the undertaking of Columbus in an admirable manner.

It would be very interesting also to secure an exhibition of various sorts of quaint, foreign water craft in contrast with our own. I mean such as Malay proas, catamarans, Arab {dhows}, Chinese sanpans, Japanese pilot boats, Turkish caiques, Esquimaux kiacks, Alaskan war canoes, the hooded boats of the Swiss Lakes, and so on. All these are small. They could be kept afloat near the big war ship, if desired, without being in the way of our omnibus boats, and all could be procured readily and at no very great cost.

Since writing the above, we have had two long interviews with Mr. Bogigion, who will see you early next week with reference to a scheme in [303]which we are very much interested, of a Persian display at the Exposition. Mr. Codman will write you about it. Mr. Bogigion’s plan, as it has been thus far developed to us, would include a waterside garden with a landing at which two types of Persian boats would be moored.

All I have written is, of course, tentative and wholly provisional. I should like to know that, so far as it goes, it would meet with your approval, and that you would think it practical to fend off anything interfering with it. Please advise with the Committee on Buildings and Grounds, and with General Davis, if you see occasion.

Yours Truly