The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-07-02
CREAM of the SPECIALS
CANAL
 BILL NOW A LAW.
President Signs Measure-Problems
 of Defense and Construction.

From Washington to Chicago Tribune.
 The isthmian canal bill is now law. President Roosevelt signed the measure last night
 canal is ended the United States faces the real problems of construction and de- fense, and before those questions can be solved the diplomatic skirmishes with lsthmian governments must be brought to successful ending.
 Defense of the Panama Canal is to be effected by United States naval squad rons operating from naval stations with in close proximity of the terminal of the protected waterway. Secretary of the Navy Moody has begun an investigation of the entire coaling station subject and the conclusions he will reach will deter mine the points on the isthmus at which the United States should establish naval stations for the protection of the canal
 Before this government can locate coal piles and naval supplying stations on the isthmus. 1t must first obtain the cession or lease of the necessary land. Rear Ad- miral Bradford Chief of the Bureau of Equipment, has already recommended to the Navy Department that the United States obtain control of several islands in the hay of Panama, which would en- able defense Of the western entrance, and of Alnirante Bay. in Chirique lagoon, in the department of Panama, just to the north of Colon, the eastern terminus of the canal. There Is an island off the COd5t Ol NOiOihDid hHOWn 6du AIT dreas, which has been considered by Rear Admiral Bradford; but it Is not known whether any attempt will be made to get possession of 1t.
 The question of where coaling stations shall he located fer the use of the canal must be immeoiately settled in view of the fact that in the treaty to be negoti- ated with Colombia a provision will be ccmplish it, by which this government will obtain ownership or lease of the necessary sites That there might be no doubt of the value of the sites selected Rear Admiral Bradford has had Ameri- can men of war Inspect various harbors. and their reports have enabled him to formulate his recommendations to the Department.
 There is reason to believe that Colom- bia will be much averse to ceding even the smallest fraction of territory. to the United States For years this government has made efforts to obtain possession of Almirante Bay, but the Bogota govern ment has consistently declined to part anna Canal protocol recently signed by Secretary Hay and Minister Conchas. the Colombian minister. the latter insisted that Colombian sovereignty should not only be maintained over the department of Panama but over the territory which will be used in the construction of the canal. Had this provision not been in serted 1t is said at the Colombian lega- ton that the protocol would never re- ceive the approval of the Colombian Congress.
 If Colombia proves obdurate the Presi- dent may have to authorize negotiations with Costa Rica and Ecuador. Costa 4ica has sovereignty over ahe magnifi- cent gulf of Dulce, to the north of the western entrance of the proposed canal. and Ecuador owns the Galapagos Island. some miles off her coast
 Costa Rlca is So friendly to the United States that it is believed 1t would will irgly grant the concession. A. year ago when Secretary Hay suggested to Ecua- dor that this government would like to obtain possessi0n of one of the Galapagos Islands the Quito government declined to part with if. It may be, however, that with the construction of the Panama Canal. from which Ecuador will derive benefit. a treaty can be successfully ne gctiated.