The Washington herald., 1911-02-11

Intellectual and scientific Washington
New Masonic Temple last night and
heard Col. George w. Goethals. chief en-
gineer of construction of the Panama
Canal. lecture on the progress being
made on the isthmus.
The National Geogra phic Society, under
whose auspices the lecture was given,
was we'll represented. The audience was
one of the most brilliant ever assembled
in Washington, and notwithstanding the
fact that Col. Goethals was necessarily
technical in explaining the great work.
he received almost continuous applause.
The speaker was stricken with stage
fright during the first few minutes, but
as ne warmed to his subject he spoke as
one whose whole being was wrapped up
in his profession.
Shows Pictures of Work.
The lecture was accompanied with
many beautiful stereopucon pictures,
showing life on the isthmus. the prog
ress made since the French gave up the
work. and the public buildings. Col
Goethals explained that his talk would
be long, and probably not ineligible to
the layman. and promised series of
moving pictures after the lecture. These
were exceptionally fine and self-explana-
tory of what the Panama Canal means
He told Of the labor il cost to make the
isthmus sanitary, of how the work is
handicapped by heavy rainfalls and land
slides, and the many diScouragcmcnts eX-
perlenCed with the workman and a lack
of supplies. Col. GOethals expressed the
belief that the canal can be operated
not only so to pay operating ex-
penses. but to repay the cost of its con-
struCuOn. He proposed that the canal
authorities be permitted to sell coal and
oil as fuel to steamers. and urged. also,
that the marine shops at Gorgona be
moved to point on the coast where they
would be Of use in making repairs to yes
sells using the canal 4 dry dock also
will be needed, Col GOethaIs added.
Col GOethals emphasized the military
value of the canal He pointed to the
cruise OF the battle ship Oregon from
the Pacific around South America in
1895 as an Illustration of its strategic i'm
portance.
much has been said and predicted as
to the commercial value OF the canal TO
the United States.'' Col. Goethals con-
tinued. In this connection it must be
remembered that the commercial ship
ping of this country never required the
canal
Trip of the Oregon.
The trip of the Oregon in 1895 settled
the question of the advisability of con-
structing an isthmian canal, and had
the canal been built at that time. there
by saving that trip around the horn.
there is no question il could have been
agreed generally that the canal even at
an expenditure of $50, co., 900, was worth
while.
AT the session of Congress immedi-
ately following that noted voyage. the
question of an isthmian canal received
and the President was en-
powered by the act of March 3. 1899. to
make full and complete investigation of
the isthmus with a view to the construC-
tiOn of a canal by the United States
across the same, to connect the Atlantic
and Pacific oceans"
In whatever light the Panama Canal
is viewed" Col. Goethals added. lit will
have paid for itself if in time of war or
threatened war, a concentration of ths
fleet is effected without that long. te-
dious. uncertain route followed hy the
Oregon. 1t will practically double the
efficiency of the fleet, and notwith-
standing the fact we are a peaceful ma
ton. our outlying possessions make the
Panama Canal a military necessity, and
it must so be recognized.
The canal will be completed and in
operation by January l, 1875" Col.
GOethals said