The Washington times., 1905-09-17
SPEED NECESSARY.
SAYS PRESIDENT
Tells Engineers Canal Must
Not Be Delayed.
ASKS UNBIASED ADVICE
Majority of Consulting Specialists
Has Not Declared for Sea-
Level Plan.

Il expect you to tell me not what you
think 1 want 20 hear. but what you
think i ought to hear
These are the words President Roose-
welt used in addressing the board of
consulting engineers of the Panama
Canal Commission at Oyster Bay when
the board met there. The address has
just been made public.
Further the President said: Il hope
that ultimately il Will prove possible
TO build a sea level canal Such canal
would undoubtedly be best in the end
If feasible; and I feel tnat one of the
chief advantages Of the Panama route
is that ultimately a sea level canal will
be possibility.
In Shortest Possible Time.
This statement is then qualified by
the President: But while paying due
heed to the ideal perfectibility Of the
scheme from an engineers standpoint,
remember the need of having a plan
which shall provide for the immediate
building of a canal on the safest terms
and in the shortest possible time III TO
build a sea level canal will but slightly
increase the risk, then. of course. 1t is
preferable. But il to adopt the plan or
a sea level canal means to incur our
hazard and to insure Indefinite delay
then it Is not preferable.
IF the advantages and disadvantages
are closely balanced / expect you 10
say so. l desire also TO know whether
should you recommend a high level
multi-lock canal. it will be possible.
after the canal is completed, 10 turn II
into, or substitute for il sea level canal
without interrupting the traffic upon
It,
Two OF the prime considerations TO
be kept steadily in mind are:
First, the utmost practicable speed
Of construction.
Second. practical certainty that the
plan proposed will be feasible; thai II
can be carried out with the minimum
risk
Gives Broad Confidence.
The Presidents address to the engi-
neers has made a great impression upon
them. Apparently II has resulted in
giving the advisory board greater con-
fdence in expressing their views. 1t
is felt that what President Roosevelt
wants is an honest discussion of the
problems at hand without bias IN favor
of any type OF canal.
So-called polls of the board OF engi-
neers made with a view to ascertaining
their views as TO the advantages of
sea level or lock canal have thus far
utterly failed OF substantiation- A
member OF the board thus expressed
the views of the members on this sub
1ect:
No Authentic Poll.
'It IS impossible for a poll of the
board of engineers to be made at this
time. Alleged interviews giving the ma
jority of the board in favor Of one type
or the other are fabrications. There can
be no definite statement OF the standing
OF the board On this subject. for the
reason that the majority OF them, II not
every one. have gone into this confer
ence with absolutely unbiased minds
First, there can be no reason for us tC
favor the sea level or the lock type
without a thorough study Of the facts
and this we have not had a chance te
do, and moreover, no member expects
to fully make up his mind TO tn,
best type until he shall have visited the
fsthnus To say that all the foreign
engineers are in favor OF the sea leve
canal ! know TO be a falsehood. Tn,
same can be said regarding the view:
of the American engineers"