The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-05-01
No word From WHITE House.

Especial TO The Times Dispatch
Washington, April 30.--Thc shadow
Of silence was thick upon the White
House to-day. Not a word or a com
ment escaped from the Office OF the
President. kilograms from Secretary
Bryan from California came i'm all day
stenosrapfic report OF all Bryan's
conferepce' with the Governor and
Legislature of California. questions and
answers, was by wire upon the desk
of the President. MI Wilson spent
the day III porting over this report and
these dispatches. Late in the evening.
contrary TO his usual custom of seeing
the newspaper men, he sent out the
simple announcement: Il have nothing
to say. | cannot be expected TO com
ment upon a situation so delicate"
1t is conceded 1T the White House
that Mr.. Bryans mission to California
has been Il failure.
1t is given out that the President
declares he has done all that ii was
possible for the chief executive to do.
AT the state Department John Bas-
sett Moore. acting secretary had not
one word to give out TO the public.
lie spent the day in frequent inter-
views with the President: the rest OF
the time he has been assiduously at
his desk.
Vessels being Moved.
The War Department followed the
same tactics of absorption and silence
There was much activity but 1t is
carefully given out that nothing il is
doing has any reference 10 Japan. This
diplomatic assurance is designed to
avoid anything that might carry n re-
mote suggestion of mobilization which
would be construed as a hostile act by
Japan.
From private but authentic sources
these things are learned
The armored cruiser South Dakota
has been ordered up from Acapulco,
Mexico, by the Navy Department.
The armored cruiser Colorado has
been ordered from the west coast to
report at San Diego. 1t is stated that
the smaller draft vessels are al that
is required for the Mexican ports on
tho Pacific Coast. The Annapolis will
take the place Of the South Dakota.
All the vessels Of larger Importance on,
the west coast of Mexico will DC trans
fcrred to the Pacific Coast as soon as
possible. Each statement is accompa-
MED with the diplomatic assurance that
1T has no reference to Japan.
There was renewed in the War De-
partment to-day a sudden anxiety to
get tfp defenses OF the Panama Canal
into immediate commission. 1t trans
pires that four or FIVE OF the fourteen
Inch guns which are being manufac-
tured in this country are to he shipped
Immediately to the west coast of the
Panama Canal 1t is stated that the
force of laborers at either end of the
canal will assist in the emplacement
work. The big 16-inch gun. the car
riage for which Is nearly completed at
Sandy Hook, will be the first 10 be dis
patched to the Canal Zone. 1t has
radius of about twenty miles.
Canal Nearly Ready.
Most important and most encourage
ing of all, news leaks out that the
Navy Department has the secret de-
tails of plans by which the Panama
Canal can be utilized almost immedi-
atcly to shift the Atlantic neet to the
Pacific Coast.
AZ the present rate of construction,
with but one eight-hour shift Mt work,
Is planned to have the locks com
pleted and the canal flooded by Octo-
Der l. With three cight-tour shifts.
working at ordinary speed, the gates
can BIO completed by June the 20.
The Isthmian Canal Commission ad-
mits that the work is being rushed
with extraordinary speed, and that so
far rs tho canal itself is concerned,
It could he flooded at the present time
to rive n mnla Ionth fFor tho mn q Or