The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-19
MUST FORT|FY
 PANAMA CANAL This Is Declaration of Secretary Dickinson MUCH DISCUSSION Arguments of the Advocates of In- ternational Peace Are Pointed
 At By the Naval Experts
 In Derision

Washington, February 1S.-(Specia1.)- "To prevent the possible defeat of the United States in time of war, an inn perative need of national defense is the complete fertilization of the Panama ca nal" This statement comes from Secre- tary of War Dickinson, and Is backed up by the influence of President Taft.
 One great plan of the administration is to fortify the canal, to make 1t im- possible of capture by hostile nation, and, incidentally, to be means of guard Ing possible points of attack in conti- mental United States. By it's impregna- bility the integrity of the small repuo- lies of Central America would be guar anteed. as well as providing assurnce of safety to the republics of South Amer lea. In its greater aim, in time of peace, the canal is to be the means of a quicker communication by water between the Pa cific and the Atlantic, and an offset 10 non-competitive railroad traffic between Pacific points and points on the Atlantic.
 Much has been said by advocates of universal peace to the effect that the administration of Congress would make a grave mistake in fortifying the ca nal. It is pointed out by. army officers, who have studied the proposition, how ever, that the greatest mistake this na- tion could possibly make would be not to fortify the canal. Universal peace, it is declared by army and navy officers, the future can be best adjusted by the demands of the period. Should universal peace be established the disarmament of the canal could easily be accomplished. To place at the mercy of foreign nations property already costing s375, 1000, GOO, not to mention untold millions to be gained in future trade, would be folly, declare advocates of fertilization.
 To those fostering a movement antago- nistic to fertilization of the canal an unpatriotic movement Is ascribed by ad- vocates of fortifcation. To the argu- ment advanced that the Panama canal should not be protected because Eng land has not seen fit to fortify the Suez canal, army experts point with derision. England, they say, does not have to forti- fy the Suel canal because Gibraltar and other Notifications along the Mediterra- mean guarantee its safety. As to Pan anna, nothing could save it from cap ture by European nation, if 1t was not fortified, and our navy should be defeat ed. The American feet, small as 1t is, would also not be able to get away from it's duty in defending American cities. At present the Pacific coast is unprotected, and, in time of war, 1t is pointed out, the navy would have to be divided to insure protection to cities on the Atlantic and on the Pacific.
 To provide against such a condition, naval and army experts have petitionsd Congress to act and President Taft has assured the movement of his earnest sup port. He believes that 1t is the one great work of his administration. and is bend ing every effort to have such legislation passed at this session of Congress.
 The programme of the President Is 10 fortify the canal at the entrance with fortresses so impregnable as to prevent a hostile fleet gaining entrance. Along the route of the canal other fortresses, masked by hidden works, are to be built at strategic points. to be used as re- serve in case entrance is gained past the Notifications Mines are to be submerged at both entrances, as well as along the route of the canal, so that if the land fortifications are reduced the submarine defenses can be brought into action. To accomplish the greatest part of this work an appropriation of $12,475,32s is asked.
 The expenditure of this money Is to be spread over period of five years. Work Is to be begun at once, according 10 plans of the war department, and con- tinued until the Notifications are com pleted It Is estimated that 1t will take at least five years to carry out the work already mapped out. A bill introduced in the present Congress calls for an im- mediate appropriation of 7.ooooo0 to start the work, g, 100000 of which Is to be ex- pended in preliminary surveys. and In the construction of necessary naval es- tablishments for the canal.
 The board recently appointed by the President to make d report as to fortify- ing the canal, has recommended that the following seacoast armament be placed for defense of the canal against naval attack: Eight 14-inch rifles, F 6-inch rifles and 12 12-inch mortars. For the de- fense of the locks, dams. bridges, tun- nels and seacoast Notifications against land attack by raiding parties the board has made recommendations that perm anent field works be constructed. As the construction of such works will require time and cannot be delayed with safety until the imminence of war has been recognized, the board Is of the opinion that they should be completed by the date of the completion of the canal Tha exact locations of these defenses. as we'll as a number of others that are contem- plated, are confidential to the war de- partment
 Comparat atively strong natural defensive positions exist at the Atlantic and Pacific entrances of the canal for. defense against land operations. Those positions are cap able of being strengthened materially, and the details of their development are now being worked out by the war department. In time of peace the canal will have a guard of twelve companies of artil- lery. four regiments of infantry. one battalion of field artillery and one squadron of cavalry. In time of war this force will be greatly augmented by endorsements from the United States Permanent barracks of con crete are to be erected so that the troops will have the best possiule quar- ters.
 The appropriation of $12.475,32S for these defenses Will be apportioned az follows: Surveys, $62,O00; purchase ana reclamatio of sites. s450.00u; emplace. ments, $4,0S1 300; guns and carriages, 1,e66000, ammunition. sk1S1,18S; pow CT plants. $10S.O00; searchlights. $204, 900; fire control. $313.640; field fortifi- cation and camps, $422,000; coast artil- law ee7q 0O0. ypohi1e army So RIA 000