Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-09-20
Pacific Forts Will Be Equipped
First by War De-
partment.
LOCATED ON ISLANDS
OF VOLCANIC ROCK
Practically Indestructible In Case OF
Attack-Protection
for Locks.

Arrangements are being made by the
MAR Department for the shipment to
Panama of the big guns which are to be
mounted at the entrances to the canal.
The guns for the Pacific forts will go
FIRST. They are one fourteen-inch gun
and several six-inch rifles. The other
fourteen-inch gun and the sixteen-inch
one. which are now being manufactured,
will not be ready for several months.
IL has been found advisable TO send
these guns by sea from New York. even
though they are intended for the forts
at the Pacific end of the canal. AT
Cristobal they will be put on cars con-
struct6d specially for them and taken
across the isthmus. The cradles and car
riages for the larger guns have been cast
in the shops at Gorgona and have been
ready for more than month.
Purpose of Fertilization.
Fertilization of the Panama canal has
in view two points: First, making it
impossible for an enemy in time of war
TO take possession of the waterway, and
second. making it impossible to injure 1t
TO such an extent that it could not be
used by the navy of the United States
There is one other way in which the
canal could be made useless as an In
strument in the hands of the United
states, and that is by blockade. The
forts cannot prevent this, the authorities
say. Nothing but a strong navy can be
OF avail in such case, they assert.
The forts at the Pacific entrance"
said an army officer, who has just re-
turned from the iSthmuS, ''are being con-
structed on three islands in Panama bay
at the very beginning of the canal-Fla-
menco. Perico and Naos. These islands
are great masses of volcanic rock. Be-
hind these rock walls, safe frfom the fire
of any ship, no matter how near the
forts stand. A whole fleet within a mile
of these islands could keep up a steady
nre and not injure the forts or the men
in them. In short the forts themselves
and all their appurtenances are abso-
luteiy safe from injury. Meanwhile,
however they can keep up a steady fire,
covering the bay for fifteen miles.
Might Injure Locks.
But it is not intended to let a hostile
ship get within five miles ofthe forts be-
cause then the enemy could injure the
locks at Miraf1ores. These locks are seven
miles inland from the forts. and they
could be shelled by ships twelve miles
away. 1t is not at all probable. how
ever. that any ship could get within fif-
teen miles. much less near enough to
send shot to the locks.
One gate of the locks mught be dis
abled without affecting the usefulness of
the locks. and tons of masonry could be
destroyed without in any way impairing
the usefulness of what remained. To hit
any vulnerable part of the locks at
distance Of ten or fifteen miles would be
as difficult as for a rifleman to hit lead
pencil at a range of two thousand yards.
There Is one way In which the locks
could be put out Of commission. If an
enemy could land a force on Panama
soil and send 1t quickly to the canal
line. and this force could blow up the
gates of the locks. then the canal
would be useless until the damage had
been repaired. But such a contingency
has been anticipated.
Military Reservation.
The Canal Zone will be military
reservation. There will be a guard al
ways on duty at each lock. There will
also be field fortifications at each lock.
III will be impossible for fleet to
approach Panama waters without
warming from American scout ships,
for the wireless facilities will include
three stations for distances of 500 to
1000 miles. and one for distances up
to 1000 miles.
1T is intended to keep three regi-
ments at Culebra. and a regiment of
marines at Balboa, in addition to the
artillerymen in the forts, II is not
likely that any force sufficient to cope
Panama and approach the Canal Zone.