The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1914-04-03
CAN THE PANAMA CANAL BE DE-
STROYED FROM THE AIR?
lSunset MagaZine)

tOuACCI
Calanel Gcethals is reported as
saying, in February: THE canal for
tifications are entirely adequate and
do not think there is the slightest
danger of the canal being captured
by any enemy" The great canal
builder might have added, in a para
phrase of Paul Revere: None, if
by land, and none, if by sea-" But
how, if by air? This question is
asked by Riley E. Scott in an article
Can the Panama Canal be Destroyed
from the Air?" in the April issue of
Sunset Magazine. Mr.. Scott is a
graduate of West Point, an editorial
note explains, and for several years
has made special study of the aero
plane as an instrument of warfare.
He is the inventor of scientific
range-finder for accurately dropping
bombs from aeroplanes and his de-
vice has been adopted by several
European armies. In 1912, in COM
petition with the crack military avia-
tors of France, under the auspices OF
the French army, he won all prizes
offered for dropping bombs from
aeroplanes. In Europe he. is consid-
cred an authority as we'll as a pioneer
in this field. At this time he is con-
Quoting experiments at San Diego for
the war department, dropping explo-
sives from an aeroplane under war
conditions. In" his article Mr.. Scott
points out that for the past six years,
at least, the problem of fortifying
the Panama Canal has engaged the
attention of our ablest military
authorities, and naturally every pre-
caution has been taken to insure, SO
far as possible, its impregnability
But during this time new factor in
warfare has gradually been developed
a factor whose vast importance is
just beginning to be realized by even
the most progressive strategists and
tacticians. This is what the French
call ''the fourth arm''-the aero
plane. Franch has over 500 military
aeroplanes ready for service and is
making a desperate effort to main
tain the mastery of the air; while
German, Russia, Great Britain, Aus
tria, Italy and Japan are training
aviators and providing machines as
fast as possible. Meanwhile the
United States is doing practically
nothing. Inasmuch as battleships
and cruisers will be equipped, in the
near future, with aeroplanes, accord
ing to the belief of high naval author
tiles, the vulnerability of the Panama
Canal from the air may be considered
a matter of serious discussion The
/: most vital and probably the most vul-
nerable portions of the canal are the
great locks and the Culebra Cut.
Aeroplanes may easily transport suffi-
cient ammunition to destroy the cleo
trical machinery which operates the
locks. The volcanic soil of the Gu
Zebra Cut is extremely unstable and
intelligently placed explosives would
easily start disastrous slide at that
portion of the canal. Both the At
lantic and Pacific approaches to the
canal will be adequately fortified, it
is true, but ships may anchor be-
yond range of Notifications and dis
patch aerial fleets against which, so
far, no provision has been made.
The writer of this article does not
wish to be taken as an alarmist, but
asks that the case be considered in
the light of present aeronautical de-
velopment and of what may reason
able be expected in the future. He
does not wish to say that the danger
is imminent, but considers it his duty
to warn his countrymen that in his
oNinion, real menace does exist and
that little has been done to meet
1t. Last year France spent eight mil
lions of dollars on military aeronau-
tics. Japan spent million dollars.
The appropriation made by the
United States was $4,000. Appar-
emily the United States is behind the
rest of the world in the recognition
of what noted tactician has called
the greatest military invention since
gunpowder"