East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1910-09-22
Question Of Fortifcation Of
Panama Canal Involves
Difficulties.
RIGHT AND ABILITY TO
DO so ARE PROBLEMS
Some Authorities State That IL Is I'M
possible TO Successfully Fortify Ca
nal-Islands on Either Side VIII
Solve That Problem-Treaty With
Great Britain Said to be Obstacle In
Way OF Uncle Sam.

Washington, Sept. 22.-Now that the
United States is about to complete the
Panama canal, many nations are in
teresting themselves in the question Of
its fortification and have succeeded
In raising discussion OF the propositi-
on. The United States, however, is
going ahead calmly with plans for de-
Tending the canal, which are before
President Taft, and the question, II
any serious opposition develops, must
be settled in congress this winter.
The eyes of the powers are turned
toward the little strip of land ten
miles wide and forty miles long
through which the United States, to
the croaking of the steam shovels
and the boom of the exploding dyna-
mite, is rapidly opening the big ditch
which is to unite the Atlantic and Pa
cific oceans.
The Panama canal is no longer a
project. 1t is now a reality. Although
the date set for the opening is 1915,
the engineers are confident that ships
will be taking this short cut between
oceans a year sooner, or 1914.
Two years or even a year ago for
eigners were content to admire the
energy and skill which was sweeping
away giant obstacles. Today they are
wondering what its effect Is to be on
world politics and what advantages
are to accrue to the United States
through control of this strategic wa
terway.
For this reason, more than any
other. foreigners are debating the
NJ "a ~
canal At the present moment also
this consideration Is of paramount
interest to the United States because
the defence must be in place by the
time the canal is open for traffic.
Two Problems.
The two problems, therefore, which
are agitating the officials OF the
United States and of other countries.
are whether we have the right to
fortify the canal and whether We can
do 1t successfully II we have the
right.
No less an authority than Rear Ad-
miral Bob" Evans has said that It
cannot be done. The board OF army
experts says that it can. The task
offers difficulties but they are not in
surmountable. The essential feature
OF the defence plans is that the big
guns of the shore batteries must be
placed so that no fleet In time of war
can draw near enough to the entrance
OF the canal on either side to bottle
II up against another fleet.
II the canal is to be strictly neutral
II must be kept open to ships OF any
belligerent nation. This cannot be
done II fleet OF one Of the combat
ants can stand off the entrance at
sufficient distance to be beyond the
range of the guns Of the shore batter
ies and pick off hostile fleet coming
through ship by ship before II could
deploy in battle formation. II this
were the case the canal would be as
effectively bottled as though the Lus-
itania were sunk in its channels for
no fleet of battleships would run the
risk OF fight under such adverse
circumstances.
For this reason the Notifications
must be so placed that the coast guns
can stand off fleet at sufficient dis
tance to allow another fleet to pass
through and form in battle line for
It's own defence before coming in
range. AS the range of the coast gun
and the modern big gun of battleships
are approximately the same, It will be
necessary to mount batteries in forti-
fications on islands commanding the
entrance of the canal.
Islands Solve Problem.
Fortunately no artificial islands
need be built to obtain this end On
the Panama side there are several ad-
mirably situated. on the Colon side
there Is one which will serve the pur-