The Washington times., 1913-10-28
DECLARES CANAL IS
ALREADY OBSOLETE
Bunau-VariIla Says Lock Type
Must Be Replaced in Twenty
Years.


state ment made public today, Philippe
Bunau-varilla, the famous French en-
gineer, who was associated with de
Lesseps in the original Panama canal
project, declares that the canal now
nearing completion is already practical
ly obsolete, that it is in grave danger
of destruction by earthquakes and that
it must give place to a sea-level canal
He says:
Il come back from the Panama canal
filled with admiration for what manly
energy has accomplished there, but 1
am not reconciled with the plan follow
ed. Every one of the objections which
| opposed to it when it was adopted
early in 1906 has been confirmed by ex-
perience and not one has been elimi-
mated
Il am going to explain why / say
that the canal nearing completion at
Panama is not a first class waterway,
worthy of the great nation that has as
sumed its realization after 1t was under
taken by a private enterprise, and
worthy of the great part II mas to play
in the future HISTORY OF humanity.
1T is a second class If not a third
class waterway:
Firstly. because it is unable to admit
the military and commercial vessels
which will be built tomorrow;
Secondly, because ii is exposed at
any moment to complete destruction
owing to the weakness Of the Gatun
dam, in case Of earthquakes Of severe
character;
':rnirdly, because the water supply
furnished by the Chagres and its trlDu-
taries falling into the summit level do
not allow, even If not a drop goes to
waste, to serve a traffic greater than
50,000,G00 tons annually; a limit Of
traffic capacity which will be reached
within twenty years and perhaps much
earlier.
The actual lock canal cannot admit
ships much broader than the PeHnsyl-
vania, which is nInety-eight feet broad.
nor much longer than the lmperator.
which is slS feet long, because the
locks are only uo wide and LoW feet
long. q
horizon of the greatest of the water
routes Of the planet thus curtailed, we
witness on the other hand the harbor
of New York, preparing for ships larg-
er than the ones just mentioned The
drydock which the eminent dock COM
missioner, r. A. c. Smith, is going to
build here, will admit ships l.aO feet
long, while the dry dock at Balboa will
be limited to 1000 feet ships because
the canal cannot admit ships Of greater
dimensions.
"A maritime interoceanic canal which
cannot give passage to ships which
New York expects and for which II is
preparing, is obsolete before its birth;
it is but a second-class canal
THE actual canal at Panama is also
q second-class canal because it lacks
an essential quality for such vital ar
terry Of universal commerce; a complete
security and an absolute stability of
structure.
Without dwelling on the danger of
complete paralyzation for years II
ship loaded with dynamite should come
to explode. through accident or treach-
cry, while passing q iCcS. there is the
laending danger Of witnessing a Sc
we're earthquake sudden destroying
the long and soft mass Of the Gatun
dam, resting on its seat Of soft and
plastic and slippery clay.
Tho earthquake OF October l last
was q grave admonition of Providence.
the three words written on the wall.
1T was not severe on the Isthmus.
but 1t worked havoc at the western ond
of the Panama bay, in the Azucro
peninsula
"If its center of action had been on the
Isthmus. instead of being at the other
extremity OF the bay. and II the Gatun
lake had been full behind the dam, who
could say that the lake would be here
today?
first class waterway, the Straits of
Panama. which will admit all ships,
without any Limitation Of size, without
any Limitation OF number; which will
allow to pass from ocean to ocean in
five hours. which will defy any earth
quake and explosion OF dynamite. just
as the Straits of Messina' defied the
which wiped out the town
of Messina: just as the lockless Suez
Canal defied the great explosion of
dynamite laden ship which took place
there.
1T Is the only waterway worthy or
the great nation which Is the trustee OF
mankind in this enterprise.
This grand and necessary waterway
can be easily obtained at a relatively
small expenditure by the use OF dredges
which will enlarge and then deepen the
actual canal and by the gradual de-
preston of the level of the water In
.. . .,,r,,n;t os have shown long ago"