The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-04-28
COLONEL GoETIIALS.
IrLNinErnnh nndc nj Gulc

front Steps.
planned such Notifications and arc
already building them"
The Cost OF FortIfyInI.
But VIII not these defenses add
greatly To the cost of the canal?"
Nothing like as much as one would
snppoae,' replied Colonel 'Goethals
one reason for this is that the char
actcr of the modern battleship is such
that the number OF guns on shore to
Keep off a fleet can be reduced to
minimum. No naval attack Will be at
tempted on any fortified position until
after the supremacy of the rival navy
at sea has been settled.
Moreover, the loss OF single bat
tleship would destroy the balance o;
power and involve the risk of losing
Il fleet. Now one OF our shots could
destroy ship, ana under such condi-
tions the fleets would be very chary
Of coming near them. The navics
realize this danger, and for that rea-
son tho japanese ncet kept pretty well
out from Port Arthur. Indeed, as il
is now, the navics OF the great powers
are so evenly balanced that none would
risk the destruction of a part OF its
force at sea by attacking fortitca-
tons on land, and assuming that one
fleet had been destroyed. the enormous
cost of n battleship would keep an
enemy from risk!ng il in an unequal
fight with land dcfcnses''
What Will our fortiiicatio cost?"
They will cost infinitely less than
would have been spent had we tried
TO increase our fleet and depend upon
it alone to defend the canal. Every
additional hattlcship OF tho type now
needed costs not less than $4,000, 900
to build and there is. in addition to
that an cvcr-increa sing maintenance
charge. When all these scacoast de-
fenses arc completed and those of tho
land added the expense altogether
will not equal that OF two battlcships,
and the foriihcations will be far more
permanent than the ships. Those who
opposed the fortiiications claimed that
the defense could be accomplished by
| the navy in ease of necessity. in that
event We should have had to have n
standing fleet for this purpose alone"
The Permanent Force md the Cost.
How many men will it take to run
the canal after it is completed, Col
onel Gocthals?"
Il estimate tho number at 200.
but this does not include the pos
siblc sanitation and civil administra-
ton Of the zone. 1t does not include
, the mllltafE FORCES to iOrtiIy the cana !,
| and it is based upon the supposition
| that the zone will he depopulatcd."
! What Will it cost to run the canal"
| The total expenses of the canal
| proper. not including its defense.
| which belongs to the military cstab-
/ lishment. should not exceed 100000
| Il Year"
| But VIII the income be as large
as that?'
II think So said Colonel tioethais.
1t Will be If We fix the proper tolls.
! think We should hX them as high
F, as the trajc viii bear. and If we do
| that Wo shall have plenty TO run the
| canal and still leave a surplus. AS
| TO tho shipping which Will 20 through.
| by estimates made n few years ago by
! our engineers, there should be a least
1 100000 tons per annum. Now, we
| can safely make our toll 81 per ton.
! This would give sufficient TO pay all
! The expenses and still leave II surplus
"Thcu,' Colonel Gocthals continued
! III In connections with tho operation
OF the canal We retain our present
| commissarN. cold storage and manu-
featuring plants for the benefit Of