The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-12-06

just made a visit to the lSthmuS to h. spect the work done and to consult with him on the ground as to certain problems which are likely to arise ill the near future. The progress of the work is most satisfactory. If no unex- pected obstacle presents itself the canal will be completed well within the time fixed by Colonel GOethals-to wit, Jan. 1, 1915-and within the estimate of cost, $375,OO0,OO0.
 Press reports have reached the Unit ed States from time to time giving ac counts of slides of earth of very large yardage in the Culebra cut and else where along the line, from which it might be inferred that the work has been much retarded and that the time of completion has been necessarily postponed.
 The report of pr. Hayes of the geo. logical survey. whom l sent within the last month to the isthmus to make an Investigation, shows that this section Of the canal zone is composed of sedi- menuary rocks of rather weak structure and subject to almost immediate disin- tegration when exposed to the air. Sub sequent to the deposition of these sedi- ments igneous rocks, harder and more durable, have been thrust into them ano. being cold at the time of their in- trusion, united but indiferently with the sedimentary rock at the contacts.
 The result of these conditions is that as the cut is deepened, causing unbal anced pressures. slides from the sides of the cut have occurred. These are in part due to the flowing of surface soil and decomposed sedimentary rocks upon inclined surfaces of the underiy- ing undecomposed rock and in part by the crushing of structurally weak beds under excessive pressur>.
 These slides occur on one side or the other of the cut through a distance of four or five miles, and now that their character is understood allowance has been made in the calculations of yard age for the amount of slides which will have to be removed and the greater slope that will have to be given to the bank in many places in order to pre- vent their recurrence Such allow ance does not exceed 10OOO.OOO yards.
 
 removed from this cut on an average of each month through the year is 100000 and that the total remaining to be excavated, including slides, is about 3O.O00,000 yards, it is seen that this addition to the excavation does not offer any great reason for delay.
 While this feature of the material to be excavated in the cut will not seri- ously delay or obstruct the construc- tion of canal of the lock type. the increase of excavation due to such deeper for a sea level canal would cer- tainly have been so great as to delay its completion to time beyond the pa tience of the American people.
 Among questions arising for present solution is the decision whether the canal shall be fortified. I have already stated to the congress that I strongly favor fortiication, and now reiterate this opinion and ask your consfdera ton of the subject in the light of the report already before you made by competent board.
 If in our discretion we believe mod ern Notifications to be necessary to the adequate protection and policing of the canal, then it is our duty to construct them. We have built the ca nal. It is our property. By conven- tion we have indicated our desire for and indeed undertaken its universal and equal use. 1t is also we'll known that one of the chief objects in the construction of the canal has been to increase the military effectiveness of our navy.
 Failure to fortify the canal would leave the attainment of both these aims in the position of rights and Ob- legations which we should be power less to enforce and which could never in any other way be absolutely. safe guarded against desperate and ire spOnsible enemy.
 Canal Tolls.
 Another question which arises for consideration and possible legislation is the question of tolls in the canal. This question is necessarily affected by the probable tonnage which will go through the canal. It Is all matter of estimate, but one of the government commission in 1900 investigated the question and made a report.
 He concluded that the total tonnage of the vessels employed in commerce that could use the isthmian canal in 1914 would amount to 6.S43,8O5 tons net register and that this trafhc would increase 25.1 per cen: per decade, that it was not probable that all the com merce included in the totals would at once abandon the routes at present fol- lowed and make use of the new canal and that it might take some time, per haps two years, to readjust trade with reference to the new conditions which the canal would establish.
 He did not include. moreover, the ton. mage of war vessels, although 1t is to be inferred that such vessels would make considerable use of the canal. In the matter of tolls he reached the con- clusion that dollar net ton would not drive business away from the ca- nal. but that higher rate would do so.
 Tn determining what the tolls should be we certainty ought not to Insist that for a good many years to come they should amount to enough to pay the interest on the investment of S4OO,-