Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-16
The President Urges Early
Construction of Canal.
HIS RECENT REMARKS
ADDRESS TO THE BOARD OF CON-
SULTINa ENGINEERS.
Subject Of the Building Of Dams Fur
Their Considered Today-No Vote
Yet Taken.

President Roosevelt Is urging In his
strongest terms the necessity for a plan
for the construction of the Panama canal
which may be accomplished in the short
est possible time. In his recent remarks
to the consulting board Of engineers of the
isthmian canal commission he said many
things which are regarded as OF the ut
most importance In that connection. These
remarks have Just been transcribed and
transmitted to the board here. and Gen.
Davis. its chairman, has been authorized
to make them public.
The Presidents Remarks.
The President said:
What l am about to say must be con-
sidered in the light Of suggestion, not as
direction. l have named you because in
my judgment you are especially fitted to
serve as advisers in planning the greatest
engineering work the world has yet seen,
and expect you to advise me. not what
you think 1 want to hear, but what YOU
think I ought 10 hear.
There are two or three considerations,
which l trust you will steadily keep before
your minds In coming to a conclusion as 10
the proper type OF canal 1 hope that ulti-
mately 1t will prove possible to build a
sea level canal. Such a canal would I'M
doubleday be best in the end. II feasible;
and feel that one Of the chief ADVANTAGES
VI the Fdnaina route IS That ultimately q
sea level canal will be a possibility But
while paying due heed to the IDEAL per-
fectibility of the scheme from an engineer S
standpoint, remember the need of having
a plan which shall provide for the immedi-
ate building Of canal on the safest terms
and in the shortest possible time. If to
build sea level canal will but slightly in
crease the risk. then. OF course, 1t Is pref
cradle. But II to adopt the plan of a sea
level canal means to incur our hazard. and
to insure Indefinite delay then 1t Is not
preferable. If the advantages and disad-
vantages are closely balanced expect you
to say So l desire also to know whether
If you recommend a high-level multi-Iock
canal, 1t will be possible, after II Is COM
pleted. to turn 1t into or to substitute for
it, In time. q sea level canal without In
terrupting the traffic upon it.
Two Prime Considerations.
Two of the prime considerations to be
kept steadily in mind are:
Il. The utmost practicable speed of con-
struction.
2. Practical certainty that the plan pro-
posed will be feasible: that It can be car
ried out with the minimum risk.
THE quantity of work and the amount of
work should be minmized far as pos
sble.
There may be good reason why the de-
lay incident to the adoption OF plan for
an ideal canal should be incurred, but II
there Is not, then hope to see the canal
constructed on a system which will bring to
the nearest possible date in the future the
time when 1t Is practicable to take the first
ship across the isthmus; that Is. which will
in the shortest time possible secure a Pan
anna waterway between the oceans Of such
a character as to guarantee permanent and
ample communication for the greatest ships
of our navy and for the largest steamers on
either the Atlantic or the Pacific. The de-
lay in transit OF the vessels owing to ad-
ditional locks would be of small conse-
quence when compared with shortening the
time for the construction Of the canal or
diminishing the risks in its construction.
In short, | desire your best Judgment on
all the various questions to be considered
in choosing among the various plans for q
comparatively high-level. multi-lock canal,
for a lower level with fewer locks and for
a sea-level canal. Finally. I urge upon you
the necessity of great expedition in COM
ing to a decision as is compatible with thor
oughness in considering the conditions"
Further Consideration Of Dams.
A meeting of the board of consulting en-
gineers was held today and the subject of
the construction of dams further constd
use of drawings prepared to illustrate the
points Of the discussion. The object is
simply to exchange ideas among the MEM
bers of the board prior to their visit to
the isthmus the latter part of the present
month. 1t is officially stated that no vote
on any subject relating to the construc-
ton Of the canal will be taken, according
to agreement, until after this visit
The board today decided to hear Mr..
Buneau Varilla Tuesday. instead Of We'd
nesday morning. and Mr.. Bates Tuesday
afternoon. at which time the respective
plans of these gentlemen will be presented
for the consideration Of the board.