The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-09-17
SEA LEVEL CANAL
Is DESIRABLE
ROosevelt's Instructions to Board Of
Consulting Engineers.
EARLY DECISION IS URGED
PRESIDENT INCLINED TO RUSH
THINGS.

Washington, Sept. 15.-President
Roosevelt is urging in the strongest
terms the Necessity for plan for the
construction Of the Panama canal
which may be accomplished ia the
shortest possible time. In his recent
remarks 10 the consulting board OF en-
Sineers of the isthmian canal commits
sion he said many things which are re-
6drded as of the utmost Importance in
that connection. These remarks have
just been transcribed and transmitted
10 The board here and General Davis,
ITS chairman, has been authorized to
make them public.
The president said:
What ] am about 20 say must be
considered in the light OF a suggestion.
not az direction. | have named you
because IN my Judgment YOU are es-
pecially lifted 10 serve as advisers in
planning the greatest engineering work
the world has yet seen. and 1 expect
you 20 advise me, not what yOn think
i want 10 hear, but what you think I
ought to hear.
Fayors sea-LeVei Canal.
There are two or three considera-
tons which trust you VIII steady keep
before your minds in coming TO a con-
cIusfon as TO the proper type of canal.
4 hope that ultimately il viii prove
possible To build a sea-leyel canal. such
a canal would undoubtedly be best in
the end, IL feasible, and 1 feel that one
OF the chief advantages OF the Panama
route is that ultimately a sea-level
canal viii be a possibility. But while
paying due heed 10 the ideal perfecti
Dility of the scheme from an engineers
standpoint, remember the need Of hay
ing a plan which shall provide for the
FF.aF.,aHfaa, IF.mIgv.as % h..
safest terms and in the shortest posi-
BILE time, If 20 build q sea-leVel canal
VIII but slightly increase the risk, then,
OF course, il is preferable. but IL to
adopt q plan OF a sea-leVel canal means
10 incur hazard and 10 insure indefinite
delay, then IL Is not preferable. II the
advantages and Disadvantages are
closely balanced 1 expect you to say
so.
TWO Things to Keep in Mind.
IT desire also 10 know whether. il
you recommend a high level muIu-iock
canal, II Will be possible after cit is
completed TO turn Il into or TO substi-
tute for il, In time, a sea-level canal.
without interrupting the traffic upon
il. Two OF the prime considerations 10
be kept steadily in mind are:
"First-The utmost practical speed or
construction.
DENul4u-~l l1tAlEul certainty AIlat kIlN
plan proposed win be feasible, that Il
can be carried out with the minimum
risk.
The quantity OF work and the amount
OF work should be minimiZed SO far as
possible.
Urgent Need of Canal.
There may be good reason why the
delay incident 20 the adoption OF a plan
Tor an ideal canal should be incurred;
but if there is not, then ] hope TO see
the canal constructed on a system
which VIII bring 10 the nearest possible
date I'm the future the time when IL is
practicable 10 take the first ship across
the isthmus, that is, which viii in the
shortest time possible secure a Panama
waterway between the oceans of such
"a character as 10 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 delay in transit OF
the vessels owing to additional locks
would be Of small consequence when
compared with shortening the time for
the construction of the canal or dinin-
ishing the risks ia las construction.
In short, / desire your best judgment
on all the various questions 90 be con
sidered in choosing among the various
plans Tor a comparatively high level
mulu-loek canal for a lower level with
fewer locks, and for a sea-ievel canal.
Finally, / urge upon yOu the necessity
decision as * compatible with thor
oughness IN considering the condi-
tons"