The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-09-08
.PREPA ARE TO SHIP
CANNON TO PANAMA
Officials at Work on Machinery
Needed to Swing Big
Guns From Pier.

New York. September 7.-Unitcd
states Army officers have begun to
prepare the special tackle and ma
chinery which will be needed to handle
at the piers here the big guns which
VIII be sent on n ship of the Panama
Railroad and Steamship Company this
month to the Notifications at tho en-
frances to the Panama Canal. The
guns for the Pacific forts will go first.
They are one fourtccn-inch gun and
several siX-inch rifles. The other four
teen-inch gun and the sxtccn-inch
one. which arc now being manufac-
turcd. will not be ready for several
months.
1t has been found advisable TO send
these guns by sea from New York. even
'hough they are intended for the forts
NJ the Pacific end of the canal. AT
CriStobal they will be put on cars con
structcd specially for them and taken
carriages for the larger guns have been
cast In the shops Mt Gorgona. and have
been ready for more than a month
Fertilization of the Panama Canal
mas in view two points: first. making
II impossible for an enemy in time Of
war 10 take possession OF the water
way, and second. making it impossible
10 inture ii to such extent that ii could
not be used by the navy of tho United
states. There is one other way I'm
which the canal could he made useless
as an instrument in the hands
OF the United states. and that is
by blockade The forts cannot pre-
vent this. the authorities say. Nothing
but strong navy can be of avail in
such n case. they assert.
Forts Three Islands
The forts at the Pacific entrance"
an army officer who returned from
Panama last week, said arc being
constructed on three islands in Panama
Bay II the very beginning of the canal.
Flamenco. Pcrico and Naos. These is
lands arc great masses OF volcanic
rock. Behind these rock walls safe
from the fire of any ship. no matter
how near, the forts stand. \ whole
fleet within n mile of these islands
could Keep up steady fire and not
lnjure the forts or the men in them
In short. the forts themselves and all
their appurtenances are absolutely
safe from injury. Meanwhile. however.
thcy can keep up steady fire cover
ing the bay for fifteen miles
"Ku, ii is not intended 10 let n hos
tile ship get within five miles OF tho
iorts. because then tho enemy could In
jure the locks at Miraflores These
locks are seven miles inland from the
forts. and they could be shelled By Sims
twelve miles away Il is not at all
probable however. that any ship could
get within fifteen miles, much less
'5A ~ SS'AN al SHol 10 the
locks
one gate Of the locks might bc dis
abled without affecting the use fulness
OF the locks. and tons OF masonry could
be DESTROYED without in any way i'm
pairing the usefulness OF what re-
manned. To hit any vulnerable part
OF the locks at distance OF ten or
fifteen miles would be as difficult as
for rifeman to hit Il lead pencil at
range of 1000 yards
There is on. way in which the locks
could he put out OF commission II
an enemy could land force on Pana-
ma soil ana send 1t quickly to the
canal line, ana this force could blow
UP the gates Of the locks. then the
canal would he useless until the dam
age had been repaired. But SUCH
contingency has been anticipated The
Canal Zone viii be military rcscrva-
tion. There viii be a guard always
on duty 1T each lock. There VIII also
be field Notifications ut each lock 1t
VIII be impossible for fleet to ap-
proaCh Panama waters without warn
inS from american scout ships for the
wireless facilities Will include thrc"
stations for distances OF 500 to 900
miles. and one for distances up TO l.
600 miles. 1t is intended TO Keep three
regiments 1T Cuicbra. and "a regiment
OF marines at Balboa. In addition TO
the artillerymcn in the forts IT is no:
likely that any force sufficient TO cope
with these guards could be landed IN
Panama and approach the Canal Zone"