New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-31
COCKTAILS SEEKING A
GOOD NAVAL ADVISER
Coming Governor of Canal Zone
Wants Expert Counsel on
Matters of Navigation.
TO ACT ON MANY PROBLEMS
President Taft Agrees with
Colonel That Navy Should
Have Part in Permanent
Canal Organization.

Canal organization.
From a StaG Correspondent OF Ire IrIou''e'
Florence. s. c., Dec. 3O.-Colonel George
". Goethals, chief engineer OF the rama
ma Canal. who is with President Iaft OH
the later's train on the way TO Nasning-
ION Is seeking en- experienced navy onhcer'
especially versed in navigation, TO serve
IS nautical adviser in the Canal Zone
The presence of Colonel Goethals In
Washington at this time is necessar! oe.
cause the appropriation committees Vi
Congress are about to take up TINS year
appropriation for the canal. III Is esu-
mated that approximately $2o,VU," VIII
be -eauired for construction and admins
,ration during the coming fiscal year, out
as practically 100000 CT the amount ap-
propriated for the current year mas oeeh
saved. the net appropriation VIII not eA-
coed sls.OoO,0oo.
President Taft also desires the ADVICE
nf Colonel Goethals in connection with
tho Executive order which Will aooilsn
The Isthmian Canal Committee and estao-
fish a permanent form OF government Tor
the Canal Zone, to be issued under the
Panama Canal act of the last session oi
Congress. The President is satisfied from
his inspection Of the canal that the uine
has come for taking that step, ana 'he
promulgation of the executive order may
be expected soon.
As has been announced already, CORONER
Goethals will be named as Governor Oh
the Canal Zone and canal, although thd'
term is something of misnomer' ofee-
tor being a far more appropriate word
Where Advice Is Needed.
The necessity of competent advice from
a practical navigator has been apparent
10 Colonel Goethals for consideraoie
time. and IL will be imperative from no"
on. especially i'm connection with the nnal
completion of the locks, the designing oi
such buffers as may be needed 10 prevent
iniurv TO the concrete walls OF the iochs
and docks by the iron and steer nuns
of vessels. the system OF range hgh's
which will guide pilots in the Navigation
of the sea level portions OF the cana
and OF Gatum Lake, the ARRANGEMENT VI
docks. including the drydock al baiooa :
the method Of mooring TO approach Walls
of the locks. and to the electric nluieS
which will take ships through the locks
tho arrangement OF breakwaters IN the
harbors, etc.
II was suggested TO Colonel Goethals
that a naval officer Of sufficient rank 10
possess the required experience might oo-
iect to serving under an ofhcer OF 'ie
army but the head Of the canal orusheu
the suggestion aside with the declaration
that no man OF sufficient calibre 10 De
useful in connection with the canal would
for a moment consider such an idea; tha'
any department Of the government which
couId he utilized TO increase the efficiency
n OF the canal should be so employed, ana
III that any man who could contribute 10 l's
y success should be proud to do SO WITHOUT
thought OF questions OF relative rank In
this view the President strongly shares.
In the scheme of permanent organlza-
ton for the administration OF the cana'
Colonel Goethsls will suggest the en-
ployment Of several naval officers IN Vari-
ous capacities IN which their education
and experience will render them more
valuable than would be those with an
army training.
An instance OF the breadth and magma
Goethalss success in constructing The
canal was offered to-day. when one OF
the correspondents on the President
train asked the chief engineer TO glance
over an article on the canal
Praises Colonel Hodges.
Have YOU mentioned Colonel n. +.
Hodges in your story?" inquired Colonel
Goethals.
ON receiving a negative answer he said
Wen. YOU ought to do IL. That man
never gets the credit he deserves. He IL
the brains of the canal. lie is the biggest
brainiest man I'm the works. lie has de-
signed practically everything. and he las
omitted no detail which could contribute
to its success He is a modest fellow and
always tries 10 obliterate himself, but he
is deserving OF more credit than any
other one man. Without him the canal
would never have been built"
The qualification OF the President with
conditions ne found in the Canal Zone
has already been told. II could be reit-
Grated at great length without danger OF
exaegeraton. MIR. Taft was pleased be-
yond expression with all that he saw.
There will be no formal opening OF the
canal until January !, 1915. II the con-
tractors fulfil their present promises-they
are already some months behind their
contract-and IL there are no unexpected
slides along the line Of the canal it Will
he possible 10 fill Gatun Lake beginning
on July l. and that will make possible
taking some vessel through the canal by
Of
discovery OF TIE Pacific by Balboa. Should
there be further delay by the contractors
I'm supplying the steel work at cana
locks or should there be any unexpected
slides IL will not be possible 10 take any
vessel through until a later Date.