Norwich bulletin., 1914-12-16
Warships to be
 Sent to Canal Zone
TO GUARD AGAINST VIOLATIONS
 OF NEUTRALITY
CABINET so DECIDED
If Canal Zone is Being Used as Base
 of Supplies, Colonel eoethals Will
 Be instructed to Use His Land Forces to Prevent Such Violations.

Washington. Dec. 15.-President Wilson and his cabinet decided today osend American warships to the canal zone to guard against violations of neutrality there by belligerent ships.
 Just how many ships and whether destroyers or cruisers or battleships. shall be dispatched. will be determined after full report has been received from Cononel Goethals, military gov ernor of the canal zone and Captain Rodman, naval officer at the canal.
 Why Action Was Delayed.
 Both Secretary Garrison and Sec retary Daniels made it clear today that the delay in acting on the re- quest of Colonel Goethals for two des- troyers was due to a lack of informa- ton. MT. Garrison explained that the colonel had sent two messages, one asking for the destroyers without spe- cifying the purpose of their use. Tn reply to a message of inquiry on the latter point, Colonel Goethals explain ed that the wireless regulations were being violated in canal waters and referred to the misuse of the canal zone as a base of supplies.
 The war department again asked for specific instances of what had occur red, but tonight no further informa- tion had been received. On a full explanation of conditions in the canal
 
 be taken and under what departmental jurisdiction.
 If the canal zone is being used as a. base of supplies, Colonel Goethals l will be instructed to use his land forces to prevent such violations being used within territorial waters 1 the navy department will ask for ar explanation from its naval officers, aS the question of wireless regulation was placed by executive order of Presi- | dent Wilson on August in the hands ment and Colonel Goethals, according l to war department officials, has nc authority over the radio situation | whatsoever.
 Presidents Orders Will Be Carried ou Whatever is necessary to be done 1 said Secretary Daniels tonight "tt carry out the executive order of tn, communication will be done. 4 1ele 1 gram from the radio officer at th' canal zone shows that he is on th' | job. He says:
 For communication with Britisi cruisers from west coast, have dis mantled radio of one British collier at Balboa, Canal Zone
 1 Destroyers or other ships will b. | sent to the canal zone at any momen when needed to prevent the use O radio for any unneutra1 act by ship! 1 of any belligerent nation.''
 The probability is that some of tn, | cruisers now on the west coast o ] Mexico will be sent to the zone instead I of destroyers.
 l At the British embassy it was sug | gested that the British colliers whicl are alleged to have been using thei | wireless within the territorial water | of the canal zone. may not have re ceived word of the canal regulation on this point, as these only reachet London yesterday. British official | state that Great Britain has no ob l jection whatsoever to the enforcement by the United States of the wireless l regulations which the latter has pro l claimed and has been in sympath, l with the censorship idea from tn ] outbreak of the war.
 It was pointed out by high official 1 of the Washington government in thi connection that belligerent warships l after being given due warning, prob
 ably would not use their radio ap paratus within the three mile limit | as it is easy for them to move ou
 8 few miles to the high seas wher l there is no prohibition.