New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-05-27
THE DAyINWASHINGTON
from The Tribune Bureau
u-a t,inC-fny1 Ma

fFror The Tribune Bureau
Washington. May 70.
THE NEW BATTLESHIPS.-Secr
Meyer to-day announced that he had al
ready approved the designs of the two new
/ battleships authorized in this years ap-
preparation bin and that only the specld-
cations remain to be drawn. AS was hrst
announced in THE Tribune. these ships are
to he of 27.eoo tons displacement and will
| each carry batteries of ten l4-inch guns.
| The expeditions preparation and approval
of the plans constitute another evidence
OF the effectiveness of the Meyer scheme Of
naval reorganization The first step in their
preparation consisted of an outline OF the
ends 10 be attained by a conference at the
Naval War College. The report of the col
lege was then submitted to the Bureau OF
Construction, which prepared the plans
and they. in turn, were submitted to the
General Board which called officers of the
feet 10 its assistance. in order that the
board might enjoy the advantage OF the
most practical and up-to-date advice
When these experts had completed the
plans they were submitted TO the Secre-
tary, who with the assistance of his aids
carefully examined them and to-day gave
them his approval. Both the Senate and
House have adopted the battleship pro-
vision of the naval bill. and it is not likely
to be changed I'm conference. 1t is expected
that the specifications viii be ready by the
time the bill is signed and Mr.. Meyer will
Immediately call for bids. There is reason
10 believe that the Secretary purposes TO
give The country further demonstration
of the efficiency of the new organization in
the expedition with which these ships will
he completed snd added TO the feet:
THE CULEBRA SLIDE.-Some account
Of the difficulties being encountered in the
Culesra cut OF the Panama Canal was
given in this column q short time ago. The
official bulletin of the Panama Canal Com
mission gives further details of these dim
culties. The slide on the west bank of the
cut, which is still I'm progress. now involves
some two million cubic yards OF material,
which is gradually moving into the excava-
ton. This material is of different char
6eter from that which has hitherto slid
into the cut. being much harder, some of it
requiring heavy charges Of dynamite TO
break IL up. and even then breaking up In
large and irregular masses difficult to ham
Gle. board OF engineers which has ex-
amined the location reports that il is i'm
possible 80 foreteIl just what the results
viii he when the cut is still further exca-
waited AS has been asserted in this col
urnn there is no occasion for alarm be-
cause of this or similar slides and similar
phenomena in the Culehra cut. Colonel
.=oe5hais, TIE chief engineer. has all along
realized the possibility of having TO con-
tend with such obstacles, and not only has
Ha olya
he has insisted on setting the date of the
completion of the canal far enough off TO
permit him 80 deal with every unforeseen
obstacle. At the present rate of eXcava-
tion it Will not take long to dispose of two
million feet OF material. but il IS a con-
slant occasion Of qualification to the en-
eineers engaged in this work that they are
not confronted with the problem of deep
ening the cut 10 sea level.
a JUDICIAL DECISION.-Secretary Bal
nnger. after giving the most careful con-
sideration to the arguments. pro and con,
rega riding the granting Of the Hetch-
Hetchy Valley to the city Of San Francisco
as water reservoir, announced to-day that
he would suspend final decision for year,
during which time the board OF army en-
! giiaeers will be charged with the task of
sscertaining all the facts which should be
taken into consideration before this i'm
porfant question is disposed Of Secretary
! Bailinger's decision proved the. occasion of
! the utmost satisfaction TO those who are
so anxious to preserve the scenic beauty Of
this magnificent natural park, and even the
representatives Of San Francisco admitted
that his position was entirely just. The
representatives of the city came here With
almost data on which 10 base an argu-
nlent and in the estimation OF some the
Secretary would have been entirely war
ranted in Immediately cancelling the privi-
lege granted by his predecessor. The Sec
Rotary refrained from doing this. however
4 although the privilege VIII be ineffective
until final decision is rendered. That the
city of San Francisco expected TO crowd
the scheme through by political influence
seems apparent from the fact that il has
already authorized q bond issue of s45,o 600
/ for the construction of the Lake Eleanor
system. Secretary Ballinger ordered that
/ the plans for this system be first approved
by the board of army engineers In the
+ coming year the board of engineers will
conduct thorough investigation of the
/ water resources of San Francisco and pre-
sUrnsbiy the city will 90 the same submit
ting the results of its investigations TO the
board. When all Investigations have been
completed they will be submitted 10 the
Secretary Of the Interior.
4 NEW YORk'S CREEKS. - Nelson p.
Lewis. chief engineer of the New York
Board of Estimate and Apportionnlent. an
peered before the House Interstate Com
merce Committee to-day and explained the
conditions which made the Roof bill desira-
bic. Mr.. Lewis said there were several
! streams and creeks in greater New York
especially in The Bronx. which flow from,
| the Sound TO the North River at high tide.
but are dry at low tide. and that as these
serve no useful purpose, the city should be
allowed to bridge or close them at pleas
ure. He maintained that these waterways
constitute an obstacle TO the DEVELOPMENT
OF the city and a disadvantage from,
every point of view. J. Ewart Tracy. q
/ New York lawyer, opposed the bill on the
ground that its passage would constitute
an obstruction 10 the Shore Road in Brook
lyn, which. he said, was an important