University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1910-09-25
Question Il Debated by
!. Many Nations as Project
Nears Completion.
NAY BE OPEN IN 1914
Big Guns Would Have to be
Placed on Islands Com
manding Entrance.
BY United Press

the United States Is about to COM
plete the Panama Canal, many nations
are interesting themselves in the ques-
ton Of its fertilization and have sue
ceeded in raising discussion Of the
proposition. The United States, how
ever. is going ahead calmly with plans
for defending the canal, which are
before President Taft, and the ques-
ton, II any serious opposition devel-
ops. 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 creaking Of the steam shovels and
the boom Of the exploding dynamite,
Is rapidly opening the big ditch which
Is to unite the Atlantic and Pacific
Oceans.
The Panama Canal is no longer a
project. It Is now reality. Al.
though the date set for the opening
is 1916, the engineers are confident
that ships will be taking this short
cut between oceans year sooner, or
1914.
Question Of World Interest.
Two years or even year ago for
eigners were content to admire the
energy and skill which was ,swooping
away giant obstacles. Today they
are wondering what its effect is to
be On world politics and what advan.
tages ara to accrue to the United
States through control Of this strategic
waterway.
For this reason, more than any 9TH
Or, foreigners are debating the ques-
ton Of the fertilization of the canal.
At tina present moment also this con-
sideration Is of paramount interest
to the Ukited States because the de-
Tense must be in place by the time the
canal is open for traffic.
The two problems, therefore, which
are agitating the officials of the Unit,
ed States and Of other countries, are
whether we have the right to fortify
the canal and whether we can do it
successfully II we have the right.
No less an authority than Rear Ad-
miral Bob" Evans has said that 1t
cannot be done. The board of army
experts says that 1t can. The task
offers difficulties but they are not in
surmountable. The essential feature
Of the defense plans is that the big
guns Of the shore batteries must be
placed that mo- feet in time Of war
can draw near enough to the entrance
OF the canal on either side to bottle
1t up against another feet.
A War Time Possibility.
II the canal is to be strictly neutral
1t must be kept open to ships Of any
belligerent nation. This cannot be
done II q fleet Of one Of the combat
ants can stand of the entrance at
sufficient distance to be beyond the
range Of the guns of the short batter
les and pick of hostile feet COM
ing through chip by ship before 1t
could deploy in battle formation. II
this were the case the canal would
be as effectively bottled as though the
Lusitania we're sunk in its channel,
for no feet Of battleships would run
the risk Of q fight under such adverse
circumstances.
For this, reason the Notifications
must be so placed that the coast guns
can stand OF q feet at sufficient dis |
tsnce to allow another feet to pass
through and form In battle line for
It's own defense before coming in
range. As the range Of the coast
gun and the modern big gun Of battle
6hips ana approximately the same, 1t
will be necessary to mount batteries
IN fortiAcations on dslands command
ing the entrance Of the canal.
Fortunately no artificial islands
need be built to obtain this end. On
the Panama side there are several adj
mir1bly situated. On the Colon side
there Is one which win serve the pur-
pose. From these positions the bat
tsries or mortars and big gums WIN
command q stretch Of water large
ienough for the feet to mxneuver in.
The guarding Of the canal at inter
Tor points Il not 30 dincult prob
lam. A garrison win be maintained
within the zone which can patrol the
route. The vulnerable points will
b the locks which could easily be dis
abled by the explosion Of a stick Of
dynamite and serious damage might