Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-10-16

arating the waters of the Atlantic and the Pacific in the
Panama canal, he ~consummated the realization of a dream
that first came to the intrepid explorers of the sixteenth
century in their quest for an open passage to Asia
We have made marvellous advances in our methods of
engineering and in our fnanciering, but the far-sightedness
of the navigators of old is demonstrated by the fact that
practically 400 years ago Charles V had a survey made for
an interoceanic canal across the Isthmus of Panama, and
the Spanish engineers of that age, working in both directions
from the spot where the Gamboa dixie stood, laid out a line
which the American engineers followed exactly in the con-
struction of the Panama canal of to-day.
For decades the United States was possessed to follow
another route, and it is only a few years comparatively since
former United States Senator Warner Miller of New York
asked for the aid of the Vermont Legislature in a project to
gain official recognition and wide cooperation in the project
to construct the Nicaragua interoceanic canal.
When we finally came to look with favor on the Panama
route the French nation under De Lesseps had been making
a mess of their project to construct a Panama canal, and it
looked for a time as though it would be necessary for the
United States to adopt the Nicaragua route, if we were to
have any part in the great prestige which would come from
the mingling of oceanic commerce of the Atlantic and the
Pacific via the center Of the American continent.
AS early as 1926 a company was formed in New York
for the purpose of building a canal through Nicaragua, and
it is significant that even as late as 1869 President Grant had
surveys made of both the Panama and Nicaragua routes for
the purpose of determining the comparative merits of the
two and the report of the commission was in favor of Nicara-
qua. An American company began to build the Nicaragua
canal in 1889 but after four years the project was aban-
doned on account of lack of funds.
The attitude of the United States opened the way for
French enterprise, and in 1881 work was begun on the Pan
anna canal by the French under De Lesseps, but through lack
of sanitary knowledge the enterprise was seriously handi-
capped by the yellow fever scOurge. After many reverses the
French sold out their interest to the United States in 1904
for the sum of s4O,OOO,OOO after spending S255, OOO, 900,
much of which was wasted. We proceeded to make the
dirt fly" with the result that is now history.
The opening of the Panama canal, which is worthy of
commemoration as among the great world events, in effect
doubles the size of the famous Atlantic squadron at one blow
and increases our prestige as a naval power accordingly.
Before the isthmus was cut this great fleet could not be used
in an emergency for the protection of our Pacific coast eX-
cept after long delay and tremendous risks attending a trip
round the Horn with prospect of arrival only after the crisis
had passed. Now it can move back and forth through the
canal and be available in either ocean within a comparatively
short period.
The Wilson administration, like it's republican predeces-
sor, is endeavoring to promote the development of worldwide
peace. No one may predict how far the completion of the
Panama canal will aid in this great project. If it is true that
the real mission of the tour of the world by the Amer
lean fleet sent abroad by President Roosevelt was to check
the designs of the war party in Japan, and that it accom-
plshed that purpose, then it follows as a matter of course
that the doubling of our naval efficiency will have a similar
tendency and thus make war involving the United States
more improbable.
The value of the Panama canal to the United States, in
case of war, would be incalculable, and it is to be assumed
as a matter of course that one of the first aims of a naval
power engaged in hostilities with us would be to make that
waterway useless. 1t follows that provision for the ade-
quate protection of the Panama canal is almost as important
for the United States, looking at the question from a mill
tary point of view, as the construction of that waterway it.
self.
WIHc lHe Importance OF III 1dndn1d canal Il a w
factor and as an influence that will help to promote world
wide peace is almost inconceivable the great function of the
interoceanlc waterway will be to aid in the development of
commerce and the, extension Of trade between the United
States and other countries as well as between other powers
themselves, and also to help regulate rates of transportation
between our Atlantic and Pacific territory.
Communication between New York and ports on the
west coast of South America and between San Francisco and
the east coast of South and Central America will be shorten
ed thousands of miles, and the way in which routes between
various old world points and the new world will be shifted
will readily suggest itself.
Freight from Japan to New York, for example, will
not come across the continent from San Francisco by rail as
at present, in all human probability, at least not when the
new steamship lines which the Panama canal will promote
have fully developed. In the same way it is easy to see how
transportation between Atlantic and Pacific coasts will be
put on a competitive rate basis as between rail and water
lines.
The minghng of the waters of the Atlantic and the Pa
cmc is also to be considered as the contamination of a great
feat in engineering, and as a public work involving a vast
aggregate of money. In less than ten years after taking
possession of the property Uncle Sam has consummated this
great undertaking, dreamed of for centuries, and has made