The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1909-10-19
TO f0R1|FY THE
PANAMA CANAL
Plans Are Being Considered
for Arming Great Ameri-
can Highway

Washington, Oct. 19.-The impor-
tant work of constructing fortifca-
tions for the entrances to the Panama
canal will be given careful consider
alton by a joint army and navy board
during the coming winter. This board,
the personnel OF which has been part
ly completed, will lvisit the isthums
and go over the entire ground in a
thorough and systematic manner.
Col Goethals, the chairman and the
chief engineer of the canal commits
sion. has promised that the canal
shall be ready to be opened by Jan
uary l, 1915. and the president and
his cabinet feel that the work of plac-
ing that waterway in an impregnable
position should he finished or at least
we'll under way by the time the canal
is ready for practical use.
The board will consist of Brig. Gen.
William l.. Marshall, chief of engi-
neers: Brig. Gen. William Crozier,
chief of ordnance: Brig Gen. Arthur
Murray, chief of coast artillery; Brig.
Gen. w. w. Wotherspoon. assistant
chief of staff. two naval officers yet
to be selected. and possibly others.
The general question of the forti-
fications for the canal has been dis
cussed by the army and navy for
years. 1t is possible that if the re-
port of the board is made in time con-
gress may at this session appropriate
money for the work The new board
will have available considerable data
on which to inaugurate work for in
1905, the national coast defense board,
of which President Taft was then at
the head, made thorough examin-
alton into the whole subject of forti-
fications and recommended an eXpen-
diture of $4,S37,6S2. Since that time
recommendations have changed and it
may be found desirable by the board
to make other recommendations in
volving differences found necessary as
a result of developments in national
defense.
The board in 1905 took the position
that while 1t might appear that the
ultimate defense of the canal must
rest with the navy, the fleet should
not be tied SO closely to It as to lose
its offensive power. Moreover, it was
readily conceivable that the control
of the sea in the vicinity might be lost
temporarily either on the Atlantic or
the Pacific coast. making land de-
fenses necessary and advisable, since
the cost of Notifications would be but
small percentage of the damage
which could be quickly inflicted upon
the plant and operations of the canal.
The board recommended the in
stallation at the entrances of eight
twelve-inch guns. eleven three-inch
guns and thirty two-inch mortars with
the necessary accessories.
The isthums of Panama promises to
be the objective point of number of
'importont officials of the government
this winter. if their present expecta-
tions are carried out. President Taft,
while at San Francisco recently. ex-
pressed the hope that he would be
able to go to the isthmus in Decem-
ber. Secretary Dickinson also has in
dicated his desire to see the great
waterway under construction. his palm
when last speaking on the subject be-
ing also to go in December. while the
appropriations committee of the house
is scheduled to sail from New York
for Colon early in November. The COM
missions estimate for the needs of the
canal for 1911. amounting to $4S,0OO,-
900, will be in the committees hands
by that time.