Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-05-27
FORTS ALONG CANAL.
About S7.OOO.OO0 VIII He spent in
Their Erection.

Washington. May .-Fortifcations TO
cost approximately 100000 are to he
built to defend the Panama canal against
foreign attack. This fact developed yes
terday on the return Of Secretary Dick
inson from his visit OF inspection to the
canal zone
During the ~ days the secretary Of
war spent In looking over the ground he
and Major-Gen. ]. Franklin Bell chief
of staff, went into the matter carefully
The significant feature OF their tentative
decision is tho fact that the most power
FL, and elaborate batteries are to ne
planted so as to repel attacks from the
Pacific ocean.
There are to he three batteries on the
Pacific eide. Lying off the mouth Of the
canal there are Is Islands. The three
selected for the construction Of FORTH
cations are in a l5-mle zone off shore
They are Flamenco. Cuebra and Nacas
Islands. On the coast line at each side
OF the canal mouth there will be batter
les also, situated at Ancon and San
Juan. The estimated cost OF these forth
fications. without equipment. Is $780,
00o
SIX miles up the canal from the Pacific
This will command the principal lock at
Pcdro Miguel and the estimated cost
will be $4,000. At Culebra about mid
way of the big ditch a military post
will be constructed at cost Of o quar-
ter Of million dollars
On the Atlantic side the arrangement
will he much more simple. range Of
hills runs down to the sea. these hills
commanding the entrance to the canal
Upon them. at Elboco Point. modern
batteries will be constructed at a cost Of
g. 10000
TO MOUNT MANY GUNS.
the plans may be guessed when It is
known that they contemplate the
mounting in these fortifcation. Of
more than 60 Of the highest-pow
disappearing guns OF not less than 13-
inch and up to ls-inch in the main
batteries. The secondary batteries
will be Of lower calibre. but they will
be more numerous. Mr.. Dickinson and
General Bell went over the entire
ground, studying the. strategic i'm
portance Of the various sites. The
plans, which have been IN secret prem
aratton for some time, are tentative.
OF course for Congress may refuse to
appropriate the money necessary for
their carrying cnt if' the nations Of
the world styw a disposition to rec
ognize ths absolute, neutrality OF the
canal. 50
Mr.. Dickinson Is tho newest convert
10 the lock type Of canal across the
isthmus. The secretary set out on MS
trip believing that sea-levei ditcn
was the only logical and sensible
type Shortly after he reached his
desk he announced frankly he had
been wrong. and that his investixa-
ton OF conditions had disslpated his
earlier conviction. Mr. Dickinson
Furthermore characterized the prog
ress Of the work as highly salts
factory" '-'
Reported to President.
shortly after reaching the war de
partment yesterday the secretary went
to the White House and made a per
sonai report 10 President TAFT. The
President seemed pleased with tho
change In Mr.. Dickinsons views for
1t proved to his own satisfaction that
the 'stay-at- home" critics known lit
tie Of the actual conditions on the
lsthmus when they condemn the lock
canal and insist that the sea- level
ditch is the only feasible plan to fol-
low in joining the waters Of the Al
lantic and Pacific oceans
Mr.. Dickinson gives high praise to
Colonel G. w. Goethals. chief engineer,
=
commission. He was asked what
problems confront the engineers
There are practically no problems"
he answered quickly. "All have been
solved. II any does exist, 1t probably
Is In the best means for controlling
the waters OF the ChaRres river. But
even this has been settled by the en-
sineers. The lock style OF construc-
ton leads itself TO the accomplishment
of this control whereas with a sea-
level ditch the problem would have
been a most difficult one.
WORK PROGRESSING WELL
So far rs the progress Of the work is
concerned. Mr.. Dickinson does not see
how it can he pressed more vigorously.
All the workmen that can be properly
utilized are already engaged In making
the dirt ny. Any increase in the army
OF employees would result in less satisfac-
tory results, for the workmen only would
be In each others way. The same con-
dition obtains with regard - the machln-
cry. As many steam shovels and dredges
as can he handed satisfactorily are tear
Ing away the earth and rocks in the var
lous cuts
II developed yesterday that the Pana-
ma railroad Will practically bs aban-
doncd when the canal is completed. Al
most all rs traffic consists Of freight car
ried between Panama and Colon for tran
shipment. and when this traffic is taken
through the canal IN the vessels the road
may be transformed into an electric line
for the carriage OF passengers and light
freight.
Secretary Dickinson expects that the
canal will be opened for traffic by Janu-
airy ]. 1915 This was the date fixed by
Colonel Goet halls on the occasion of his
visit here las, winter, and he told the
secretary that he saw no occasion for
changing his mind