The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-02-20
PRESIDENT URGES
LOCK CANAL PLAN
In a Letter 10 Congress lie En-
dorscs the Secretary OF Wars
Recommendations.
LESS TIME, COST AND RISK $;
Points Out That a Lock Is More
Practicable Than Sea-
Level Canal.


WASHINGTON. -. G., February 49,
to Congress the report of the board of
consulting engineers on the Panama
Canal, together with the letter OF Sec
rctury TAFT the report of the Istlmiun
Canal Commission and a letter by Chief
Engineer stevens. Inc letter OF the
president sayB:
",rho Secretary Of War recommends II
lock canal pursuant to the recommends
ton of the minority of the board of con
snlting engineers and Of tile majority
OF the canal commission. After careful
study Of the papers submitted and full
and exhaustive consideration OF the whole
subject concur In this recommendation.
ut will be noticed that the American
engineers on the consulting board and
on the commission by more than two
to one majority, favor the lock canal.
whereas the foreign engineers arc a
unit against It,, think this Is partly 20
dc explained by the fact that the great
traffic canal OF the old world is the
Suez Canal. sea-lcyel canal, whereas
the great traffic canal OF the new world
Is tho Sault Ste Marie Canal, a lock canal.
Although the latter. the 500, Is closed to
navigation during the winter months. II
carries annually three times the traffic
OF the SueZ Canal. In my Judgment the
Very able argument of the minority of
the board of consulting engineers Is
yitiated by their failure to pay 1ropc,
heed 10 the lessons taught by the con
strnction and operation OF The 500 Canal
] cali especial attention TO the fact that
the engineer. who will be mainly re-
sponsiblc for the success OF this mighty
engineering feat, and who has therefore
peculiar personal interest in judging
Alright, is emphatically and earnestly in
favor OF the lock canal project AMI
against the sea-levci project. A careful
study of the reports seems to establish
strong probability that the following
are the facts:
Less Time, Cost and Risk.
.-rhe sea-lcveI canal would be slightly
less exposed to damage in the event N
war: the running expenses. apart from
the heavy cost Of interest on the amount
employed 10 build II. would be iessa and
for small ships the time of transit would
probably he less.
.,on tho other hand. the lock canal at
a level of eighty feet, or thereabouts.
would not cost much more than half az
much 10 build. and could be built in
about half the time. where there woula
be very much less risk connected with
building 1t. and for large ships the tram
Sit wouid DC quicker "hh'' t'hihs ih'o
account the interest on the amount saved
in building, tho actual cost OF niainte-
rance would be less. After being built.
IL would be easier to enlarge the lock
canal than the sea level canal.
.s'rIlc law now on our statute booas,
seems to contemplate u lock canal. In
my Judgment q lock canal as herein
recommended is advisable. IL the Con-
gress directs that Il Fea-levcl canal be
constructed. it's direction will. of course.
be carried ont. otherwise the canal will
be built on substantially the plan for II
loci. canal outlined in the accompanying
papers, such changes being made. of
course. as may be found actually neces-
sary. including possibly the change rec
commended By the Secretary OF War as to
tho site Of the dam on the Pacific side.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT