The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-10-21
PANAMA CANAL TO
Be IMPROBABLE
United States Will Fortify the
Waterway Against Any
Attack. IT.
FOREIGN DIPLOMATS
AROUSED BY PLAYS
But Hay Pauncefote Treaty Gives
) United States All the
Lii Necessary Rights.
journal Special Service.

journal Special Service.
Washington, Oct. 21.-The United
States proposes to make the Panama
canal absolutely impregnable Naval
stations will be created on both sides
of the isthmus for the use of American
fleets. and Notifications will be con-
structed at the entrances of the water
way and at suitable points along the
route.
It is a big work which the war and
navy departments have undertaken, and
1t is begun now in order that the de
; lenses of the canal may be completed
: when the canal itself is inaugurated.
: The navy department has been prepar-
ing for some time to provide means for
! the naval defense of the canal, and
the isthmus within the next ten days
! the high ranking officers Of the artil
I lery and engineer corps to draft plans
for the construction of Notifications.
Diplomats Are Aroused.
! This action on the part of the mill
tary arm of the government has created
+ considerable comment among diplomats,
especially those representing European
powers.
= "What," they ask, "has become Of
the principle Of naturalization, which
was the basis of the treaty between the
United States and Great Britain and
which made American construction OF
the isthmian waterway feasible9'
Nothing indicates more clearly the
purpose of President Roosevelt to make
the canal an American project and to
defend it against the world in case of
need, than his decision to erect forti-
fcations at commanding points upon the
- route.
Administration Position.
It il the contention of the admins
tration that there is no ground for OBJ
lection by any government; that in
it is simply following course deter
mined upon when the senate amended
the first Hay-Pauncefote treaty by stip-
ulating that the principle of neutraliza-
tion should not apply to measures which
the United States might find it neces-
sary, to take for securing by it's own
forces the defense of the United States
and the maintenance Of public order.
The second y-Pauncefote treaty,
which the senate ratified, contained no
reference to Notifications, emitting, in
fact, prohibition against their cree
ton in the original convention The
second section of article III of the
treaty merely provides that the canal
should never be blockaded, or any right
tility committed within it. The United
States is given power, however, tc
maintain such military police along the
canal as might be necessary to protect
it against lawlessness and disorder. The
treaty specifically stipulates that il
does not impair the "general principle
of naturalization established by thu
ClaytonBulwer treaty.
Right to Fortify Canal.
The administration always has gon.
on the theory that the United States
had the right to fortify the canal if i
saw fit, and the Spooner act of 100:
CO. authorized the president to enter int
contracts, among other things, for tn
defense of the canal. In the treat,
made with Panama, article. XIII pro
vides that, if it should become. neces
sary at any time to do so. the Unite'
States may establish Notifications TO
the safety or protection of the canal
Another article of the same treat
binds Panama to sell or lease to thi
- government lands on the Pacific an
Caribbean sea coasts for use as nava
stations.
The navy department. has been re
eeiving reports from ships which hav
been making surveys and in fey
weeks it will send Lieutenant Commar
der Logan, one of the most capabl
young officers in the service, to CHR
qui lagoon, large bay on the Carit
-r- bean coast. for the purpose of maxim
an exhaustive- survey to determin
whether that place is suitable as a sit
for a large naval station.
Money Is Available. 90
The cost of this work has not bee
even guessed at by the engineers. Thel
is question, too, whether the war d
partment will find it necessary to g
- to congress for the money. The Spool
er act indicates that this expense shou]
be met out of the $145, 100000 Apr
priated for the construction Of the c.
nal; at least this is the view of some
the officials of the war department.
Secretary Taft is of the opinion, hoy
ever, that it will be wiser to transm
to congress the views of the board
to the nature Of the Notifications
be built in order that a separate a
preparation may be made for this wor